1922 novel by Hermann Hesse
Siddhartha: An Indian novel (German: Siddhartha: Eine Indische Dichtung; German: [ziˈdaʁta] ⓘ) is a 1922 novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha. The book, Hesse's ninth novel, was written in German, in a simple, lyrical style. It was published in the United States in 1951 by New Directions Publishing and became influential during the 1960s. Hesse dedicated the first part of it to the French writer Romain Rolland and the second part to Wilhelm Gundert, his cousin.
The word Siddhartha is made up of two words in the Sanskrit language: siddha (achieved) + artha (what was searched for), which together means "he who has found meaning (of existence)" or "he who has attained his goals".[1] In fact, the Buddha's own name, before his renunciation, was Siddhartha Gautama, prince of Kapilavastu. In this book, the Buddha is referred to as "Gotama".
Plot [ edit ]
The story takes place in ancient India, where Siddhartha decides to leave his home in the hope of gaining spiritual illumination by becoming an ascetic Śamaṇa. Joined by his best friend Govinda, Siddhartha fasts, becomes homeless, renounces all personal possessions, and intensely meditates. Eventually the pair seek out and personally speak with the enlightened Gautama, but although Govinda hastily joins the Buddha's order, Siddhartha does not. For him, the Buddhist philosophy, though supremely wise, must be individually realized independently of instruction by a teacher. He thus resolves to carry on his quest alone.
Siddhartha crosses a river and the ferryman, whom Siddhartha is unable to pay, predicts that Siddhartha will return later to compensate him in some way. Venturing onward toward city life, Siddhartha encounters the courtesan Kamala, the most beautiful woman he has seen. She notes Siddhartha's handsome appearance and fast wit, but warns him that he must become wealthy to win her affections so that she may teach him the art of love. Although Siddhartha despised materialistic pursuits as a Śamaṇa, he agrees now to Kamala's suggestion. She directs him to the employ of Kamaswami, a local businessman, and insists that he have Kamaswami treat him as an equal rather than an underling. Siddhartha easily succeeds, providing a voice of patience and tranquility, which Siddhartha learned from his days as an ascetic, against Kamaswami's fits of passion. Thus Siddhartha becomes a rich man and Kamala's lover, but in his middle years he realizes that the luxurious lifestyle he has chosen is merely a game that lacks spiritual fulfillment. Leaving the bustle of the city, Siddhartha returns to the river, disillusioned and contemplating suicide. Falling into a meditative sleep, he is saved only by an internal experience of the holy word, Om.
The next morning, Siddhartha briefly reconnects with Govinda, who is passing through the area as a wandering Buddhist monk. Siddhartha decides to live the rest of his life in the presence of the spiritually inspirational river, companioning Vasudeva, the elderly ferryman, with whom he begins a humbler way of life. Although Vasudeva is a simple man, he has spiritual insight and relates that the river has many voices and significant messages to divulge to any who might listen.
Some years later, Kamala, now a Buddhist convert, is traveling to see the Buddha on his deathbed, accompanied by her reluctant young son, when she is bitten by a venomous snake near the river bank. Siddhartha recognizes her and she informs him that the boy is his own son. After Kamala's death, Siddhartha attempts to console and raise the furiously resistant boy, until one day the child flees altogether. Although Siddhartha is desperate to follow the runaway, Vasudeva urges him to let the boy find his own path, just as Siddhartha did himself in his youth. Listening to the river with Vasudeva, Siddhartha realizes that time is an illusion and that all of his feelings and experiences, even those of suffering, are part of a great and ultimately jubilant fellowship of all things connected in the cyclical unity of nature. After Siddhartha's moment of illumination, Vasudeva claims that his work is done and he must depart into the woods, leaving Siddhartha peacefully fulfilled and alone once more.
Toward the end of his life, Govinda hears about an enlightened ferryman and travels to Siddhartha, not initially recognizing him as his old childhood companion. Govinda asks the now-elderly Siddhartha to relate his wisdom and Siddhartha replies that for every true statement there is an opposite one that is also true; that language and the confines of time lead people to adhere to one fixed belief that does not account for the fullness of the truth. Because nature works in a self-sustaining cycle, every entity carries in it the potential for its opposite and so the world must always be considered complete. Siddhartha simply urges people to identify and love the world in its completeness. He then requests the puzzled Govinda to kiss his forehead; when he does so, Govinda experiences the same visions of timelessness that Siddhartha himself saw with Vasudeva by the river. Govinda then bows to his wise and radiantly smiling friend.
Major themes [ edit ]
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