| More than 2,500 years ago, a man in India made a | | | | died. When Siddhartha asked about those who |
| discovery. He discovered the cause of unhappiness | | | | suffered from old age, disease, and death, he was told: |
| and its cure. The man was named Siddhartha | | | | "This happens to all men." For the first time Siddhartha |
| Gautama, but he is much better known as the Buddha, | | | | understood that unhappiness was a part of life. |
| which means "the wise one" or "the enlightened one." | | | | Siddhartha thought about what he had learned. He |
| The Buddha's teachings are the basis for one of the | | | | realized that he could no longer live cut off from the |
| world's great religions, Buddhism. | | | | sight of all suffering, as he had in the past. Now that he |
| Siddhartha Gautama was born about 563 B.C. His | | | | had begun to learn about life, he could never be |
| father ruled a small state in northern India near the | | | | content until he understood the whole truth. One night |
| Himalayas. Strangely enough, the man who discovered | | | | Siddhartha left his father and his wife and child and |
| the cause of unhappiness knew little about it when he | | | | gave up his great personal fortune. He thought that |
| was young. His father tried to protect him from all | | | | wealth and comfort would only interfere with his |
| knowledge of sickness, pain, suffering, and death. | | | | search for understanding. |
| Siddhartha spent his early years within palaces and | | | | At first Siddhartha tried to learn wisdom from some |
| gardens where all was beautiful and pleasant. When | | | | holy men, but after 6 years he knew that this was not |
| he left the palace grounds, his father sent servants to | | | | the way. He then decided to look for the truth within |
| clear the road of any painful sights. As a result, | | | | himself. He seated himself beneath a tree (which |
| Siddhartha knew nothing about unhappiness. | | | | Buddhists now call the Bo Tree) and vowed that he |
| In spite of all his father did, Siddhartha did eventually | | | | would not leave until he understood the whole meaning |
| learn of unhappiness. Once as he was riding in his | | | | of life. He sat there for 49 days, and then the truth |
| chariot he came upon a frail old man. Then he saw | | | | came to him. Siddhartha, the seeker for wisdom, had |
| another man suffering from a dread disease. Later he | | | | become the Buddha-the wise one. |
| met some men carrying the body of one who had | | | | |