Mahatma Buddha, the originator of Buddhism, was a Kshatriya. He was born in Amar Kunj in Lumbini village near Kapilavastu in 563 BCE in the clan of Shakya. His father Shuddhodhan Kapilvastu was the head of Shakya Gana and mother Mahamaya was the daughter of the Kaushal dynasty. Due to the death of mother on the seventh day of her birth, she was raised by her aunt Prajapati Gautami. His childhood name was Siddharth. From the beginning, his focus was towards spirituality and often he was absorbed in contemplation. At the age of 16, he was married to Yashodhara (other names- Gopa, Bimba and Bhadra Kachna). From Yashodhara, Siddharth also gave birth to a son named Rahul, but Siddharth did not mind the worldly pleasures and fascination. They would be sad to see worldly sufferings and seek remedies for their relief. At the age of 29, Siddharth gave up his home. Which is called ‘Mahabhinishkramana’. While wandering for 7 years, he took initiation from Alar Kalam and Rudranak Ramputra but did not get enlightenment. He adopted harsh restraint and subjected his body to various tortures in order to gain enlightenment. He finally attained enlightenment under the Peepal tree at Uruvela (Bodh Gaya) at the age of 35 years. Since then he started being called Buddha. After attaining enlightenment, he went to Varanasi and gave his first sermon in Rishi Van (Sarnath). Which is called ‘Dharmachakrapravartan’. He undertook long journeys in propagating Buddhism at the age of 80 in 483 BCE in Kushinagar, capital of the Republic of Mall (Kasia in Kushinagar district of present-day eastern Uttar Pradesh), who is called Mahaparinirvan in Buddhist texts. • The symbols of Buddhism related to the life of Buddha- (birth- lotus and bull), (homicide-horse), (jnana-peepal, Bodhi tree), (nirvana-pada sign), (death-stupa).
असतो मा सद् गमय | तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय | मृत्योर्माऽमृतं गमय | 