How did the childhood experiences of Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) lead to his questioning of the spiritual practices of his time?
There seem to be several versions of his childhood. Most seem to be myths not related to historical facts.
Living a life of luxury as a child, made him question the extreme poverty he saw as an adult.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha#Early_life_and_marriage
http://buddhism.about.com/od/lifeofthebuddha/a/buddhalife.htm
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/siddhartha-gautama-the-buddha.html
To understand how Siddhartha Gautama's childhood experiences led to his questioning of the spiritual practices of his time, we need to look at his upbringing and the events that shaped his life.
1. Sheltered Upbringing: Siddhartha was born into a royal family and led a sheltered and privileged life. He was shielded from seeing the suffering and hardships that most people faced outside the palace walls.
2. Exposure to Reality: Despite his protected life, Siddhartha's curiosity led him to venture outside the palace grounds. During his visits to the countryside, he encountered the sufferings of ordinary people, such as sickness, aging, and death—unpleasant realities he had been sheltered from.
3. Spiritual Quest: These encounters with suffering deeply impacted Siddhartha and sparked a profound introspection that motivated him to seek answers beyond the superficial comforts of his privileged life. He realized that material possessions and worldly pursuits couldn't shield him or others from suffering.
4. Dissatisfaction with Traditional Practices: Siddhartha's exposure to the suffering of the world made him question the effectiveness of the spiritual practices prevalent during his time. He witnessed the ascetic practices of self-mortification by renunciants, who believed that extreme austerity could lead to spiritual liberation.
5. Seeking Enlightenment: Dissatisfied with the extremes of both luxurious living and asceticism, Siddhartha decided to renounce his royal life, embrace a life of renunciation, and embark on a spiritual journey to find lasting peace and liberation from suffering.
6. Meditation and Insight: Siddhartha dedicated himself to intense meditation and spiritual practices under renowned teachers. However, he found that even these traditional methods did not provide the ultimate solution to end suffering.
7. Awakening and Middle Way: Siddhartha eventually attained enlightenment, becoming the Buddha, which means "the awakened one." Through his own insights, he found a middle path that does not indulge in sensual desires nor subject oneself to extreme austerity. This became the foundation of his teachings.
In summary, Siddhartha's upbringing in a sheltered environment, exposure to suffering, and dissatisfaction with the traditional spiritual practices of his time led him to question the prevailing beliefs and embark on a personal quest for truth and liberation, ultimately leading to his enlightenment and the development of Buddhism.