Shakyamuni Buddha was born in northeastern India around 500 BCE, the eldest son of a king. As a young man, he became aware of the impermanence and sufferings of life—birth, aging, sickness and death. He left the luxuries of the palace in pursuit of answers to life’s perplexing questions and to seek a way to relieve people of their suffering.
Shakyamuni tried meditation, then asceticism—subjecting his body to painful austerities—to free himself of desires. Mastering these practices left him unsatisfied, so he rejected them to seek a new, deeper path to the truth on his own. He struggled for years to conquer his own delusions about the true nature of life. In his thirties, while sitting under a Bodhi tree, Shakyamuni awakened to the fundamental truth that enables all people to overcome their sufferings. He then resolved to dedicate his life to sharing this truth with others.
Shakyamuni traveled far and wide to teach and encourage others to transform their lives and help others do the same. His disciples included people from all walks of life: from kings, warriors and merchants, to members of the lowest, untouchable class. Shakyamuni welcomed women into the Buddhist Order, treating monks, nuns, and lay men and women as equals. In the context of India’s rigid caste system, Shakyamuni’s indifference to social standing was unique. His sincere dedication sparked a people’s movement, centered on valuing and promoting the dignity of all life.
