In Buddhist thought, the Sakya clan refers to the noble lineage of the historical Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, and the community he belonged to in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Sakya people were a Kshatriya tribe who claimed descent from the solar dynasty, and their historical importance is derived from being the Buddha's family. His title, Shakyamuni ("Sage of the Sakyas"), emphasizes this significant connection.