Siddhārtha Gautama (Sidaaha) was born in the kingdom of Kapilvastu in Nepal. At present this birth place of Buddha is called Lumbini, in Nepal. At that time, a clan called the Shakya's ruled Kapilvastu. His father was a king named Suddodana Tharu, and his mother was Maya Devi. Siddhārtha lived in luxury; his father kept trouble and hard work far from him. A seer predicted that if Siddhārth stayed inside his palace his whole life, then he would become a great king. However, if he left the palace, then he would become a great religious leader. The king did not want his son to become a religious leader. He kept Siddhartha in the palace for his whole childhood.When he was older, his father found a woman for Siddhārtha to marry at the age of 16. He married the woman named Yashodhara,[2] and they had a son, Rahul.[3] Although Gautama had everything he could want, he still was not happy. He wanted to learn the meaning of his existence.It is said that he got out of the castle against his father's orders. He saw the "Four Passing Sights": an old crippled man, a sick man, a dead man, and a holy man with no home. But in real he became member of shakya sangh in age of 20.[4] After eight years Shakya and Koli dispute happened. Which was about the use of water of river Rohini. Some people of both the sides got injured. After it in a meeting of shakya sangh they decided to fight a war against Kolis to teach them lesson. Siddhartha opposed the proposal and said, "war is not a solution of any problem, We can form a council of some people of both sides and that council can solve the issues." Almost all the members rejected his opinion. Next day head of the sangh said, " we are going to recruit new soldiers for the war and it is essential for a man who is above 20 and below 50 years." Again Siddhartha opposed the proposal. Head of the sangh made him recall his oth but Siddharth said, "he will not fight." Sangh asked him to choose (1) fight for the sangh against kolis (2) death sentence or he will leave the country (3) Social boycott of his family. Siddhartha said "I am ready for death." Head of the sangh said, "this step can be harmful because Kosala king will not allow it." If it is your problem then I may become a monk and then I can leave this country, Kosala king cant do anything in it, said Siddhartha. Head of the sangh thought it was a good idea. After you leave we will start a war so that king will not be able to findout any relation between you and war, head of the sangh said. Next day Siddhartha left his family, his land and everything. It was 29th year of his birth. [5]
At that time, holy men were usually ascetics. They hurt their bodies in order to help their spiritual beings. They do not do things they like so they can defeat their desires. The most ascetic kinds of holy men were called Jains. They practiced self-denial and made themselves suffer very much. They believed this would free the ātman (soul) from pain and sadness. Siddhārth did these things well. Eventually he was better than his teachers. He still found no answer, and he left his teachers, some friends and he went even farther. He ate only six grains of rice a day. He tried holding his breath. He became just skin and bones, and he nearly died. Still, he had no answer.Siddhārth started to think again about this path. He thought there might be a better way than hurting himself. He found a fig tree (now called the Bodhi tree) and started to meditate. He told himself that he would not get up until he had found enlightenment. He meditated under the tree for 49 days. His mind is said to have become pure, and then, six years after he began his path, he said he found Enlightenment, and became the Buddha.
Sarnath (also known as "Deer Park") is said to be the place where the Buddha first taught.When the Buddha became enlightened, he knew the answer to suffering, and he knew how to defeat suffering. This answer was called the Four Noble Truths. He was not sure if he should teach his new ideas or not. He asked himself if the world was ready for such a deep teaching. But in the end, he decided to travel to a town called Sarnath to teach the people his new way. He taught about the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The people listened to him.When he taught, he did not pretend to be a god. He said he was just a man who had found the meaning of life (enlightenment), and that any person can also find the meaning of life. For the rest of his life, he walked all over Southern Nepal and parts of India to teach people what he believed. He started a Sangha, which is a group of Buddhist monks and nuns. Many people became enlightened because of him. At the age of 80, Gautama Buddha died.
