RENUNCIATION
He was not permitted to see the elderly, the sickly, the
dead, or anyone who had dedicated themselves to spiritual practices. Siddhartha
grew increasing restless and curious about the world and he finally demanded
that he be permitted to see his people and his lands.
Soon Siddhartha became disillusioned with the palace life
and wanted to see the outside world. He made four trips outside the palace and
saw four things that changed his life.
Once Siddhartha was going out in his chariot, he saw along
the way a decrepit old man, then a sick man, then a dead body, and finally, an
ascetic radiating with a glow of peace and tranquillity on his face.
On the first three trips, he saw sickness, old age and
death.
On his fourth trip, he saw a wandering monk who had given up
everything he owned to seek an end to suffering. These four incidents made a
distinct impression on him.
The king carefully arranged that Siddhartha should not see
the kind of suffering that he feared would lead him to a religious life. But,
inevitably, he saw old people, sick people, and even death. He asked his friend
and squire Chandaka the meaning of all these things, and Chandaka informed him
of the simple truths that Siddhartha should have known all along: That all of
us get old, sick, and eventually die.
He began reflecting on the misery inherent in existence; at
the same time he felt drawn to renounce the world and seek a way of liberation.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha came to realize that he could
not be happy living as he had been. He wanted more than anything to discover
how one might overcome suffering. he snuck out of the palace and into the
forests of northern India.
Leaving his kingdom and loved ones, Siddhartha became a
wandering monk. He cut off his hair to show that he had renounced the worldly
lifestyle and called himself Gautama. He wore ragged robes and wandered from place
to place. In search for truth,
For six years he practiced severe asceticism thinking this
would lead him to enlightenment. He sat in meditation and ate only roots,
leaves and fruit. At times he ate nothing. He could endure more hardships than
anyone else, but this did not take him anywhere. He thought, "Neither my
life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way
to freedom. Overdoing things can not lead to happiness." He began to eat
nourishing food again and regained his strength.
He then began to practice the austerities and
self-mortifications practiced by a group of five ascetics. For six years, he
practiced. The sincerity and intensity of his practice were so astounding that,
before long, the five ascetics became followers of Siddhartha. the answers to
his questions were not forthcoming. He redoubled his efforts, refusing food and
water, until he was in a state of near death.
On the first three trips, he saw sickness, old age and
death.
On his fourth trip, he saw a wandering monk who had given up
everything he owned to seek an end to suffering. These four incidents made a
distinct impression on him.
The king carefully arranged that Siddhartha should not see
the kind of suffering that he feared would lead him to a religious life. But,
inevitably, he saw old people, sick people, and even death. He asked his friend
and squire Chandaka the meaning of all these things, and Chandaka informed him
of the simple truths that Siddhartha should have known all along: That all of
us get old, sick, and eventually die.
He began reflecting on the misery inherent in existence; at
the same time he felt drawn to renounce the world and seek a way of liberation.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha came to realize that he could
not be happy living as he had been. He wanted more than anything to discover
how one might overcome suffering. he snuck out of the palace and into the
forests of northern India.
Leaving his kingdom and loved ones, Siddhartha became a
wandering monk. He cut off his hair to show that he had renounced the worldly
lifestyle and called himself Gautama. He wore ragged robes and wandered from place
to place. In search for truth,
For six years he practiced severe asceticism thinking this
would lead him to enlightenment. He sat in meditation and ate only roots,
leaves and fruit. At times he ate nothing. He could endure more hardships than
anyone else, but this did not take him anywhere. He thought, "Neither my
life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way
to freedom. Overdoing things can not lead to happiness." He began to eat
nourishing food again and regained his strength.
He then began to practice the austerities and self-mortifications practiced by a group of five ascetics. For six years, he practiced. The sincerity and intensity of his practice were so astounding that, before long, the five ascetics became followers of Siddhartha. the answers to his questions were not forthcoming. He redoubled his efforts, refusing food and water, until he was in a state of near death.
On the first three trips, he saw sickness, old age and
death.
On his fourth trip, he saw a wandering monk who had given up
everything he owned to seek an end to suffering. These four incidents made a
distinct impression on him.
The king carefully arranged that Siddhartha should not see
the kind of suffering that he feared would lead him to a religious life. But,
inevitably, he saw old people, sick people, and even death. He asked his friend
and squire Chandaka the meaning of all these things, and Chandaka informed him
of the simple truths that Siddhartha should have known all along: That all of
us get old, sick, and eventually die.
He began reflecting on the misery inherent in existence; at
the same time he felt drawn to renounce the world and seek a way of liberation.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha came to realize that he could
not be happy living as he had been. He wanted more than anything to discover
how one might overcome suffering. he snuck out of the palace and into the
forests of northern India.
Leaving his kingdom and loved ones, Siddhartha became a
wandering monk. He cut off his hair to show that he had renounced the worldly
lifestyle and called himself Gautama. He wore ragged robes and wandered from place
to place. In search for truth,
For six years he practiced severe asceticism thinking this
would lead him to enlightenment. He sat in meditation and ate only roots,
leaves and fruit. At times he ate nothing. He could endure more hardships than
anyone else, but this did not take him anywhere. He thought, "Neither my
life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way
to freedom. Overdoing things can not lead to happiness." He began to eat
nourishing food again and regained his strength.
He then began to practice the austerities and
self-mortifications practiced by a group of five ascetics. For six years, he
practiced. The sincerity and intensity of his practice were so astounding that,
before long, the five ascetics became followers of Siddhartha. the answers to
his questions were not forthcoming. He redoubled his efforts, refusing food and
water, until he was in a state of near death.
For six years, he practiced the ascetic life,
eating only what he found on the ground, drinking only rain water, wearing
nothing but a loin cloth.
Siddhartha realized that these extreme practices were leading him nowhere, that in fact it might be better to find some middle way between the extremes of the life of luxury and the life of self-mortification Outside of the town of Bodh Gaya, Siddhartha decided that he would sit under a certain fig tree as long as it would take for the answers to the problem of
suffering to come. He sat there for many days, first in deep concentration to clear his mind of all distractions, then in mindfulness meditation, opening himself up to the truth.
