The religion called Buddhism originated about beginning of the sixth century BC in the northern part of the then India. Indian founder of Buddhism, the predominant religious and philosophical system of much of Asia. The term Buddha is a title rather than a name, and buddhist believe that there are an infinite number of past and future Buddhas. The historical Buddha was SiddharthaGuatama. Siddhartha was the prince of Lumbini, Nepal at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan Ranges. He was born in five hundred and sixty BC. His father was king Suddhodana, king of the Sakyas. Sakya was one of the ancient tribes in the growing state of Kosala. His mother was Maya Devi who died seven days after his birth. So Siddhartha was raised by his foster mother, Mahaprajapati who was Maya`s sister. Mayadevi was a Koliyan princess. On the night Siddhartha was conceived, his mother Maya Devi dreamt that a white elephant with six white tasks entered her right side and after ten lunar months Siddhartha was born from her right side. According to the Sakya tradition, when queen Maya became pregnant she went to her father`s kingdom to give birth but after living the capital of Kapilavastu, she Gave birth to Siddhartha along the way of Lumbini in a garden beneath a sal tree.

Siddhartha means `one who has accomplished his aim`. Gautama was the clan name or family name of Siddhartha. He was also known as Sakya muni as he was the Ascetic of Sakya tribe.

Upon the birth of Siddhartha the astrologers predicted that when he would be adult, Siddhartha would either become a `Chakravarti` or a universal monarch or would abandon all earthly comforts to become a monk and a Buddha, a perfectly enlightened soul who would bring enlightenment to the entire mankind. Siddhartha`s father wanted that his son would become the universal monarch and asked the astrologers about the cause that would compel Siddhartha to retire from the material life and enter into spiritual life. The astrologers foretold that Siddhartha would see a feeble old man, a diseased man, a dead person and a monk. In other stories it is said that the great hermit, Asita came from his mountain abode to see the newborn baby and after examining his birthmarks when the baby placed his feet in Asita`s hair he foretold that the baby would either become a monarch or a great holy man. King Suddhodana arranged for the naming ceremony on the fifth day of Siddhartha`s birth and invited eight Brahmin Scholars to read the future. Kaundinya, the youngest of the Brahmins also told that the baby boy would become a Buddha.

King Suddhodhana tried his best to prevent his son from becoming a monk and he raised him in extreme luxury and indulgence and tried to keep him attached to the sensual pleasure away from all earthly pain and sorrow.