A prince born in sixth century B.C.E. in present-day Nepal. Gautama renounced his inheritance to the throne and left all the comforts of his princely life in search of a path to end human suffering and for six years lived as an ascetic. It is believed that at about the age of 35, he attained enlightenment during a state of deep meditation under the bodhi tree and as a result, became the Buddha or "enlightened one."