Now Buddha was not a god, never claimed to be, and is not worshiped as one.
But he was a tremendous personage.
He was born in India 2500 years ago, and after that lapse of time his image and teachings live in the hearts of every third man on earth today.
That fact puts Buddha in a class with such personages as Moses and Confucius.
These men are three of a kind and hard to beat when it comes to putting one's name over into the minds of men and making it stick. A score or so of other mere men since Adam's time, whose names loom large today, are mere pikers in comparison, and need not be considered in this short sketch.
The exact date of Buddha's birth seems shrouded in mystery, but it is placed during the sixth century, B. C.
He was born in the town of Kapila-Vastu. Since that time the town has changed its name to Kohana, and is located northeast of Benares.
Buddha spent his early boyhood in that region. His father's name was Suddodana, which same is a long, hard name to pronounce, but his mother's name was Maya, and she died when Buddha was seven days old, and his aunt brought him up. Her name was Maha-Prajapati.
There is not much known about his youth and early education, except that he was a promising boy and put over everything he undertook.
He was supposed to be a prince of the Royal blood. He was a Hindu, and was faithful to the demands of that faith.