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'''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.