Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, has many legends and stories that have been accredited to his life and his teachings. While it is difficult to say which of these stories and legends are true and even for that matter, which of the thousands of sayings that have been attributed to him were actually said by him, we do know some fundamental information about his life that does appear to be accurate. 

   

Siddhartha was actually the son of a tribal chief. The tribe,  the Shakyas, was located in the Himalayan Region of the world.  he was born around 566 BC. When he was twenty-nine, he left his family and tribe in search of a more spiritual and less material life. A few years later he reappeared with a number of followers. His followers devoted their lives to what they called "The Middle Way."

This was a lifestyle that was between a completely spiritual lifestyle and material or worldly lifestyle. At some point Siddhartha Gautama gained enlightenment.  He began teaching this spiritual philosophy in the region of Bihar and Uttar Kadesh. His taught for many decades.  He lived a long life, involved mainly in the spiritual teachings and helping to lead others to the path of enlightenment.  He died at a very old age, somewhere in his eighties.

After he died, there was only a small group of dedicated followers who continued in his footsteps. They called themselves bhikkus , which translates to disciples.  The bhikkus wandered the countryside in yellow robes which showed their devotion to their master. For almost two hundred years, these followers of Buddha were a small, and relatively unknown group among an a large variety of Hindu sects. It remained as such until the Mauryan emperor, Asoka, converted to Buddhism in the third century BC.  This marked the change as the religion grew rapidly throughout India and beyond. It was at this time that Bhuddism traveled across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka. The Buddhists of Sri Lanka maintained the original form of Siddhartha's teachings, or at least, they maintained a form that was most similar to the original. While in the rest of India, and later the world, Buddhism fragmented into a million sects, the original form, called Theravada Buddhism, held its ground only in Sri Lanka. 

This much is what can truly be ascertained as true and historical of Siddhartha, his mission and the eventual fate of his teachings.

If a person was interested in attempting to learn the closest to original teachings of Siddhartha Bhudda, they would want to study the Theravada Buddhism.  

However, the fundamental teachings of Siddhartha Gautama are still known by all the various sects of Bhuddism that exist today.

1. All human life is suffering (dhukka ).
2. All suffering is caused by human desire, particularly the desire that impermanent things be permanent.
3. Human suffering can be ended by ending human desire.
4. Desire can be ended by following the "Eightfold Noble Path": right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

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