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Buddhism was started by Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha. He was born into a royal family in the region that is now modern-day Nepal, around the year 563 BCE, according to traditional accounts. After a life of luxury, Siddhartha encountered the realities of suffering outside the palace walls, which turned him towards a path of spiritual searching. He left his princely life at the age of 29 in pursuit of enlightenment. After years of ascetic practices and meditation, he attained enlightenment (Bodhi) under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, India. He became known as the Buddha or "the awakened one."
After his enlightenment, the Buddha began teaching the path to liberation from suffering, which became the foundation of Buddhism. His first sermon after his enlightenment was given at Deer Park in Sarnath, near Varanasi, and this event is traditionally considered the start of the Buddhist community or Sangha. The core of his teachings is encapsulated in the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhism spread throughout the Indian subcontinent during his lifetime and eventually across Asia, evolving into a multitude of traditions and practices.