Siddartha Gautama (Post 34)

We are learning about Buddhism this week in Eastern Religions. the first Buddhist was Siddartha Gautama. Siddartha Gautama was born into the Kshartrias class. The Kshartrias class is part of the caste system that dates back to early Hinduism and was in the Vedas. If you are born into the Kshartrias you were from a wealthy family. In fact, Siddartha Gautama's family were nobles. When Siddartha Gautama was born, his father was told that his son would either be a great ruler or a great teacher. If his son knew suffering he would become a great teacher. His father wanted him to became a great ruler so he tried to keep him from seeing any suffering. He was raised in luxury and he was kept from knowing about sickness, poverty or death. But, when Siddartha did venture out when he was around 20 he came upon 4 things that changed his life and put him on the path to enlightenment.