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556 BCE
Early Childhood
Siddhartha Gautama grew up in his family's palace, under his father the King. He was raised mainly by his aunt, till he grew to the age of seven. It was around this time he attended the Ploughing ceremony and discovered The Bird & The Worm, to which he meditated on unknowingly. -
533 BCE
The four signs
One day, Siddhartha becomes displeased and decides to venture out from the palace in order to view the nearby city. While there, he sees an old man for the first time and is shocked. Then he sees a diseased man for the first time and asks his guide if it can happen to anyone. He nods. Then he sees a dead man being carried along the road. And finally, he sees a holy monk, who looks to be happy. Siddhartha then uncovers for the first time, the realities of life. Old Age, Sickness & Death. -
528 BCE
Life as a Wanderer
Siddhartha wanders the world and looks for a life of spirituality and deep meditation. He then discovers several Brahman teachers, to which he becomes a disciple unto their teachings. Later, Siddhartha is shown to be gifted with his spiritual strength and acquires his own following of Disciples. -
528 BCE
Englightenment
Siddhartha becomes uncomfortable with the Indian Caste System and the Religious ways he had taken to. He gives it all up once more, and loses all of his disciples as a consequence. Then, continuing to wander in search for his spiritual clarity, he finds a Bodhi Tree. He then meditates under it and then the answer to suffering and salvation is revealed to him. This followed by seven more weeks of meditation in that area concludes in him attaining the title of 'Buddha'. -
483
The End of Buddha's Life
Forty five years after his enlightenment, Buddha continues to travel around Northern India and spread his teachings. He attracts hundreds of thousands of believers and some who wish to cause ill unto him. Several attempts are made on his life, however none are successful. His teaching continue to thrive to which at the age of Eighty he dies of food poisoning with his final words being "All compounded things are ephemeral; work diligently on your salvation". -
528
Life as Buddha
Buddha then travels to Benares and find his former Disciples. He proclaims a sermon and tells them about Buddhism and what it will become. One of the disciples upon hearing it grasps his teachings and attains the status of 'Arhat', meaning, 'One enlightened with Wisdom'. This is the beginning of the Buddhist teachings and his disciples become the first members of the Buddhist Order (The Sangha). -
533
Life with his Wife
Siddhartha spends more than thirteen years together with his wife, Princess Yasodhara, to which three palaces are built for him. Then while he is in his late twenties, his child is born. -
533
Leaving the Palace
On the night of his 29th birthday, Siddhartha decides to leave the palace in the dead of night due to his recent discoveries about the world. He does this while everyone is asleep and travels to a river where he strips himself of all his royal garments and shaves his hair. He gives them to his groom, Channa, who was instructed to return them to the palace. -
547
Marriage
At the age of sixteen, he marries his cousin, Princess Yasodhara also aged sixteen. -
563
The Birth of SIddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, in the year 563 BC. His father was King Suddhodana and his mother, Queen Mayadevi. His father gave him the name 'Siddhartha', meaning 'The one who obtains success and prosperity'.