Pre-requisite Life Experiences Before Enlightenment

[RY12]

It's often stated that anyone can attain Enlightenment at any time in their life, which I assume is true on a certain level; but for the average human, don't we need to experience certain things in life before we have a mind mature enough to have the discipline to really give up our innermost sense of self?

Look at the Buddha himself, if we take a slightly more banal/historical interpretation of his life- as the wealthiest young man in his universe, he probably had the opportunity to experience all there was in terms of festivals, parties, drugs (soma), and probably sex. He even went on from that to become a father and husband. He had, I assume, literally seen all there was available in life in ancient India- if he even knew of travel, it was probably assumed that such places as Persia or the Zhou Dynasty weren't worth going to. If we assume he was 30 when he left the palace, he probably was beginning to age a little bit, and must have had a deep sense that his life couldn't go anywhere in that world of his. But look at the modern world- up until we can't walk anymore, there's always new activities, places to go, and the endless staircase of capitalism to climb; can we ever really give up such a sensous world up?

The thing I've noticed reading the stories of enlightenment of Zen masters is that each individual usually had some traumatic NEAR-DEATH experience happen to them before they finally attained enlightment- fatal illnesses, losing father and mother, poverty, etc... the Buddha himself had to STARVE HIMSELF to the brink of DEATH before he attained enlightenment.... sure I know He and everyone else say asceticism isn't necessary, but is that just post facto hindsight?

I know I'm too cynical, but I just have a hard time these 19 year old middle-class farangs ordaining in Thailand, or young Thai men themselves, MYSELF INCLUDED, will really progress that far on the Path, beyond just interludes of samadhi's....

[Brucenkhamen]

I know I'm too cynical, but I just have a hard time these 19 year old middle-class farangs ordaining in Thailand, or young Thai men themselves, MYSELF INCLUDED, will really progress that far on the Path, beyond just interludes of samadhi's....

People are different, you can't predict someones receptivity to the dhamma based on their maturity or life experiences.

Having said that I can say that I can't imagine making much spiritual progress myself without having done the things I've done and learned the things I've learned beforehand. If I had ordained at 19 I'd be sure to be wondering what this or that was like and whether I'd find fulfillment elsewhere, and I'd disrobe after a time. Now i've experienced all those things and know them to be empty I wish I was in robes now, but I have other commitments so cannot, Catch 22.