Gautam Buddha is belived to have had 550 incarnations. Many previous Buddhas and other Buddhas yet to come are known as Buddhas. To distinguish from all other Budhas he has been called Shakyamuni (The lion of Shakya clan), the son of king Suddhodana and queen Mayadevi. He was born on 563 B.C. at Lumbini, western part of Nepal. He had attainded " Bodhi" or knowledge after 6years in fasting and meditationand then he was called " Buddha" as he was"the enlihtened one". He died at the age of 80 at Kusinagara.