Buddha expressed as the Four Noble Truths: "all of life is suffering; the cause of suffering is desire; the end of desire leads to the end of suffering; and the means to end desire is a path of discipline and meditation"
The day of the Buddha's birth is widely celebrated in Buddhist countries as Vesak Day,

Siddhartha was born in Lumbini in modern day Nepal His father was Suddhodana, the chief of the Shakya nation, one of several ancient tribes on the growing state of Kosala. His mother was Queen Maya, King Sudhodhana's wife, who was a Koliyan princess. As was the Shakya tradition, when his mother Queen Maya fell pregnant, she returned to her father's kingdom to give birth, but after leaving Kapilavastu, she gave birth along the way at Lumbini in a garden beneath a sala tree.

Suddhodarna held a naming ceremony on the fifth day, and invited scholars to read the future. All gave a dual prediction that the baby would either become a great king or a great holy man,

King was shocked by this prediction and enquired, "What will my son see that will be the occasion of his forsaking the household life?" The soothsayers said, "Four signs" and described them as "a man worn by age, a sick man, a dead body and a hermit".

The King provided his son with all luxuries, and ensured a comfortable and pleasure-filled childhood with the best education. He took special care to protect him from any negative sight. In his youthAs the Siddhartha reached the age of 16, his father arranged his marriage to Yashodhara, she gave birth to a son, Rahula. Siddhartha spent 29 years as a Prince in Kapilavastu, a place now situated in Nepal. Although his father ensured that Siddhartha was provided with everything he could want or need, Siddhartha felt that material wealth was not the ultimate goal of life.

While venturing outside of his palace, Siddhartha saw four things, which opened his eyes towards the harsh realities of life. He saw an old man suffering from the frailties of age, a sick man suffering from disease, a beggar suffering from hunger and he saw a dead body. All these events affected him immensely and Siddhartha finally came to the conclusion that nothing is permanent in life, all these events in his life forced him to search for truth that eventually changed his life.

At the age of twenty-nine, he left his home in search of the answers to his questions, leaving behind his wife and son, his father and a crown that held the promises of power and glory, then he began an intense meditation program until he came to know about the absolute truth. He meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya.

At the end of his meditation, in just one night (C. 528 B.C.), Siddhartha came to know about all his previous lives and the truth about cycle of birth and rebirth and how to end the cycle of infinite sorrow. Siddhartha became the "Buddha" or "awakened one"
Then Buddha decided to impart knowledge and enlightenment to others.

The Noble Eightfold Path "right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration"For the next forty-five years after his enlightenment, he taught as the Buddha or "Shakyamuni" (the sage of the Shakaya). Buddha established an order of monks called the Sangha. The Buddha attained Parinibbana (freedom from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of eighty

Shamrock Journeys offers Buddhist Tours in India. Travel on the Lotus Path to Buddhist Pilgrimage destinations and see the Buddhist sites with us,

(1). The place where he was born i.e. Lumbini
(2). The place where he attained the enlightenment i.e. Buddhagaya
(3). The place where he delivered the first sermon i.e. Sarnath
(4). The place where he entered into Mahaparinirvana i.e. Kushinagar
(5). The place Buddha's favourite rainy season retreat where he performed his first miracle i.e.Sravasti
(6). The place where he preached his last sermon before his death i.e. Vaishali
(7). The Saptaparni Caves set on Vaibhar Hill were the venue of the First Buddhist Council, held to compile the teachings of the Buddha in its authentic form, after his death. The world-renowned university of Nalanda is another important landmark site. i.e.Rajgir & Nalanda University