Siddhartha Gautama founded Buddhism, one of the world’s oldest religions, in India around the 6th or 5th century BCE. Prince Siddhartha later became known as Buddha Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha). The biographical details of Siddhartha’s life can be pieced together from Buddhist texts, and highlights of his life are illustrated in Buddhist art, including narrative scenes and standalone sculptures.

In this video, we explore the important moments of the Buddha’s life, from his birth to his death, through early Buddhist art in South Asia, including stone reliefs and sculpture from ancient Gandhara (modern-day Pakistan and Afghanistan). The core Buddhist teachings that emerged from his experiences include the Four Noble Truths.

Speaker: Dr. Cortney Chaffin Kim

CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction

0:08 Who is Siddhartha Gautama?

0:40 Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s birth

02:16 Siddhartha’s departure from the palace

02:40 Life as an ascetic

03:08 Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya

03:08 Reincarnation or the cycle of samsara

04:31 First sermon at Deer Park at Sarnath

05:08 The Buddha’s death