In India during the 6th century BC, a prince named Siddartha Gautama was born in Lumbini Park into the Royal family of the Sakyans. Asita, an old sage who went to the palace, and looked at the baby said: "Among men, he is unique. He will achieve the highest knowledge. He will become a Buddha, a sage of unequalled purity." Prince Siddhartha lived a luxury life in his father's palace, and was unaware of the realities of life outside the gates.

During his rare visits outside the palace, Prince Siddhartha saw four sights which gave him a new insight of life. \They are namely: The sight of old age; the sight of sickness; the sight of death and the sight of renunciation. These four sights gave him a new insight into the meaning of life. The luxuries of the palace attracted him no more. He knew that he would have to leave the palace in order to find the Truth.

He decided to leave the palace, his wife and child in search of the truth. After miles of travelling towards the South, Prince Siddhartha cut off his long black hair with his sword and gave his royal garments to a hunter in exchange for his tattered robe.

On the night of the full moon of the Lunar New year, Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Buddha Gaya. In deep meditation in the first part of the night, he developed the mental power to recollect in details his past lives. In the middle of the night, he saw the past lives of others. Finally, just before dawns, he realised the Four Noble Truths and that all things arise dependent upon causes.

After six years of struggle, at the age of thirty-five, he became the Budha. He sat in deep meditation under the bodhi tree for seven days, enjoying the bliss of freedom. For the nest forty-five years, the Buddha preached his teaching in North India. He entered Nirvana on the same full day of the month of Vaisakha.