These were the last words of Buddha ,in the Theravada tradition.The title Buddha means ‘Enlightened one ‘ or ‘Awakened One’.In Buddhism ,the Buddha refers to Siddhartha Gautama,born in Lumbini in modern Nepal.According to most traditions ,he lived many lives before coming to our present world era.Born a prince ,at the age of 13 he was escorted out of the palace.Buddha came across the  ‘four sights ‘ :an old crippled man ,a diseased man ,a decaying corpse and finally an ascetic.Gautama realized that age ,disease ,death and pain were inescapable ,and that the poor would always outnumber the rich.However ,even if one was wealthy ,everyone shared age ,disease ,death and pain.Neither money nor peace can relieve people from fear and anxiety ,or lead them to ultimate happiness.

Departing from the palace and wearing rags ,Gautama studied meditation ,becoming an ascetic in his search for enlightenment.He found that the true  liberation from worry could be attained only by reaching a state of absolute tranquillity and enlightenment.Buddhism had evolved into three major schools of teaching ,and its peaceful and forgiving tenets have influenced  later religions.

After 45 years of teaching ,the Buddha passed into Parinirvana ,the state of Nirvana attained at death.in his last sermon ,he encouraged his disciples to diligently ‘doubt everything ‘and seek the truth ,not holding on to that which is impermanent.