Key events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

Birth

563 BCE

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, near the Nepalese-Indian border to his father, King Suddhodana, ruler of the Sakya tribe, and his mother, Queen Mayadevi. The father gives his son the name of Siddhartha (the one who obtains success and prosperity), his second name is Gautama (name of the clan).
Seers predict that Siddhartha will either become a Universal Monarch or a Buddha. Asita, was sure that he will become a Buddha (=one who has supreme knowledge).

Marriage

547 BCE

At the early age of sixteen, he marries his beautiful cousin Princess Yasodhara, who is of equal age.

Leaving the Palace (Four Sights)

533 BCE

Siddhartha was not satisfied with the mere enjoyment of fleeting pleasures due to his inquiring and contemplative nature.
One day, he left the palace for an excursion and there he encountered what so far had been purposely veiled from him:
- He sees a decrepit old man
- He sees a diseased person
- He sees a corpse being cremated
- He sees a sadhu (holy man, hermit)
He realised that there was old age, sickness, and death and that people ultimately have little control over their lives.

Renunciation

533 BCE

In the night of his 29th birthday, Siddhartha gave up his life as a prince and secretly left the court while everyone was asleep. He travelled far and crossed the river Anoma, where he shaved his hair and handed over his princely garments to his groom Channa, with instructions to return them to the palace.

Enlightenment

528 BCE

Going alone, he sat under a Bodhi tree and became enlightened, a Buddha. He understood the cycle of birth and death and how to ease suffering. He saw his true nature and that of all living beings. This was the end of his spiritual quest.

Discovery of the Middle Way

528 BCE

After experiencing the extremes, he found that self-denial was as unsatisfactory as life in the palace is, so he came to the conclusion that the best course was the Middle Way or a path between both extremes. The best life was one of moderation.

First Sermon

528 BCE

Siddhartha becomes known as the Buddha, which means 'enlightened one' and 'one who has awakened'. He first preached his sermon in Sarnath, India at a royal deer park. He shared his new understanding of life with 5 Hindu ascetics. These became bhikkhus or Buddha's monks.

Death

486 BCE

When Buddha was 80 years old he declared that the Dharma, together with the rules of this monastic life. He believed that each person should decide, for himself/herself, what teachings to follow. On his death bed, he said 'Hols firm to the truth as a lamp and a refuge, and do not look for refuge to anything besides yourselves'. He died between two trees and upon his death reached Parinirvana, complete Nirvana, which released him from the cycle of involuntary rebirth.