Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the life events of Gautama Buddha is/are correct?
1.Buddha renounced his worldly life accompanied by his charioteer Channa and his horse Kanthaka.
2.He immediately attained enlightenment by practicing extreme self-mortification under the guidance of Sujata.
3.The acceptance of milk-rice offered by Sujata marked Buddha’s rejection of extreme asceticism in favor of the Middle Path .
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: B
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: At the age of 29, deeply moved by the Four Sights (an old man, a sick man, a dead body, and an ascetic), Siddhartha Gautama left Kapilavastu at midnight with his charioteer Channa and horse Kanthaka.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: He spent six years undergoing severe ascetic practices, but realized that extreme self-mortification did not lead to liberation. He did not attain enlightenment during this period of extreme asceticism.
- Statement 3 is correct: After accepting a bowl of milk-rice (kheer) from Sujata at Senani village (Uruvela), he ended his severe fasting, abandoned extreme penance, and adopted the Madhyama Pratipat (Middle Path).
