“Noble Action, Sacred Call, or Desire”

Explain whether or not you think Siddhārtha Gautama’s quest to find enlightenment falls under the category of noble action, sacred call, or desire. Discuss how his decision to leave his family would be received in today’s culture.

Is desire (craving) good or bad or, can desire be either good or bad?  How do desires reveal an individual’s sense of the “meaning and purpose of life?”  How do you think desires relate to religious ethics in Buddhism (e.g., the Noble Eightfold Path)?