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He
was born Siddhartha Gautama around 563 B.C. in
the Lumbini gardens (in modern-day Nepal), while his mother queen Maya,
was journeying.
At age 30, he left a
life of luxury to seek how to end human suffering. After attaining
enlightenment, he became known as Buddha ("the awakened") and taught the
way to nirvana (liberation) until his demise at age 80.
Hindus consider that he was the
ninth incarnation (or avatara
–
a Sanskrit word meaning "descent") of Lord Vishnu, the god of
preservation and restorer of righteousness in the
universe. His previous two incarnations were as
Shri Rama, and later as Shri Krishna.
  
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