The word Buddha refers to an ‘awakened one’ - one who has awoken their awareness of the Dharma. Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Sakya clan, became the being we generally know as ‘The Buddha’ on achieving enlightenment. The word Buddha can be used to refer to this prince born in an Indian district (now situated in Nepal), or can refer to any being who has perfected their experience and understanding of the Dharma - generally during times when it remains hidden and they have personally re-located it. It may refer to a past or future Buddha, or a Buddha in a different realm within the universe, as well as the one we commonly call ‘The’ Buddha.
Born into a royal family, the prince grew up with the best of food, education, pleasure, and life. Sheltered from the negativities of the common people, once these were within his sight, he began to question his own life, and life in general. Leaving a much-loved wife, a new-born son, and his parent’s royal palace, the prince departed to find the answers to the questions raised having sighted ill, old, dead, and priestly men.
Traveling in search of teachings to satisfy, he learned various ascetic practices and still could not find the solutions he sought. After experiencing both the rich lifestyle of the palace, and then the starving, homeless lifestyle of the wandering religious seeker, he found not his answer. Eventually, he made the decision to sit down and not budge until he found his answer. He sat below a Bodhi tree, where he spent many hours battling through the mental and spiritual realms within, before the truth and understanding he sought was discovered and experienced.
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