Final answer:
Buddhist tradition states that the Buddha, originally Prince Siddhartha Gautama, lived a privileged life before seeking enlightenment and founding Buddhism.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha in his early years was a prince. Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha, was born into the royal family of the Shakya kingdom, which was located in modern-day Nepal. He lived a life of luxury before encountering the realities of suffering—old age, sickness, and death—that led him to embark on a spiritual journey seeking enlightenment.
After years of ascetic life and meditation, he achieved enlightenment and established the religion now known as Buddhism, teaching the path to nirvana and freedom from suffering.