More than twenty-five hundred years ago, an Indianprince achieved enlightenment and becamethe “Awakened One. ” Yet, however extraordinaryPrince Siddhartha Gautama was, he was no divinity but a selfperfectedhuman being who brought a sweeping message tomankind. Walter Henry Nelson, a respected historical scholar andauthor, offers readers a distinctly accessible and authoritativebiography of the Buddha and his teachings. In this essential,gripping, and inspiring introduction for the general reader,Buddha explores ancient legends surrounding Buddhism’sfounder. It shows how the simple story and profound struggleof Prince Siddhartha, who died nearly five hundred years beforethe birth of Christ, were transformed into one of the world’sgreat religions. From tales of Gautama’s struggle to parables of the interventionof gods in his journey, Nelson takes readers through thehistorical life and ideals at the heart of a religion and philosophythat searches beyond materialism for the true aim of life.