Historically, this refers to Siddharta Gautama who was born in 560 BC to Queen Mahamaya and Kind Suddhodanna of the Sakya Kingdom in the vicinity of Nepal. This queen had, prior to the birth of the child, a dream of a beautiful white elephant entering her womb through her side. Gautama was born in Lumbini Prk on a full-moon day in the month of Vesakha. A week after his birth, his mother died and he was brought up by his aunt, Mahaprajapati. At a name giving ceremony he was given the name 'Siddharta' which means "One Whose Aim Is Accomplished".
Ancient Pali commentaries relate a significant incident which occurred during the Ploghing Ceremony, when as a young child and left aalone in a tent under a rose-apple tree, his nurses later found the prince to be seated in a lotus posture and having entered one-pointedness of mind known as Samadhi.
The young prince grew up in the midst of luxury and splendour and at the age of 16, was married to his cousin, the beautiful Ysodhara. For almost thirteen years after his marriage, he led a blissful life unaware of the ever changing nature and misfortunes of life outside the palace.
When he was 29 years old Gautama encountered four significant sights which marked the turning point of his life. First he saw a weak and frail old man leaning on a staff, next a diseased person, then a corpse and finally a shaven-headed hermit in yellow robe moving around with peaceful and serene countenance. The first three sights convincingly showed him the inexoroble nature of life, and the universal ailment of humanity; the fourth showed the means to overcome the ills of life and to attain to calm and peace. Realising the worthlessness of sensure pleasures and the value of renunciation, he decided to leave home in search of Truth and Eternal Peace.
It was after this decision was made that he heard of the birth of his son, and regarding the new born child as an impediment rather than a blessing, named him as Rahila meaning "fetter". It was a clear indication that his heart was already turning away from household life. On that night, he left his uncongenial palace and traded his pricely robes for the lowly clothings of an ascetic. His search for truth and peace had begun and it was more from sympathy with the sufferings of others than from any personal sorrow which he had no occasion to experience.
His departure from home was not a case of desertion of his beloved family, but an unprecedented case of historic renunciation. He left his worldly life not in an old age but in the prime of manhood, not in poverty but in the midst of plenty.
Following the path of extreme asceticism, as was the custom of those days, he was not able to seek what he sought for until he gave up the practice of austerity some six years later.
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