Buddhism is a major world religion with a complex history and philosophy. It's founder, Siddhartha Gautama, lived from about 566 to about 480 B.C. The son of an Indian warrior-king, Gautama led a life of luxury in his early years, enjoying the privileges of his caste. But eventually he tired of the affluence and ease, and set out what some might call a "vision quest." After encountering an old man, an ill man, a corpse and an ascetic, Gautama became convinced that suffering lay at the heart of all existence, stemming principally from the human ego's attachment to the transitory things of this world. He renounced his princely title and became a monk, freeing himself of possessions in the hope of comprehending the truth, and finding a path toward enlightenment and liberation. The culmination of his search came while meditating beneath a tree, where he experienced a breakthrough in understanding. Following this epiphany, Gautama came to be known as the Buddha, meaning the "Enlightened One." He spent the remainder of his life journeying about India, teaching others what he had come to believe.

Retrace the steps of Buddha by visiting the places he had visited and experience the serenity that would reinvigorate your beliefs.