The child, Gautama (also known as Siddhartha), had a sheltered upbringing in the palace at Kapilavastu, shielded from all knowledge of worldly ills. However, at the age of 29, Gautama visited the city. There he saw sights that profoundly changed his outlook: a beggar, a sick man lying neglected, a corpse being carried to burial and finally a serene ascetic. Determined to follow the ascetic's example, Gautama left the palace secretly that night.
