From the Anoma river, dressed as a beggar, the young prince wandered from place to place. Sometime later he come to Rajagaha city, where King Bimbisara lived. Here with his begging bowl in his hands Siddhartha walked round the streets of this city begging for food from door to door like any other religious monk.
Now he did not have a house to go to nor a friend to talk to nor food to eat. Therefore he ate whatever food was given to him by the people. People began to call him ‘Sage’. Some called him ‘Ascetic’ and some called him ‘Ascetic Gotama’, but nobody called him ‘Prince Siddhartha’ any more.
He was most handsome, very young, very healthy, very clean and neat. He spoke very kindly and gently. He did not ask people to give him anything. But people were very happy and pleased to put some food into his bowl.
Some people went and told the king
“Your majesty, there is a young man, Some people call him ‘Ascetic Gotama’. He is very clean, neat, kind, polite and not like a beggar.”
When King Bimbisara heard the name ‘Gotama’ at once he knew that this prince was the son of King Suddhodana, his friend. He went up to him and asked him,
“Why do you do this? Have you quarreled with your father? Why do you go about like this? Stay here and I shall give you half of my kingdom.”
“Thank you very much, Sir, I love my parents, my wife, my son, you and everybody. I want to find out a way to stop old age, sickness, worries and death. Therefore I am going thus,”
Said Ascetic Gotama and off he went.
