• Birth: Born as Siddhartha in 563 BCE on Vaishakha Poornima Day at Lumbini (near Kapilavastu, Nepal).
  • Father: Suddhodana, chief of the Sakya clan.
  • Mother: Mahamaya (died seven days after his birth), raised by his stepmother Gautami.
  • Brahmanas predicted he would become either a world conqueror or a world renouncer.
• Marriage: Married Yashodhara at 16 and had a son, Rahula.
• Great Renunciation (Mahabhinishkramana):
  • At 29, after seeing old age, sickness, death, and an ascetic, Siddhartha left his palace with his charioteer Channa and his favorite horse Kanthaka in search of truth.
  • Meditated with teachers Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta but was not satisfied with their methods.
  • Practiced severe austerities for six years with five ascetic companions, later realizing that austerities could not lead to enlightenment.
• Enlightenment:
  • Received milk-rice from Sujata and sat under the Bodhi tree at Uruvela (Gaya, Magadha, Bihar) near the banks of the Niranjana River, vowing not to rise until attaining enlightenment.
  • Mara, the Lord of Illusions, tried to distract him, but Gautama’s wisdom and compassion triumphed.
  • At the age of 35, he attained Nirvana (Enlightenment) and became known as Buddha, the Enlightened One.
  • The Peepal tree where he attained enlightenment became known as the famous Bodhi Tree.

• First Sermon (Dhammachakka Pavattana): Delivered his first sermon on deliverance from suffering (the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path) to his five former companions in the deer park at Sarnath. This event is known as Dhammachakka-Pavattana (“turning the wheel of dharma”). His five companions, Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji, realized the truth and became Arhats.
• Sangha: Established an order of monks and nuns called the Sangha, and taught his doctrine for over four decades.
• Parinirvana: At the age of 80, Buddha attained Parinirvana at Kusinara (in the land of the Mallas). His last words are believed to be, “All composite things decay, strive diligently.”

Representations of Buddha:

• Lotus and Bull – Birth
• Horse – Renunciation
• Bodhi Tree – Enlightenment (Mahabodhi)
• Dhammachakra – First Sermon
• Footprints – Nirvana