Who was the founder of Buddhism?

Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism. He is better known as the Buddha, meaning “Awakened One,” after attaining enlightenment through meditation and insight.

According to Buddhist tradition, Gautama was born at Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, to the Shakya clan. Although raised in a privileged environment, he left his household life after confronting sickness, old age, death, and religious devotion. After years of study and severe ascetic practice, he reached enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in present-day Bihar, India.

The Buddha then taught a path centered on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. His first sermon is traditionally associated with Sarnath, near Varanasi, where he began forming a community of monks and lay followers.

A common mix-up is naming Ashoka as Buddhism’s founder. Ashoka was a much later Mauryan emperor who helped spread and support Buddhism, while Mahavira was the major contemporary teacher associated with Jainism.