ABSTRACT
Like Jesus and Mohammed, the Buddha is a historical figure around whom a religion arose. The following story of his life is commonly told:
Before continuing with the tale, let us note the symbolic significance of Siddhartha’s transformation. One might think that renunciation of the world is appropriate only for people who have little and are wretched to start with. Siddhartha, by his action, tells us that is not so. Even princely pleasures cannot compensate for the pain caused by ignorance of life. If we lack understanding, the richest, most luxurious life is not good enough.
