Is an 'Existential Crisis' a necessary condition to start on the path of Dhamma? The path of Dhamma is a journey towards the end of all suffering through the attainment of Nibbana. The Buddha set out to find the cure for human suffering, but there are so many people around us today, suffering in so many ways. Most of the people end up still finding a cure in the material world. There are very few people who are suffering might end up starting to think about life itself as suffering for e.g. philosophers like Schopenhauer. But even these intellectuals don't seem to have come to the conclusion of the need to transcend the mind. As against there are those might not be in a lot of suffering but in an, existential crisis seem to arrive at the path of Dhamma.

I am asking, is existential-crisis a pre-requisite and more fundamental human need than wanting to end suffering to start the journey towards Nibbana?
AN 3.38 describes Gotama having an existential crisis.


  Even though I was endowed with such fortune, such total refinement, the thought occurred to me: 'When an untaught, run-of-the-mill person,
  himself subject to death, not beyond death, sees another who is dead,
  he is horrified, humiliated, &amp; disgusted, oblivious to himself that he
  too is subject to death, not beyond death. And if I — who am subject
  to death, not beyond death — were to be horrified, humiliated, &amp;
  disgusted on seeing another person who is dead, that would not be
  fitting for me.' As I noticed this, the living person's intoxication
  with life entirely dropped away.


Also, the traditional biography of Sariputta &amp; Mogallana shows them having an existential crisis:  


  Now at Rajagaha there was an annual event called the Hilltop Festival. Seats were arranged for both youths and they sat together to
  witness the celebrations. When there was occasion for laughter, they
  laughed; when the spectacles were exciting, they became excited; and
  they paid their fees for the extra shows. In this manner they enjoyed
  the festival for a second day; but on the third day their
  understanding was awakened and they could no longer laugh or get
  excited, nor did they feel inclined to pay for extra shows as they had
  done on the first days. Each of them had the same thought: "What is
  there to look at here? Before these people have reached a hundred
  years they will all have come to death. What we ought to do is to seek
  for a teaching of deliverance."
  
  It was with such thoughts in mind that they took their seats at the festival. Then Kolita said to Upatissa: "How is this, my dear
  Upatissa? You are not as happy and joyous as you were on the other
  days. You seem now to be in a discontented mood, What is on your
  mind?"
  
  "My dear Kolita, to look at these things here is of no benefit at all. it is utterly worthless! I ought to seek a teaching of
  deliverance for myself. That, my Kolita, is what I was thinking,
  seated here. But you, Kolita, seem to be discontented, too."
  
  And Kolita replied: "Just as you have said, I also feel." When he knew that his friend had the same inclinations, Upatissa said: "That
  was a good thought of ours. But for those who seek a teaching of
  deliverance there is only one thing to do: to leave home and become
  ascetics. But under whom shall we live the ascetic life?