Question

Siddhartha was a young, rich Indian prince born in about 560 BCE. He wasn't happy with his life as a Hindu; he sought more answers than he felt Hinduism could offer. One day he left his family and his riches behind and decided that the secret of life was not to be reincarnated over and over but to find enlightenment, the state of being free from suffering. Siddhartha wandered around India looking for life's answers but not finding any. He stopped and sat under a big, beautiful tree on the Ganges River and meditated. For seven weeks he sat under that tree—until he became enlightened. After that, he was known as the Buddha, or "enlightened one." He spent the rest of his life sharing his ideas with people, founding a whole new religion: Buddhism. Nirvana is the highest goal of a Buddhist. Some people simply call it enlightenment. Nirvana happens when a Buddhist is finally free of suffering and all worldly problems—he or she has broken the cycle of reincarnation and is in a state of peace. Which of these statements would Siddhartha most likely agree with? A The secret of life is finding a state of peace and being free from suffering. B The secret of life is reincarnation, so you’ll be alive forever in different forms. C The secret of life is having good karma so you’re reincarnated as a prince. D The secret of life is ultimately unknowable, and we should be at peace with that.

Answer 1

Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha, would most likely agree with the statement that the secret of life is to find a state of peace and be free from suffering, which reflects the core purpose of Buddhism to achieve enlightenment and Nirvana. Therefore, the correct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, would most likely agree with statement A: The secret of life is finding a state of peace and being free from suffering. This is a core principle in Buddhism, in which the ultimate goal is to achieve enlightenment and break free from the cycle of rebirth and suffering, a state known as Nirvana.

Buddha's journey to enlightenment began after he confronted the realities of suffering that human beings experience. After much soul-searching and extreme ascetic practices, he discovered the 'Middle Way' and meditated under the fig tree to reach the state of enlightenment. Following this, the Buddha shared his teachings, like the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path which aimed to guide individuals to overcome ignorance, desires, and eventually suffering.

Therefore, statement A aligns perfectly with Siddhartha's realization that neither riches nor a life bound to the cycle of rebirth could provide the ultimate peace one seeks. Instead, the cessation of suffering and achieving enlightenment represented the true essence of life in Buddha's teachings.