Two thousand and six hundred years ago, Prince Siddhartha was born to King Suddhodana and Queen Sirimahamaya at Lumpini Park, a location between Kapilavathhu and Davadaha in India. The young Prince was educated in all fields to prepare him for the trone. At the age of 16, he was married and lived in three beautiful palaces surrounded by luxuries beyond compare. However  the Prince viewed  these as transitory things and determined to seek the path to true happiness. He left the Princely life and became a religious wanderer in search of Enlightenment at the age of 29. After six years. on the full moon night of the lunar month, he attained Enlightenment. Then he went to various cities and towns to preach his Dhamma until he was 80 years old when he achieved nirvana at Kusinara on the full moon day of the sixth lunar month.

Legends we hear about the Prince's life are filled with miracles, such as the miracle of his birth and his superb skills in all subjects that were taught to him. It has been explained by King Mongkut (Rama IV) That the miracles were necessary to inspire people to have faith in the religion. In the way we like to to exaggerate about folk heroes and heroines, the life of the Buddha has also been exaggerated. The battle against Mara (evil) could possibly be explained simply that the Buddha was overcoming his own desires. With great determination he attained Enlightenment and became the Buddha.

The Dhamma or teaching of the Lord Buddha begin with the Four Noble Truths:

1.   Life is full of suffering

2.  The cause of suffering is desire.

3   This suffering can be destroyed.

4.  The way to end suffering is by following the Noble Eightfold Path: right views, right thought, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration