Material: Brass. Gilded.

Size: Height 15cm (approximate size)

Narrative:

Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, is the founder of Buddhism, whose life is filled with profound revelations that have influenced countless believers around the world. His story is full of wisdom, practice and enlightenment. Below is his origin and main experiences.

**The birth and background of Sakyamuni**

Sakyamuni was born in Lumbini, ancient India (now Nepal) around the 5th to 6th century BC and was a prince of the Kapilavastu Kingdom. His father was King Suddhodana and his mother was Queen Maya. His original name was Siddhartha, which means "the one who fulfills all wishes." According to legend, Siddhartha was born to Queen Maya under the Asoka tree in the Lumbini Garden, and there were many mysterious auspicious signs that he would become a great leader or enlightened being.

**Life in the Palace and Becoming a Monk**

Prince Siddhartha was extremely intelligent since childhood and grew up in a wealthy court life, but he was confused by the suffering in the world. One day, he saw the scenes of birth, aging, sickness and death outside the city, which made him ponder the meaning of life. These four kinds of suffering prompted him to decide to give up the comfortable life of a royal family and become a monk to seek true liberation.

**Practice and Enlightenment**

Prince Siddhartha learned from many practitioners, practiced asceticism, and even fasted and meditated for a long time, but he found that extreme abstinence could not really lead to liberation. In the end, he chose the middle way - neither indulging in pleasure nor torturing himself to an extreme.

He entered into deep meditation under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. After a long period of practice, he attained enlightenment at midnight, gained insight into the truth of the universe, discovered the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, and became "Shakyamuni Buddha" (meaning "the saint of the Shakya clan").

Buddha’s Teachings

After attaining enlightenment, he began to spread the Dharma everywhere and first explained the Four Noble Truths to five monks in Sarnath, thus opening the way for the spread of Buddhism. His teachings emphasize the **law of dependent origination**, **compassion and wisdom**, and teach sentient beings how to achieve liberation through practice. His disciples were spread all over the place, including the famous **Maudgalyayana**, **Sariputra**, **Ananda**, etc.

**Nirvana and Buddhist Tradition**

At the age of eighty, Sakyamuni Buddha passed away and entered Nirvana in Kusinara. His teachings continued to be spread by his disciples, developed into the Mahayana and Hinayana schools, and spread to **China, Tibet, Japan, Southeast Asia** and other places, influencing the world.

The story of Sakyamuni inspires people to pursue wisdom and compassion, and his teachings still guide countless practitioners today.