Buddha
The ninth avatar or
incarnation of Vishnu is Gautama, the Buddha. He was born in a royal family in
Kapilavastu in northeastern India around 500 BC. Seeing the suffering around him
he found it to be mainly due to ignorance. His life was therefore devoted to
fight against ignorance. He renounced his cloistered life of comfort to go out
into reality to meditate. He became a bhikshu ie one who lives on alms.
After years of efforts in search of truth he achieved nirvana or
enlightenment. He propogated four noble truths ie love, compassion, renunciation
and good deeds. He also suggested an eight fold path for living a noble
life.