Who Was Buddha Or Siddhartha Gautama?

Founder of Buddhism, Pāli: Gotama Buddha orInstead, the queen encountered or was a part of a
Gautama Buddha was a spiritual instructor in ancientvision, said to be pure and special. In this vision, she
India, between an estimated 563 BCE and 483 BCEwas standing with a branch of a tree held in her right
(possibly even a century later).hand. While this was going on, gods Indra and Brahma
An excellent book on Buddha's life is, "Introduction tolifted the baby effortlessly and without pain from
Buddhism," by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. He discussesher, and ceremoniously honored him, AKA Buddha
how Buddha being the founder of the BuddhistSkakyamuni, offering ritual ablutions to him.
religion called Buddha Shakyamuni, after Buddha's realRoyal prince Buddha Skakyamuni was born. Or more
last name "Shakya" combined with "Muni" for Ableto point, when the King Shuddhodana saw his son
One. A lesson in history tells the story of his life:and felt as though he had fulfillment of his own
History Lessonwishes, he named his young prince "Siddhartha."
Long ago around 624 BC, King Shuddhodana andThe king asked for predictions about his son's future
Queen Mayadevi Lumbini reigned in an area nowfrom a Brahmin seer. And the seer conducted a
belonging to Nepal, then referred to as northern India.careful investigation.
The queen has a dream one evening that a whiteHe found that the prince could become either a world
elephant came down from the heavens or moreruler or chakravatin king, or a Buddha, fully
specifically Tushita heaven, the Pure Land of Buddhaenlightened. But the reign of chakravatin kings is
Maitreya, and penetrated her womb. This elephantover, so he would surely become a Buddha. And the
told the queen that she was had just conceived aprince would influence and help many, many people
baby, a powerful and pure being, from the sameworldwide just like the sun's rays.
place the elephant was from, Tushita heaven, theAnd so it has come to pass and Buddha has indeed
Pure Land of Buddha Maitreya.influenced many, many people around the globe. His
When Queen Mayadevi went into labor, she did notreach seems to be similar to that of the sun's rays
suffer painfully as most women do with birthing pains.after all.