Having read the first two chapters of Siddhartha, I learn about Siddhartha’s character. As the author writes, “he delighted and made everybody happy. But Siddhartha himself was not happy.” He pleases everyone, yet is not pleased himself. He has a never ending hunger for achieving the state nirvana, absolute peace, and so is annoyed that he has learned as much as his teachers could educate him but is still not there. However upset he is, he does not leak his emotion into his interaction with other people. I was surprised at his discipline. If I am angry at anything, I will often lose my control over it, and be angry at others. After deciding that living with the Brahmins is not teaching him enough, he joins a group called the Samana along with his friend, Govinda. They lived even more simply. They wandered and learned about nature and themselves. Siddhartha, however, felt that he was moving in a continuous circle. He was never getting rid of his “Self” and achieving Nirvana. If I was Siddhartha, I would be extremely pleased with how far I had come. Maybe I would want to leave to achieve more knowledge, but I would not be so restless as to leave after only a few years.
I think that Siddhartha undergoes a great change after leaving the Samanas in chapters three and four. He meets Gotama, the Buddha, and listens to his speech. However, Siddhartha does not feel that he learned anything new. He meets the Buddha personally and expresses his views that he would never really achieve Nirvana listening to other people teaching him. He said “But there is one thing that this clear, worthy instruction does not contain; it does not contain the secret of what the Illustrious One himself experienced.” The Buddha wished Siddhartha luck on his journey to Nirvana and dismissed him. Siddhartha wandered away alone, as Govinda had joined the disciples of the Buddha. I would not have wandered off. I would have tried to learn from the Buddha as much as I could. Once I had followed his example, I might leave to have my own experiences. Once Siddhartha leaves the Buddha, he wanders on his own. He realizes that he cannot escape himself; he has to find himself and in the process find Nirvana. I agree with that thought. No one can ever totally leave behind themselves. They can accept themselves for who they are, and in doing so become totally peaceful.
Siddhartha accepted himself and began to listen to the voice inside him telling him right and wrong. He enjoys the beauty of nature. The author describes the setting without too much detail, but with feeling. Siddhartha refused to be tempted by lust, instead he went on his way. Having wandered a ways in the wood, he found a town. There he met a beautiful woman named Kamala. She liked him, but wanted him to look more groomed, have more money, and bring her gifts. Siddhartha went to a rich merchant in the town and worked as his partner. He gave gifts to Kamala and “learned the art of love” from her; he became rich, had his own property, and dressed well. The voice inside him telling him what to do was fading. I was surprised at his actions. Although one should find themselves, they should not become lost in riches and greediness. Though he retained some of his original qualities like kindness, politeness, and treating everyone the same, he lost the quiet simple life he used to have. It is surprising that he could get rid of the lifestyle he had held for so long in only a few years. The author, Herman Hesse, may have changed the length of time.
Siddhartha is still immersed in his wealth and possessions, becoming more and more like the people he used to despise. He has a lot of wealth and unnecessary possessions. He becomes immersed in gambling, because he feels like it is the only way to show people how much of a disregard for money he has. His actions were rather disgusting to me. He had almost completely changed from Siddhartha the Brahmin or Samana to Siddhartha the rich, greedy merchant. He disgusted himself as well, and therefore played dice to lose himself. The author describes Siddhartha’s doings without passing judgment. He tells Siddhartha’s thoughts, and other characters’ thoughts, but does not say “Siddhartha was disgusting.” Instead, he says “Slowly the soul sickness of the rich crept over him.”(pg. 78 line 15)
Siddhartha becomes so disgusted with himself that he leaves his life behind, including Kamala, his lover. Siddhartha’s merchant partner sent out people to look for him, but Kamala did not. She knew that he would eventually leave. I think that Siddhartha finally made the right decision. If I was in his place I would have wanted to leave much earlier. Though, I am not sure I would have that much self control. Siddhartha goes back to the river he had once crossed with a jolly ferryman. There, he almost kills himself, but is disgusted by it. He hears the sound “Om” and finds himself new again. He feels that he has progressed from an adult back to a child, and yet is happy to start new again. He sleeps dreamlessly and when he awakes, he finds himself anew. I think that it would be nice if I could fall asleep and wake up to find in myself the willpower to change my life. It is however, a little improbable. I wonder whether it is possible to change so quickly.
The next part of the book is slightly difficult to comprehend. It talks about how the river talks to Siddhartha and teaches him, how Siddhartha finds total peace, and becomes Buddha. I think that it is possible to learn from nature, and study how nature works, but not to have nature actually speak to you. I do not think one can see pictures in the water either, which Siddhartha apparently can do. Siddhartha goes to live with the ferryman and learns much from him and nature. People hear from others about two wise men that live by the river, yet some who are curious find nothing but “two friendly old men, who appeared to be mute, rather odd and stupid.” Those people, however, were not listened to about their ideas of the men. In my opinion, anyone who is as kind as Siddhartha and the ferryman, should be treated with as much respect and more as the most educated, rich man in the world.
I was going to use
Siddhartha as a subject for a summer project for school, but then I found out it wasn't one of the book choices! And I had finally been close to finishing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating: Seven out of Ten Stars
