Question

Why did siddartha leave his family?

Answer 1

The Buddhist tradition states that Gautama was determined to find an answer to life’s questions: Why do we die? Why do we grow old? And why do we grow sick?

His father wanted to protect him from the outside world, and from the realities of old age, sickness and death. As long as he continued to live his pampered existence in the palace, Gautama would never find the truth. So, in the Indian tradition, he went forth from his home and family and became a wandering seeker of truth, dressed in rags and practicing austerities. It is said that he existed on one grain of rice per day - and a grain of rice was no bigger then than it is now!

Eventually, he realised these austerities would not lead to Enlightenment. So he abandoned them, too, and started eating again.

Then he decided to sit under a tree and vowed not to move until he attained Enlightenment - and, that night, he did.

Answer 2

Siddhartha is a novel that is a fictional tale set in the time of the historical Buddha. Written by novelist Hermann Hesse, the book was first .