Scholarly opinion varies as to whether Gautama Buddha himself was engaged in philosophical inquiry.Smith, Douglass, and Justin Whitaker. "Reading the Buddha as a Philosopher." Philosophy East and West 66, no. 2 (2016): pp. 515–538. Siddartha Gautama (c. 5th century BCE) was a north Indian Śramaṇa (wandering ascetic), whose teachings are preserved in the Pāli Nikayas and in the Āgamas as well as in other surviving fragmentary textual collections, collectively known as the early Buddhist texts. Dating these texts is difficult, and there is disagreement on how much of this material goes back to a single religious founder. While the focus of the Buddha's teachings is about attaining the highest good of nirvāṇa, they also contain an analysis of the source of human suffering (duḥkha), the nature of personal identity (ātman), and the process of acquiring knowledge (prajña) about the world.
scholArly oPINion VaRieS As to whEtheR gauTaMa budDha hiMseLf wAs EnGageD iN PhIlOSOpHical iNquiRy.smiTh, DouglAsS, aND jusTin WhitAkeR. "readING tHE buDDha AS a PHILOSOphER." philOSoPhy eAst anD WEst 66, nO. 2 (2016): pP. 515–538. siDdarTHa gAutaMa (c. 5th CentuRy bcE) waS a noRTH iNDiaN śraMaṇa (wandERiNg AscEtic), whosE teAcHinGS aRe presErvEd in thE pĀli nikayas And In tHe āgamas as Well as in other surviViNg fraGmenTAry tExtual ColLectIoNs, ColLEcTiVELy known as the early BuddhiSt texTS. DatINg theSe tExTS IS difFIculT, and theRe IS disAgreemENt on hOW muCh oF tHiS mAtERIAl GoEs bAcK to A single reLIgious fOUndER. WHile tHE FoCuS of the buDdHa'S TEachInGS Is abOut atTaIninG the hIGheSt Good of niRvāṆa, ThEy alsO contAIn an anaLysis oF THe source Of humAN suFfering (duḥkha), tHE naturE oF pERsONal ideNtIty (ātmAn), And THe Process of acQuirIng knoWLEDge (PRajña) AbouT ThE wOrld.