Siddhartha was an Indian prince who lived approximately 25 centuries ago. He was a good-looking man who got married at the age of 16. He lived comfortably, without having to worry about what the rest of the population did. He enjoyed this life until he became 29 years old. That’s when he started to realize that other men didn’t live the same way he did.
As time progressed, he realized that his royalty would never protect him from the suffering of the world. He learned that the ones he loved would eventually die or get sick, just like he would. This realization shattered his old self, and set him on a quest of truth seeking. The aim of the quest was to end suffering.
What was unusual in his search was the fact that while most humans tend to seek help from people, things and circumstances outside of themselves, Siddhartha looked for it inside of himself. He searched deep within himself in order to find the root of all the suffering, he sat with himself for countless hours. There he observed feelings, thoughts and conditioned behaviors.
He understood that by developing this relationship with his own self, he would create a way of becoming independent from external events. This would prevent him from experiencing suffering, as he would now have absolute control over his perception. He learned that life is suffering and that suffering is caused by attachment. However the ultimate power lay within him.
Eventually, Siddhartha found in his inner being all the resources he needed to overcome, and transcend suffering. He found the means to do this by keeping a profound serenity in the face of life’s trials. It doesn’t mean he wouldn’t experience suffering, but he would not see that as such. He would be able to keep his inner balance regardless of the circumstances around him. Good or bad.
Gautama left his throne and retreated to the forest where he lived as an ascetic, someone who devotes his life to prayer, meditation, deprivation. He chose to do so in order to find the solution to human suffering, something that caused him great anguish.
After some time, he realized mortifying his body was pointless and decided to live in moderation. One night under full moon he figured out the meaning of life and its dissociation from the material world. That’s when he received the name Buddha, which comes from the word Bud – meaning waking up. He was the awakened one. The enlightened one.
He then walked all over India. Teaching people about Dharma and the way to happiness, he encouraged the position of women in the society as equal to men. He also urged people to take the road of self-investigation and religious freedom.
Siddhartha released people from blind religious slavery, he thought anyone could reach enlightenment by their own efforts. Everyone can be subjected to deep knowledge. He was full of compassion, wisdom and knew exactly how to teach everyone according to their limitations. He would speak to nobles the same way he would do with people from lowers castes.
When living in the monastery he would still walk long distances to visit the ones in need. He would visit the sick and ask everyone to help them. He used to say that whoever cares about a sick person, cares about me.
He died at the age of 80 leaving behind a great deal of followers and immense teachings about Dharma. He’s considered the founder of Buddhism, but he used to say there were many Buddhas before him, and that anyone could become one.
