| '''Siddhārtha Gautama''' (pronunciation:[sɪd̪.d̪ʰaːr.t̪ʰə gəʊ.t̪ə.mə), in [[Sanskrit]], or '''Siddhattha Gotama''', in [[Pali]], was a [[Spirituality|spiritual]] [[teacher]] from [[ancient India]] and the founder of [[Buddhism]].[http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/buddha/home_set.html|title=The Buddha] He is generally recognized by Buddhists as the Supreme [[Buddhahood|Buddha]] (Sammāsambuddha) of our age. The precise nature of such a supreme Buddha (pronounced: [bʊd̪.d̪ʰə)—whether "merely" human or a transcendental, [[immortal]], god-transcending being - is differently construed in [[Theravada]] and [[Mahayana]] Buddhism.Theravada tends to view him as a super-human personage of supreme teaching skill and [[wisdom]] (uncontactable after his physical [[death]]), whereas Mahayana Buddhism goes further and tends to see him as a projection of an [[eternity|eternal]], ultimate principle of Buddhahood (see [[Dharmakaya]]), present in all phenomena, immortal and transcendent. The time of his [[Childbirth|birth]] and [[death]] are uncertain: most early 20th century [[historian]]s date his lifetime from ''circa' 563 BCE to 483 BCE; more recently, however, at a specialist symposium on this question,[http://indology.info/papers/cousins|title=The Dating of the Historical Buddha: A Review Article] the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates. | | '''Siddhārtha Gautama''' (pronunciation:[sɪd̪.d̪ʰaːr.t̪ʰə gəʊ.t̪ə.mə), in [[Sanskrit]], or '''Siddhattha Gotama''', in [[Pali]], was a [[Spirituality|spiritual]] [[teacher]] from [[ancient India]] and the founder of [[Buddhism]].[http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/buddha/home_set.html|title=The Buddha] He is generally recognized by Buddhists as the Supreme [[Buddhahood|Buddha]] (Sammāsambuddha) of our age. The precise nature of such a supreme Buddha (pronounced: [bʊd̪.d̪ʰə)—whether "merely" human or a transcendental, [[immortal]], god-transcending being - is differently construed in [[Theravada]] and [[Mahayana]] Buddhism.Theravada tends to view him as a super-human personage of supreme teaching skill and [[wisdom]] (uncontactable after his physical [[death]]), whereas Mahayana Buddhism goes further and tends to see him as a projection of an [[eternity|eternal]], ultimate principle of Buddhahood (see [[Dharmakaya]]), present in all phenomena, immortal and transcendent. The time of his [[Childbirth|birth]] and [[death]] are uncertain: most early 20th century [[historian]]s date his lifetime from ''circa' 563 BCE to 483 BCE; more recently, however, at a specialist symposium on this question,[http://indology.info/papers/cousins|title=The Dating of the Historical Buddha: A Review Article] the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates. |