Asceticism

After leaving the palace, Siddhārtha spent years travelling as an ascetic; he refused any luxuries, and would not even eat or drink. He became incredibly thin, and suffered greatly.

Yet he was not at peace.

Siddhārtha had lived a life of the greatest luxury, and also a life of the greatest austerity; he had had everything, and he had had nothing, but neither of these lives had made him truly happy.

He continued to travel until he reached a fig tree at a place called Bodh Gaya. Here he meditated, and came to understand that there was another way – the Middle Way.