Despite his luxurious life, Siddhartha grew curious about the world outside the palace walls. At age 29, he ventured out and encountered the "Four Sights" that changed him forever:
: He saw a peaceful holy man who had renounced worldly possessions to seek an end to suffering. Buddha
: For the first time, he realized that everyone eventually ages and loses their strength. Despite his luxurious life, Siddhartha grew curious about
For six years, he practiced extreme asceticism, once eating only a single grain of rice a day, until he was near death. Realizing that neither luxury nor starvation brought peace, he adopted the —a path of moderation. For six years, he practiced extreme asceticism, once
: He learned that disease and pain are inescapable parts of human life. A Corpse : He understood the ultimate reality of death.
Deeply moved, Siddhartha secretly left his wife and newborn son in the middle of the night to become a wandering seeker. The Quest and Enlightenment