The Buddha

Abstract

This chapter provides a background of the Buddha. Buddha is not someone's name. This particular title refers to someone who has solved the problem and successfully changed their orientation to the world on a fundamental level. It literally means someone who is awake. There have been many Buddhas. When one talks about the Buddha, they are referring to the historical Buddha, the one who started Buddhism. His name was Siddhartha Gautama and, being from the Shakya clan, he is often known as Shakyamuni Buddha. It is worth learning about the life of the historical Buddha for a few reasons. It is, of course, an important part of Buddhism and known by Buddhists all over the world. However, it also serves as an example, a vision not only of someone who has solved the problem, but what the process of solving it looks like.