Founder of BuddhIsm who lived approximately 563-483 BCE. The Buddha was born a prince, but at age 29 became dissatisfied and began practicing austere meditative practices. After six years, he abandoned the severe practices, and soon afterwards realized complete awakening/enlightenment. The Buddha taught followers for 45 years until his death (considered to be the complete ending of the Buddha). |
Founder of BuddhIsm who lived approximately 563-483 BCE. The Buddha, born Gautama Siddhartha, was a prince by birth, but at age 29 became dissatisfied with what he observed as an unjustifiable disparity between the luxury of his life, and the abject poverty he had observed within the community in general, and began practicing austere meditative practices. After six years, he abandoned the severe practices, and soon afterwards realized complete awakening/enlightenment. That enlightnment is called a state of "Bodhi," and hence the name "Buddha," or "enlightened one." The Buddha taught followers for 45 years until his death (considered to be the complete ending of the Buddha). |
See [A Sketch of the Buddha's Life] for an excellent overview of the Buddha's life and teachings.
BuddhIsm has a whole bunch of branches, and some of the less-philosophical-more-ritualistic ones have him as a deity.