Siddharta

Siddhartha grew up in a time of great change. His Mother had died after his birth and it was predicted that he would become a great king or spiritual leader. His father wanted him to be a great king and tried to protect him from the challenges of life.
He grew up in a life of luxury, surrounded by love and was oblivious to the frailties of man such as ageing, sickness and death. When out in his carriage he noticed that people did get old, and sick and died. He asked his driver if this could happen to him and the driver replied that everyone gets old and will definitely die
When Siddharta realised what he had to lose he was overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. However, it occurred to him that the religious ascetic was as doomed as anyone else, yet he seemed at peace. When he asked him why he seemed so content, the ascetic told him he was pursuing a spiritual path of reflection and detachment, and had no need for material goods or trappings. They were an illusion. He did not miss them.
Siddhartha knew that his family would never want him to follow this difficult path, but one night, he left his beloved family and his finery. He walked out into the woods to follow his own path.
#spiritual #enlightenment