Who Was the Buddha?

Last Updated: September 20, 2025

Tweet

The Buddha was not a mythical figure, nor a god. He was a real human being named Siddhartha Gautama, born around the 5th or 6th century BCE in Lumbini, present-day Nepal. His journey from royal privilege to spiritual awakening led to the birth of Buddhism, a tradition practiced by millions worldwide.
Rather than offering salvation through faith, the Buddha offered a way to understand and overcome suffering, through practice, discipline, and insight. His story is not just history. It’s a path.

Who Was Buddha and What Did He Do?

Born into the Shakya clan, Siddhartha Gautama lived the early part of his life surrounded by luxury. Protected within palace walls, he remained unaware of the harsh realities of the world. That changed when he encountered what are now called the Four Sights:

• An old man
• A sick man
• A dead body
• A wandering ascetic

These sights shook him. He saw that suffering, aging, and death were inevitable, and that comfort could not protect him from reality. But he also saw a possible path beyond suffering.
At the age of 29, he left behind his royal title, wealth, and family. He became a seeker.
For years he practiced extreme self-denial. But starvation and pain did not bring wisdom. Eventually, under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, he sat in deep meditation. He vowed not to rise until he had understood the truth of suffering.
He attained Enlightenment at the age of 35.
For the next 45 years, he traveled across northern India, teaching anyone who would listen. From kings to farmers, outcasts to merchants, he shared what he had discovered. He formed the first Sangha, a monastic community committed to the path of liberation.

Is Buddha a God?

No. The Buddha never claimed to be a god or a divine being.
He did not promise miracles or salvation. What he offered was a clear path, one based on personal experience and practice. In Buddhism, he is seen as a fully awakened human, someone who discovered the deepest truths of existence and shared them for the benefit of others.
While some later Buddhist traditions, especially in Mahayana, show reverence that may seem divine, through offerings, images, and chanting, this devotion is not worship in the theistic sense. It is respect for a teacher who showed the way.

What Do We Know About the Historical Buddha?

Most of what we know comes from early Buddhist scriptures like the Pali Canon, compiled centuries after his death. Scholars generally agree on the key facts:

• He was born in Lumbini into a royal family.
• He was raised in Kapilavastu, shielded from the outside world.
• He left home in search of answers to human suffering.
• He attained enlightenment and taught for the rest of his life.
• He died around age 80 in Kushinagar, India.

Some stories include miracles, but these are best understood as symbolic teachings. The essence remains: he was a man who awakened, and taught others to do the same.

Have There Been Other Buddhas?

Yes. Buddhism does not see Gautama Buddha as the only Buddha.

• Past Buddhas: Ancient texts name previous enlightened beings like Dipankara, Kakusandha, and Kassapa who also discovered the path.
• Future Buddhas: It is said that Maitreya will appear in the future to teach the Dharma again.
• Potential for All: In Mahayana Buddhism, anyone has the potential to become a Buddha. The path is open to all.

Siddhartha Gautama is simply the Buddha of our time.

What About the Buddhas in Buddhist Art?

In Buddhist art, the Buddha is not always represented the same way.

• Early depictions avoided images, using symbols like footprints, a wheel, or an empty seat to represent his presence.
• Later artworks show him seated in meditation, standing in teaching poses, or lying down in Parinirvana, his final passing.
• Different forms like Amitabha, Medicine Buddha, or Vairocana appear more in Mahayana traditions, each expressing a specific aspect of enlightenment.

Each mudra (hand gesture) and posture carries meaning, reminding practitioners of the qualities they seek to cultivate.

Do Buddhists Worship the Buddha?

Not in the way that worship is understood in theistic religions.
Buddhists do not pray to the Buddha to intervene or change their fate. Instead, they express gratitude, respect, and intention.

• They bow before statues.
• Offer incense, flowers, or light.
• Chant verses of reflection.

These acts are meant to strengthen resolve, remind one of the goal, and deepen understanding, not to ask for divine favors.

What Did the Buddha Teach?

The Buddha's first sermon shared the foundation of Buddhist thought. It revolves around Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths

• Life is suffering (dukkha): Physical pain, mental stress, and dissatisfaction are part of human life.
• Suffering has a cause: Craving, attachment, and ignorance lead to suffering.
• Suffering can end: When craving ceases, so does suffering.
• There is a path to the end of suffering: This is the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path

Grouped into three core areas:

• Wisdom (Prajna): Right View, Right Intention
• Ethical Conduct (Sila): Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood
• Mental Discipline (Samadhi): Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration

This path is not a dogma, but a practical guide for living, thinking, and seeing clearly.

What Is Enlightenment of the Buddha?

Enlightenment, Nirvana, is the state the Buddha reached under the Bodhi tree.
It is not a place. It’s not a reward. It’s a state of mind, a clear, direct insight into the nature of existence:

• That everything changes (anicca)
• That there is no permanent self (anatta)
• That suffering can end through understanding and letting go

To be enlightened is to live without clinging, without hatred, and without delusion. It is freedom, not from the world, but from false views of the world.

Final Thoughts

The Buddha did not claim ownership over a religion. He did not ask for blind devotion. He shared what he discovered so that others could see for themselves.
His teachings are not bound to temples or robes. They are tools for daily life, for seeing clearly, living ethically, and finding peace. In a time where confusion and distraction dominate, the simplicity of his message still speaks:
“Be a lamp unto yourself.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Was the Buddha a real person?

Yes. Siddhartha Gautama was a historical figure who lived around the 5th-6th century BCE.

Is Buddha a god?

No. He was a human who reached enlightenment through his own efforts and taught others to do the same.

What is the goal of Buddhism?

To reach Nirvana, a state of freedom from suffering and rebirth.

Can anyone become a Buddha?

Yes. Buddhism teaches that everyone has the potential to awaken.

Where was the Buddha born?

In Lumbini, located in present-day Nepal.

What did the Buddha teach first?

He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the way to overcome suffering.

To share this link:

Copy Link >>