Name Siddhartha’s actions that led him to the middle way
1. Leaving his comfortable life as a prince: Siddhartha was born into a wealthy and privileged family as a prince. However, he chose to leave behind his opulent life in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and to understand the true nature of suffering.
2. Seeking answers through intense meditation: Siddhartha devoted several years to practicing asceticism and extreme self-mortification in order to attain a higher state of consciousness. He believed that by subjecting himself to physical hardships and renouncing worldly pleasures, he could achieve liberation from suffering.
3. Realizing the limitations of extreme asceticism: After prolonged periods of extreme deprivation, Siddhartha discovered that the path of extreme self-mortification did not lead to the enlightenment he sought. He realized that denying oneself basic needs and physical comfort was not the way to attain true wisdom and inner peace.
4. Embracing the middle way: Siddhartha chose to abandon his ascetic practices and adopt a balanced and moderate lifestyle known as the "middle way." This path rejected extreme indulgence in worldly pleasures as well as extreme asceticism, advocating instead for a more balanced approach that focused on mindfulness, meditation, and developing moral virtue.
5. Gaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree: Siddhartha reached his ultimate goal of enlightenment when he sat beneath the Bodhi tree in Bodh a and entered deep meditation. It was there that he finally understood the nature of suffering, the causes of suffering, and the path to liberation from suffering, thus becoming the Buddha. This realization became the foundation of his teachings and the Middle Way philosophy.