"Karen Armstrong's portrait of the Buddha explores both the archetypal religious icon and Buddha the man. Armstrong follows the Buddha - born Siddhama Gotama - as he leaves his wife, his young child, and his comfortable life and eminent social status for an arduous quest for spiritual enlightenment." "Armstrong brings to life the Buddha's quest from his renunciation of his privileged life to the discovery of a truth that he believed would utterly transform human beings and enable them to live at peace in the midst of life's suffering. Buddha also expands to focus and meditate on the culture and history of the time as well as the Buddha's place in the spiritual history of humanity and the special relevance of his teachings to our own society as we again face a crisis of faith."--BOOK JACKET