In short: the Buddha was Siddhattha Gotama, a man born in the foothills of the Himalayas about 2,500 years ago. He left a life of comfort to understand suffering, awakened under a tree at Bodh Gaya, and taught for 45 years. "Buddha" means "the awakened one". He was not a god, and said so himself (AN 4.36).
☸ His life in four places
- ✦ Born at Lumbini
- ◎ Awakened at Bodh Gaya
- ☸ First teaching at Sarnath
- ☾ Passed away at Kusinārā
The four places (DN 16) · How he awakened
🪷 "Remember me as a Buddha"
"Suppose there was a blue water lily, or a pink or white lotus. Though it sprouted and grew in the water, it would rise up above the water and stand with no water clinging to it. In the same way, though I was born and grew up in the world, I live having mastered the world, unsullied by the world."
AN 4.36 · The full story
✦ His last words
"Conditions fall apart. Persist with diligence."
DN 16 · More
Try it
What is Buddhism? · His real words · 3 minutes of practice
Questions people ask
Was the Buddha a god?
No. Asked if he was a god, a spirit or a human, the Buddha answered that he was a Buddha, an awakened one, 'unsullied by the world' like a lotus above the water (AN 4.36).