Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual teacher and the founder of Buddhism. He was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, as a prince in a royal family. Despite living a life of luxury, he became deeply moved by the suffering he saw in the world—old age, sickness, and death. Determined to find a solution to human suffering, he left his royal life behind in search of spiritual truth. After years of meditation and self-discipline, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya and became the Buddha, meaning “The Enlightened One.” He spent the rest of his life teaching the path to liberation from suffering through principles such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. His teachings emphasized mindfulness, compassion, and the importance of letting go of desire and attachment. The Buddha died around the age of 80 in Kushinagar, India, but his teachings continue to guide millions of people around the world today.