Waiting, fasting, thinking. What's so special about these?

[RichardRR]

Siddhartha claims these attributes were his best; waiting, fasting, thinking.
Why is this so?

[slaje]

the reason he believes these to be his traits is he has simply come upon everything he has ever needed by these methods

[karim87]

The reason that these attributes are so important to Siddhartha is becasuse each represents something more. The waiting attribute represents patience which is something each person should have. After all patience is a virtue. The second attribute, fasting, shows restraint. Fasting isnt solely in terms of food but also materials. One shouldnt have an overabundance of food and or materials which one doesnt need. Simply if you dont need it, why have it? You should control yourself. The last attribute, thinking, is something which everyone can do. It is an attribute which everyone posses. The importance of this attribute is that each individual can and should think on their own to find their jouney towards enlightenment. That is essentially why these attributes are considered the best to Siddhartha because they are all apart of becoming enlightened.

[GuySizemore]

Waiting, fasting, and thinking. For Siddharta a man clearly burdened with the affects of a life dedicated to enlightenment these three things are his biggest assets, for with the less and less dependency on extroverted ideals and principals the more free he becomes to dwel within his own thoughts. But as he continues on his journey he looses and then regains them in somewhat the same form. They are his methods to help him reach om.

[Xnpio]

The two replies given are almost exactly as I would have replied. However, I would like to add that fasting allows for the freedom from self-monitering. If one is content not having food to eat, then one knows that however much they lose all they need is water and occasional sustinance. In general, it is a metaphor for the ability to survive without need for material things. Food is something we reliy upon and feel insecure without. If you know you can survive without it then you can survive if you lose everything you own.