The term Buddha refers to a title meaning "The Awakened One" or "Enlightened One," and is most commonly used to refer to the historical founder of Buddhism. Here is a summary of the historical Buddha and his core teachings: 🧘 The Historical Buddha The historical figure who became known as the Buddha was Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Shakyamuni Buddha). * Life: He was born a prince in Lumbini (in modern-day Nepal) around the 6th or 5th century BCE. * Renunciation: Raised in sheltered luxury, he eventually witnessed the inevitable suffering of life—old age, sickness, and death—prompting him to renounce his royal life at age 29 to seek a solution to human suffering. * Enlightenment (Nirvana): After years of asceticism, meditation, and seeking, he found that neither extreme luxury nor extreme austerity led to peace. He discovered the Middle Way and attained profound enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. * Legacy: He spent t...