Page 18 - Siddhartha Gautama Buddha Teacher of Gods & Men

苦修的乔达摩佛陀
The Ascetic
The Ascetic
The fasting Buddha (Gautama)
( 巴基斯坦 Pakistan: 1999)

Gautama
Gautama

Ascetic Gautama spent the next six years practicing austerities, embarking on a rigorous quest to understand the

inherent challenges of the human condition sparked by the suffering, sorrow and deprivation that he saw all

around him. It was a long and difficult journey after renouncing his privileges and family heirloom of the royal

palace, the comforts of the material world.

He meditated for weekson end. He practiced all kinds of austerities with his 5 other ascetic friends, which almost

got the better of him.

Finally, he realized the futility of these practices which nearly caused his life, he gave up the austerities to discover

the “middle way,” a path between hedonistic pleasure and asceticism.

A village girl passing by, Sujata, saw he needed much nourishment after his days of penance, offered him a drink

of milk rice. Ascetic Gautama regained his composure.