Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama or Gautama Buddha, was a spiritual leader who lived in ancient India and founded Buddhism. He was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, in the 6th century BCE. According to Buddhist tradition, he achieved enlightenment after years of meditation and became the Buddha, which means "awakened one." His teachings and philosophy emphasize the importance of compassion, mindfulness, and the elimination of suffering. Today, Buddhism is one of the major world religions, with millions of followers around the globe.