Buddha means "Awakened one" or "Enlightened one. Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, in Sanskrit, or Siddhartha Gotama, in Pali, was a spiritual teacher from ancient India and the founder of Buddhism. He is generally recognized by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddha of our age. The precise nature of such a supreme Buddha - whether "merely" human or a transcendental, immortal, god-transcending being - is differently construed in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. Gautama, also known as Sakyamuni or Shakyamuni (sage of the Shakyas), is the key figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules were said to have been summarized after his death and memorized by the sangha. Scholars are increasingly reluctant to make unqualified claims about the historical facts of the Buddha's life and teachings.

The stone carving tradition in India is one of the richest in the world. Stone carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Art of Stone Statues and Collectibles is the poetic expression of stone craft. Sculptures of Hindu deities, modelled on classical prototypes, continue to be made in many parts of India. In Tamil Nadu such sculptures are made in granite. In Karnataka, exquisite figures carved in relief in black stone, with details engraved in fine lines, come out in greyish- white against the black surface. Softer stones are used in Orissa, which are easy to carve. The fully carved jali-worked, in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, are most intricately done. The artisans in Gujarat are engaged in the art of cutting and polishing semi-precious stones. One can see the life like images being skillfully sculptured in different varieties of stone across the state. In Jaipur, white marble is used for carving out statues of gods and goddesses as well as animal and human figures.