The departure of Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) from his home in search of truth is known as:

The departure of Prince Siddhartha from his palace to become a wandering ascetic is called the "Mahabhinishkramana" (the Great Going Forth or Great Renunciation).

The story of the renunciation:

• Siddhartha was brought up in luxury at Kapilavastu, and his father tried to keep him away from all suffering.
• He married Yashodhara, and they had a son named Rahula.

According to tradition, during visits outside the palace, he saw "four sights":

• An old man.
• A sick man.
• A dead body.
• A wandering ascetic (monk), who seemed calm and peaceful.
• The first three sights made him realise that suffering (old age, sickness and death) is a part of life, and the fourth showed him a path to seek freedom from suffering.
• At the age of 29, he left the palace at night, riding his horse "Kanthaka", accompanied by his charioteer "Channa".
• At the bank of the river Anoma, he cut off his hair, exchanged his royal clothes for simple robes, and sent Channa back with the horse.

In art:

The Great Renunciation is symbolised in early Buddhist art by a riderless horse, sometimes with a parasol held over it.

Important events in the Buddha's life:

• "Mahabhinishkramana": the great departure (renunciation).
• "Sambodhi" or "Nirvana": enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, at the age of 35.
• The first sermon at Sarnath.
• "Mahaparinirvana": death, at the age of 80.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Mahaparinirvana refers to the Buddha's death.
• ✗Dharmachakra Pravartana refers to a later event.
• ✗Sambodhi refers to his enlightenment.