Buddha Guide

: For the first time, he realized that everyone eventually ages and loses their strength.

Deeply moved, Siddhartha secretly left his wife and newborn son in the middle of the night to become a wandering seeker. The Quest and Enlightenment Buddha

The story of the Buddha , born Siddhartha Gautama, is a journey from a life of sheltered opulence to one of profound spiritual awakening . Born as a prince in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) roughly 2,500 years ago, Siddhartha was raised in a palace where his father, King Suddhodana, protected him from all knowledge of suffering, hoping he would become a powerful world ruler. The Four Sights and Renunciation : For the first time, he realized that

: He saw a peaceful holy man who had renounced worldly possessions to seek an end to suffering. Born as a prince in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal)

For six years, he practiced extreme asceticism, once eating only a single grain of rice a day, until he was near death. Realizing that neither luxury nor starvation brought peace, he adopted the —a path of moderation.

The Life Story of the Buddha: Siddhartha from Prince to Buddha