Gautama Buddha, popularly known as the Buddha (also known as Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha Shakyamuni), was a Sramana who lived in ancient Nepal (c. 5th to 4th century BCE).

He is regarded as the founder of the world religion of Buddhism, and revered by most Buddhist schools as a savior, the Enlightened One who rediscovered an ancient path to release clinging and craving and escape the cycle of birth and rebirth.