Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddha, which means "the enlightened one" was born over 2,500 years ago, the son of a King in Northern India. He was prophesied to become either a great king or a great spiritual teacher, so his father kept him in the palace, away from every distressing sight. After travelling in the city several times, Gautama saw an old man, a corpse being taken to burial, and a monk. These sights led him to question his life, and he ran away from the palace and became a wandering ascetic for six years, finally attaining enlightenment seated at the foot of a bodhi tree.© 2007 The Buddha. All rights reserved.