the life of Gautama Buddha is
fairly well-known. He was born in a royal family of Kapilvastu in the
6th century B.C. His father's name was Suddhodhana. Mahamaya, the 6th of
Prajapati Gautami, was his mother.He was married to a very beautiful
princess Yashodra.
The sights of disease, old age and death impressed the
young prince with the idea that the world was full of sufferings, and
the life of a care free mendicant suggested to him a possible way of
escape. As an ascetic, he was restless in search of the real source of
all the sufferings and of the means of complete deliverance. He sought
the light form many religious teachers, like Alar kalam and Udrak, and
learned scholars of the day and practised great austerities; but nothing
satisfied him. This threw him back on his own resources. With an iron
will and a mind free form all
disturbing thoughts and passion, he endeavored to unravel through
continued intence meditating, the mystery of the world's miseries, till
at last his ambition was crowed with success. With this success
Siddharta become 'Buddha'or the 'Enlightened'
