Sakyamuni

Sakyamuni, also known as Shakyamuni or Shakya Munī, was the historical founder of Buddhism. He was born as Siddhartha Gautama in the Shakya clan of the Kosala Kingdom in the 6th century BCE. Siddhartha was born into a royal family and was given every luxury and comfort. However, he witnessed the suffering of the world firsthand, including the sickness, old age, and death of his own father, as well as the poverty and hardship of the common people. This led him to renounce his royal life and embark on a spiritual journey to seek enlightenment.

Siddhartha meditated under the Bodhi tree for seven weeks, during which he attained enlightenment. He became known as the Buddha, meaning "the awakened one" or "the enlightened one." After his enlightenment, the Buddha taught the Dharma, the path to enlightenment, to his followers. He established the Sangha, the community of monks and nuns who dedicated their lives to the practice of Buddhism.

The Buddha's teachings are recorded in the Tripitaka, the canonical collection of Buddhist scriptures. These teachings emphasize the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the concept of impermanence (Anicca), suffering (Dukkha), and non-self (Anatta). The Buddha's life and teachings have had a profound influence on the development of Buddhism and continue to inspire millions of people around the world.