2. Early Life of Buddha Buddha was born to a royal family in about 563 BCE to King Suddhodanna and Queen Maya in the northern section of India.

3. Seeking Answers After the four passing sights he wanted to uncover the mysteries of life. He could not find answers in the palace so he renounced his throne and sought the life of an ascetic. He looked for some gurus but did not give him the answers which he sought.

4. Severity He fasted, he prayed, he contorted his body to various postures, he lost weight, he became filthy. In fact some say he lost consciousness and was revived by a village maid.

5. Enlightenment Under the Bo Tree

6. Bodhgaya After he regained some strength he figured that asceticism was not the way. He meditated under the Bo tree in a position that was not as painful as the previous positions.

7. He became enlightened

8. The Reincarnations After his mind was cleansed he remembered all of his past lives and his entrance into the world surrounded by others.

9. The Path He also realized in this whole process what causes suffering and developed the Four Noble Truths He was tempted to return to the duties of his caste. He resisted this and other temptations.

10. The Change The Way of the Middle Path

11. The First Sermon The five ascetics who left him returned to him after seeing his changed appearance. In Deer Park of Sarnath he delivered his first sermon. He convinced of his teaching and these ascetics and they became his first disciples.