Gautama, also called Siddhartha, was the son of a couple who ruled the kingdom of the Sakyas, which is now in India. He was also part of a caste of warriors. According to Indian tradition, Gautama was married at 16 and began to live a life of luxury in a large place. However, at 29, he started to feel that life contained much suffering, including sickness, old age, and death. Gautama then decided to try to find a way to escape what he saw as life's suffering.
He then set out on what has been called "the great renunciation" where he gave up his luxurious lifestyle, left his wife and son in the palace, and wandered throughout the countryside as a poor man. He searched for Hindu teachers who would teach him the way of truth. Hinduism, a religion based upon faith in a variety of gods, myths and ancient legends, was practiced throughout the area. In a beautiful grove of trees with five teachers, Gautama tried rigorous self-disipline for almost six years, but he ended up only weak and unhappy.
At the age of 35, Gautama set out on his own path. Eventually he felt that he found a way to escape suffering, which Gautama called the way to Enlightenment. He became a "buddha" (which means "enlightened one") and spent the rest of his life telling others about the way he felt he had found to escape the suffering of the world. He made many converts to his religious beliefs and trained people to take over after his death. This religion, arising out of Hinduism, would later become known as Buddhism.
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Comments (29)
jaymy18 said
at 8:20 am on Oct 27, 2011
It was a great person that left his amazing life to go find a religion.
Hannah R. said
at 8:20 am on Oct 27, 2011
I think Gautama Buddha is a person of character because he helped people escape all their suffering.
He also started the Buddhist faith, and he is what some people only believe in.
Ean P said
at 8:20 am on Oct 27, 2011
He went from being rich and then he was a poor man. He figured out how to get rid of his suffering by being enlightened.
Audrey.C. said
at 8:22 am on Oct 27, 2011
I think Gautama Buddha is a person of character because taught people how to relax. And he gave up his wealthiness to find out who the real him is.
Tess L said
at 8:22 am on Oct 27, 2011
Gautama Buddha is a man that had everything but he gave it all up to be a better person.
kelvin g said
at 8:23 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. That there was death and old age.
2. he decided to leave his kingdom so he could learn Hinduism.
3. I have to share money.
Mitchell W said
at 8:23 am on Oct 27, 2011
He searched and searched for six years and did not stop until he found a way to escape suffering, so then he called that enlightenment.
Madeline T. said
at 8:24 am on Oct 27, 2011
I think Gautama was a good person of character because he gave up his wealth for a religion.
Rebecca M. said
at 8:24 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. He wasn't satisfied with luxury
2. He left the palace, and his family, and made strict rules for himself while practicing Hinduism.
3. It is hard to eat healthy foods instead of candy
Natalie F. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. Gautama was not satisfied with life.
2. He had to give up the life of luxury and left his wife and child behind.
3. I might have to give up junk food.
Madison M. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
Buddha is a person of character because he never gave up on trying to make his, and other peoples lives better.
McKinley G. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
He was a very rich man and lived very well and he gave all of that up to find the truth and then became a Buddha.
Jared K. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
He is a man of character because he wanted to help people and he wanted to know the truth and he wanted everyone else to know the truth to.
16acallahan said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
He was a man of character Because he help other people and he spent his life trying to find to find enlightenment.
Madelin M. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
He never gave up.
Autumn L. said
at 8:25 am on Oct 27, 2011
He was not satisfied by death, sickness, old age.
He tried to make a decision about escaping life suffering.
Giving up my family would be difficult and hard and having a good school to go to.
Mikayla A. said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. life contained to much suffering.
2. He gave up his luxurious lifestyle and left his wife and son behind.
3. I have to give up money and buy stuff instead of keep the money.
Brian H. said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
He was a very good man that gave up everything that he had to find the end of suffering.
Bailey M. said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. He wasn't satisfied with suffering from sickness, old age, and death.
2. He decided to leave his family to go travel around the countryside as a poor man.
3. I could not give up my home, food, and family and still live a positive and happy life.
Josh W said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
He didn't give up on how he wanted things to be happy and joyful instead of a death like life where people die all the time.
Jacob L. said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. That life contained much suffering.
2. He went wandering around the countryside as a poor man and searched for Hindu teachers.
3. Giving up some of your favorite food if it is unhealthy. Work/ play outside instead of being indoors.
Derek. E said
at 8:26 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. his religion
2. leaving his family and traveling by him self.
3. My T.V. and my video games.
dustin said
at 8:27 am on Oct 27, 2011
that he had to leave his family
having to give every thing up
i have to share the fort at my house
Madeline T. said
at 8:27 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. He wasn't satisfied with being wealthy.
2. He had to choose religion over money.
3.Being healthier.
Kimberly R. said
at 8:28 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. That there had been so many deaths, sickness, and also old age.
2. He set out on his own path, so he could learn Hinduism.
3. To be with my friends and family!
Johnny W. said
at 8:28 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. There was to much death and suffering.
2. He gave up being rich and also his wife and son.
3. It is very hard not to play games instead of doing homework.
Kiley J. said
at 8:31 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. He was not satisfied with life and how you can get ill, get an old age, and die.
2. He had to decide to leave his wife and kid and go and set out on "the great renunciation".
3. I do not have a wife and kid to give up like he did.
Isaiah.R said
at 8:32 am on Oct 27, 2011
He was welth and he gave it all up to find ot ho he was.
Natalie M. said
at 8:38 am on Oct 27, 2011
1. He was not satisfied with suffering.
2. He left his family and became a poor man.
3. I couldn't give up my home, friends, or family.
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