Gilgamesh's Spiritual Journey

Every spiritual warrior suffers from the pain and struggle of trying to find what he is looking for. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, it seems that Gilgamesh's search for immortality is symbolic for the journey one takes toward enlightenment. For example, Gilgamesh sheds his expensive garments and lavish lifestyle. He separates himself from luxury in order to focus more clearly on his pursuit. He tells Siduri to stop trying to distract him from his mission with earthly pleasures. This is similar to certain Buddhist principles. Some Buddhists achieve nirvana through complete non attachment. Gilgamesh is shows some non-attachment behavior on his journey. Yet he still yearn for something deeply. It is interesting to note that on his way to Utnapishtam, Gilgamesh meets three charachters that all try to tell him to stop his pursuit for immortality. Gilgamesh does not follow their instructions though. Instead he continues on his great journey to Utnapishtam. When he finally meets the man, Gilgamesh is told that he is not ready to be a god and he should go home. While reading about the struggles that Gilgamesh face in this epic, one can imagine that his struggles are symbolic for the spiritual struggles that the authors faced in ancient times.