Siddhartha Gautama, the fourth historical Buddha and the Buddha of our era, was born in 563 BCE in what is now southern Nepal. He was a prince of the Shakya clan, with his father, King Shuddodana, and his mother, Queen Mahamaya. At birth, a renowned soothsayer named Asita proclaimed that Siddhartha would either become a great king or a great sage who would save humanity.

To ensure his son became a king, the ruler shielded Siddhartha from the harsh realities of life, keeping him in the luxury of palaces and surrounding him only with beauty and health. As a prince, Siddhartha trained in the arts of war and, at 16, won the hand of Yashodhara, a beautiful princess, through his prowess in various competitions.

However, despite his lavish lifestyle, Siddhartha grew restless and curious about the world outside his palace. During his explorations, he encountered four sights that would forever change his life: an old man, a sick person, a funeral procession, and a monk who had renounced the world. These encounters revealed the inevitable suffering of life: aging, sickness, and death.

Inspired by the peaceful expression of the monk, Siddhartha renounced his life of wealth and became a wandering ascetic, seeking a solution to the problem of suffering. After years of intense meditation and self-discipline, at the age of 35, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. Free from ignorance, desire, and hatred, he became the Buddha, the awakened one.

For the next 45 years, the Buddha traveled throughout northeast India, sharing his teachings with followers, guiding them on how to achieve enlightenment. His teachings emphasized the path to awakening through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

At the age of 80, the Buddha prepared for his passing. In Kushinagara, after consuming some spoiled food, he became ill. He meditated deeply under a grove of sala trees and passed away. His last words to his followers were:

“Impermanent are all created things; strive on with awareness.”