Sakyamuni Buddha

Sakyamuni Buddha (c. 1027 BCE – 949 BCE) was originally a prince of the Kingdom of Kapilavastu (located in present-day Nepal) and belonged to the Kshatriya caste. His father was King Suddhodana, and his mother was Queen Maya. As a prince, his name was "Gautama Siddhartha," which means "the one who has achieved all righteous meanings" (formerly translated as "the fulfiller of righteousness").

The term "Sakyamuni" carries meanings such as "able to be benevolent," "able to be kind," "able to endure," and "able to attain tranquility." Since his father belonged to the Shakya clan, after attaining enlightenment, he was honored as Sakyamuni, literally meaning "the sage of the Shakya clan."

According to Buddhist scriptures, when the Buddha was 19 years old, he was deeply moved by the various sufferings of human life—birth, old age, illness, and death. Thus, he abandoned his royal life and became a monk to pursue spiritual practice. At the age of 35, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, thereby founding Buddhism and preaching the Dharma for 45 years. Around the age of 80, he attained Parinirvana (final nirvana after death) in the city of Kushinagar.