Many centuries ago, in a part of northern India that is now the country of Nepal, a prince was born. His name was Siddhartha Gautama. Prince Siddhartha was raised in luxury and wealth. He was kept apart from the rest of the world in royal palaces.
At the age of 29, the prince left the palace for the first time. He was shocked to see sickness and poverty. He was shocked to learn that people get old and die. After this, he rejected his life of comfort. He set out to understand why people have to suffer in life. This was the beginning of Siddhartha’s journey. He was on his way to becoming a great moral teacher. He was to become known as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One.” His journey led to the creation of Buddhism.
