According to archaeological and historical records, the founder of Buddhism was a prince by the name of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in Lumbini, found in what is now the country of Nepal. He was born to royalty and great wealth but soon observed how the outside world was suffering and thus decided to renounce his position and wealth and seek enlightenment as an abstinent preacher. That is how the concepts of nirvana and the Four Noble Truths came to being as Gautama taught his disciples about the causes of suffering and craving and the ways of preventing and avoiding suffering. As a result, Siddhartha Gautama became known as "the Buddha," "the Enlightened One." Today, there are two major sects of Buddhism: Mahayana and Theravada each with its own sects.
