Sujata's Offering

Siddhartha sat by the Nairanjana river, on the verge of death from practicing asceticism. Sujata, a girl from a nearby village see him and offer him a bowl of milk rice (kheer). Accepting the food led Siddhartha to realize that neither extreme indulgence nor severe asceticism leads to enlightenment. The milk rice served as a turning point, providing the physical strength needed to continue his quest for liberation from samsara.