Leaving his kingdom and loved ones behind, Siddhartha became a wandering
monk. He cut off his hair to show that he had renounced the worldly lifestyle
and called himself Gautama. He wore ragged robes and wandered from place
to place. In his search for truth, he studied with the wisest teachers
of his day. None of them knew how to end suffering, so he continued the
search on his own.
For six years he practiced severe asceticism thinking this would lead
him to enlightenment. He sat in meditation and ate only roots, leaves and
fruit. At times he ate nothing. He could endure more hardships than anyone
else, but this did not take him anywhere. He thought, "Neither my life
of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the
way to freedom. Overdoing things can not lead to happiness. " He began
to eat nourishing food again and regained his strength.
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