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Buddhism was founded roughly 2,500 years ago. It is generally accepted that Buddhism started with Siddhartha Gautama, an extraordinary and noble person, who came to be known as the Buddha. Gautama was born to a privileged ruling family, but he decided to turn away from his life of comfort to find spiritual awareness. For Buddhists, the life of the Buddha and his teachings are an important source of wisdom and authority, informing their beliefs and ways of life.

It is believed that the Buddha lived some 2,500 years ago at a time when the religious traditions in India promoted faith in God and devotional worship to that God. The Buddha, once he had become awakened to the truth about existence, taught a radically different message that focused on a change in lifestyle and did not focus on any deity. Through learning about his life, his path to his enlightenment and other teachings, it is possible to understand the origins of Buddhism and the influence that the Buddha has on Buddhists today.

Life

Siddhartha was born on the border between India and Nepal. He was born into a privileged family, who were considered a ruling family.

• Birth - Buddhist teachings say that his mother, Queen Maya, had a dream foretelling of the Buddha’s birth and during childbirth she suffered no pain. It is said he was born out of his mother’s side and immediately had the ability to walk and talk. This is extraordinary and therefore encourages Buddhists to follow his teachings as an extraordinary individual.

• Life of luxury - The Buddha was unaware of old age, sickness and death as he was shielded from these in palace life. He also saw no suffering. He was married at the age of 16 and had a child. Later, he turned away from his wealthy and easy life to find enlightenment.
• The Four Sights - The Jataka Tales are a collection of stories about the Buddha’s previous lives. They describe Siddhartha’s first encounters with sickness, old age, death and a holy man.

It is the Four Sights that help Buddhists make sense of the teachings and doctrines of Buddhism. Through being aware of the Buddha's privileged life and the sights he saw, a Buddhist becomes able to accept the realities of life. The Jataka Tales give an insight into the Three Marks of Existence and their importance in Buddhist doctrine.