Siddhārtha Gautama (Gautama Buddha)
- Born:
- c. 563 BCE, Lumbini, Shakya Republic (present-day Nepal)
- Died:
- c. 483 BCE, Kushinagar, Malla Republic (present-day India)
- Nationality:
- Shakya Republic
- Profession(s):
- Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher, Mendicant
Early Life and Education
- Born into a royal family of the Shakya clan.
- Prophecies at birth foretold he would become either a great king or a great religious leader.
- Received training in martial arts, administration, and philosophy appropriate for a Kṣatriya prince.
- Married Yashodhara and had a son, Rahula.
Career and Major Achievements
- Renounced his privileged life at the age of 29, seeking an end to suffering.
- Practiced intense asceticism for six years.
- Attained enlightenment (Nirvana) under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya.
- Delivered his first sermon at Sarnath, setting in motion the "Wheel of Dharma."
- Spent the next 45 years traveling the Ganges Plain, teaching his doctrine to a diverse range of people.
- Established a monastic order (Sangha) of monks and nuns.
Notable Works
While Gautama Buddha did not personally write down his teachings, they were preserved orally and later written down in various Buddhist scriptures. The spread of these teachings throughout India and other regions constitutes the "history of Gautama Buddha in Telugu" as well as other languages, marking the transmission and interpretation of his philosophy across different cultures and time periods.
- Vinaya Pitaka: Collection of rules and regulations for the monastic community.
- Sutta Pitaka: Collection of discourses attributed to the Buddha and his close disciples. (Includes Dhammapada, Majjhima Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, etc.)
- Abhidhamma Pitaka: Collection of philosophical and psychological analysis of Buddhist teachings.
Legacy and Impact
Gautama Buddha's teachings on suffering, impermanence, and the path to enlightenment (the Eightfold Path) form the basis of Buddhism, one of the world's major religions. His philosophy has profoundly influenced art, culture, and ethics across diverse societies for over two millennia.