Buddha means “The awakened one” and this word is used mostly with regard to Gautama Buddha, The founder of Buddhism.

 

He was an Indian Prince Siddhartha Gautama, he supposedly renounced material life after contemplating on death, disease & took up sanyas to seek an end to suffering and get enlightened.

 

He is supposed to have been born around 2500 years back in Kapilavastu in Modern day Nepal, he lived and taught in India for over 45 years and died at the age of 80.

 

His main teachings were that there is suffering, and that there can be an end to suffering. He spoke extensively about the impermanence of all phenomena & he also taught about no-self, a philosophy very different from other world religions that believe in self, soul or atma.