Buddhism, one of the great religions of the world, though started in India, still covered a large portion of Southern and Central Asia, and permeated the ancient religions of Japan and China. Gautama Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist School of Thought, was born some two thousand and six hundred years ago on the full-moon day of Vaisakha, in the city of Kapilavastu. He intently retired to the forest and deeply pursued various existing systems of Indian religious and philosophical disciplines, until he returned to find out for himself his code of life. Following that and after a stupendous struggle of six strenuous years, in his 35th year Gautama became 'a Buddha' or 'the enlightened one' or awakened one. After obtaining the great knowledge of truth he went about preaching his newly acquired doctrine in Sarnath, Magadha, Kośala, and elsewhere till his death, i.e. Mahaparinirvana in Kusinagara.
In the Jataka, twenty-four mythical Buddhas are held to have appeared before Gautama in preceding cycles of time. Many particulars about them are given, including their birthplaces, the length of their lives, and their statures. Gautama himself is said to have met some of them during his transmigrations. Even the sacred trees under which they obtained Su's prime Wisdom are enumerated. Their names are: Dipankara, Kaundinya, Mangala, Sumana, Raivata, Sobhita, Anomadarsin, Padma, Närada, Padmottara, Sumedha, Sujata, Priyardarsin, Arthadarsin, Dharmadarsin. Siddhartha, Tisya, Pusya, Vipasyin, Sikhin, Viśvabhů, Kakusandha, Konagamana, and Kasyapa. The Buddhavamsa adds three more names to this list, viz. Tanhankara, Meghankara, Saranankara. Thus, the number goes up to twenty-seven. The Lalitavistara gives a list of fifty-five Buddhas, viz. (1) Padmottara, (2) Dharmaketu, (3) Dipankara, (4) Gunaketu, (5) Mahakara, (6) Rsideva, (7) Sritaja, (8) Satyaketu, (9) Vajrasamhata. (10) Sarvabhima, (11) Hemavarna, (12) Atyuccagami, (13) Pravalasagara, (14) Pus yaketu, (15) Vararupa, (16) Sulocana, (17) Rṣigupta, (18) Jinacakra, (19) Unnata, (20) Puspita, (21) Urnateja, (22) Pus kara, (23) Surasmi, (24) Mangala. (25) Sudarsana, (26) Mahasinhateja, (27) Sthitabuddhidatta, (28) Vasantagandhi, (29) Satyadharmavipulakirti, (30) Tisya, (31) Pusya, (32) Lokasundara, (33) Vistirnateja, (34) Ratnakirti, (35) Ugrateja, (36) Brahmateja, (37) Sughoșa, (38) Supuşya, (39) Sumanojuaghosa, (40) Suceştarûpa, (41) Prahasitanetra, (42) Gunarasi. (43) Meghasvara, (44) Sundaravarna, (45) Ayustejä, (46) Salilagajagami, (47) Lokabhilasita, (48) Jitaśatru, (49) Sanpujita, (50) Vipasyi, (51) Sikhi, (52) Viśvabhů, (53) Krakucchanda, and (54) Kanakamuni.
The earliest account of the life of Gautama Buddha is contained in Mahapadana Sutta of the Digha Nikaya and it is said to contain an autobiography of Buddha also. In addition to the numerous legends about the life of Buddha, which sometimes are contradictory with each other, five ancient works are giving us glimpses into the life of Buddha, viz. (1) The Mahāvastu, (2) the Lalitavistara, (3) the Buddhacarita, (4) the Nidanakatha, (5) the Abhinishkramana Sütra. Besides these. there are stray pieces in Sanskrit and Pali, depicting certain periods or events in the life of Buddha. From these old records as well as from the traditions and legends that have easily come down to us, we are in a position to reconstruct, more or less accurately, the life of Gautama Buddha.