Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, was a spiritual leader and founder of Buddhism in ancient India. Born into a royal family in the 6th century BCE, he renounced his privileged life to seek enlightenment. After years of meditation and self-discipline, he achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. Buddha then spent the rest of his life teaching his insights, known as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which emphasize the cessation of suffering and the attainment of nirvana. His teachings spread throughout Asia and eventually the world, shaping the spiritual and cultural landscape for centuries to come.