BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, litt. 'the Sage of the Shakyas,' is our historical buddha. He was born in Lumbini near the foothill of the Himalayas in what is now Nepal, attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, turned the wheel of the Dharma in Sarnath, and passed away in Kushinagar. For a detailed account of his life, please read Lalitavistara, Dharma Publishing.