The Buddha is the founder of Buddhism, the religion.
He is known as the historical Buddha, because he was a real person. His name was Siddhartha Gautama. The word "Buddha" means a person who is awake or enlightened. This is the story of his journey to enlightenment. He was born a prince around 550 B.C.E. in India. A fortuneteller had predicted that Siddhartha would grow up to be either a great conqueror or a great teacher.
Siddhartha's father determined to make his son into a great conqueror. Palaces and a life of luxury surrounded Siddhartha as he grew up. When he was twenty-nine years old, he witnessed suffering for the first time. He saw an old man, tooth broken, body crooked, trembling. He saw a sick man. He saw a dead man.
He gave up his life as a prince. He decided to find out where suffering comes from and how to get rid of it. After years of searching, studying with teachers, and trying different ways of living, he still had not found the answer. Finally he made up his mind to meditate until he figured it out. After forty-nine days of meditation, he found the answer. He said that suffering comes from selfish wanting, or wanting things that only benefit oneself. In order to get rid of suffering, we must get rid of wanting.
For the next fifty years, the Buddha taught. His ideas caught on like wildfire. Even kings came to bow before him. But when asked "Are you a god?,” he said "No." "An angel?" "No." "A saint?" "No." "Then what are you?" He answered, "I am awake."
Catherine Hewitt’s book Buddhism
Published by Thomson Learning, 1995, New York, NY
Demi’s book Buddha
Published by Henry Holt and Co., 1996, New York, NY
Demi’s book Buddha Stories
Published by Henry Holt and Co., 1997, New York, NY
Learn more
about the life of the Buddha
(http://www2.hawkesbury.uws.edu.au/BuddhaNet/lifebud.htm)