Full Idea
Next the Boddhisatva, possessed of great skill in Transic meditation, put himself into a trance, intent on discerning both the ultimate reality of things and the final goal of existence.
Gist of Idea
The Buddha sought ultimate reality and the final goal of existence in his meditations
Source
Ashvaghosha (Buddhacarita [c.50], XIV.2)
Book Reference
'Buddhist Scriptures', ed/tr. Conze,Edward [Penguin 1959], p.49
A Reaction
The ontological and teleological goals of the Buddha were identical to the goals of the ancient Greek philosophers, and even we have teleological aims in our study of evolution. I would expect better results from the western approach.