S O,   W H A T   I S   A   B U D D H A?

When most people think of Buddha they think of a man who lived in Northern India over 2500 years ago. His name was Siddhattha Gotama, a prince. When he was 29 he left his father's palace to live the life of a spiritual seeker; searching for the answers to life.

After six years of wandering, trying very hard to understand the truth of human life, he sat under a Bodhi Tree, practised meditation and became enlightened.

Because he discovered how to become enlightened without a teacher, he was called Buddha. This is a Pali word meaning awakened, self-realised, enlightened. Pali is an ancient language used in Theravada Buddhist scriptures.

So Buddha isn't a name but a title which tells us how special this man was.

And what was so special about him?

He was a human being, and he was enlightened.
And, because he was human (just like you and me)
this shows us that we too can get enlightened.

So when we think of Buddha we think of enlightenment.