Siddhartha is a story that begins as a young man's search for the ultimate enlightenment and truth, but ends as an old man's discovery of peace and happiness. The story is divided into three stages. In the first stage, Siddhartha learns to conquer his Self, control his senses, and discipline himself. He leaves his village in order to become a Samana, a member of a strict, ascetic tribe, in hopes of learning something that his childhood religious dedication didn't teach him. Feeling like has successfully learned the skills of Samana, but still unsure that he's made sense out of life, Siddhartha leaves the Samanas. He and his friend, Govinda, and seek the "Illustrious One" (the Buddha) to hear his teachings. When Siddhartha points out a conflict in the Buddha's teachings, the Buddha strangely avoids answering the question by saying about his teachings: "...its goal is not to explain the world to those who are thirsty for knowledge...its goal is salvation from suffering." Despite his deep respect for this popular man, Siddhartha doesn't become a follower, saying "a true seeker could no accept any teachings..."
The second stage begins as Siddhartha stumbles upon a village that he decides to live in for a while. He met a very arrogant and shallow girl named Kamala, whom he is attracted to, and he decides to find work so that she will like him for his money, clothes and the presents he gives her. While learning about the "art of love" with Kamala, Siddhartha becomes very serious with the work he has found. Eventually becoming an expert in commerce, he strikes up a fortune of his own and lives a rich, corrupt life for 20 years. He loses his discipline, and for a long time, he drinks alchohol, gambles obsessively, becomes greedy, and in general, indulges in earthly passions like never before. After a while, he becomes disgusted with himself and the time he has wasted. He is an aged man who has lost control of the Self, so he decides to leave his fortune, Kamala, and the town in search of a better life.
The last stage, where Sidd attains inner peace, starts out with him feeling like crap, and sleeping deeply near a river that he once had to cross. He becomes good friends with the ferryman of the river, Vasudeva, and although the ferryman doesn't speak very much, he learns a lot from him. They live together, and Vasudeva teaches him how to listen to the river speak and appreciate it. Somehow, Siddhartha grows wiser during these years. He learns from the river that only the present matters, and that time doesn't exist (it's supposedly an illusion that separates things that are actually united). The past, the future, and all the voices of life are contained in its present voice. Kamala get's poisoned by a snake one day near the river, and Siddhartha finds out that they have a son. Kamala dies, and Sidd finds it hard to deal with his spoiled son, whom he is now responsible for. The son eventually runs away, causing Siddhartha much distress. He experienced love for the boy but he is convinced that he would be better off growing up alone, so he just lets him go. Vasudeva leaves shortly after, getting ready for death, and leaves Sidd the job of ferryman. Govinda, Siddhartha's old pal, encounters him at the end, and sees that he has attained peace. He asks for advice on how to do the same, and Sidd tells him to kiss him on the forehead. When he does, he sees a thousand images, all related and united, in the face of his peaceful friend, and magically, he feels at peace too! Yay!
At the end, he feels that these three stages where all good experiences, even the corrupt stage, because they all molded him into the person he eventually became. There is a huge stress on unity for some reason, and how there is no pure without corrupt, no wise man that isn't foolish, no foolish man without wisdom, and so on. The point here is that in every man lives a thousand people that he can potentially be. There is also a big emphasis on how time doesn't exist because it is an illusionary barrier to the unity of everything. The story is very thought provoking, but overall, siddhartha is bland, conceited, and it's hard to define exactly what he discovered. He is at peace because he says he has learned to love (without lustful pleasures), listen, and understand the world. His resolution at the end was extremely vague and inconclusive.
Hesse fails to consider in this story that knowledge, thoughts, words, actions are all connected with peace. The inner peace he suggests is too one-sided, perhaps oversimplified. Is Siddhartha at peace just because he is able to get all he needs in life by listening to nature? Simplifying your life that much doesn't necassarily mean you are at peace. It's important to realize that Siddhartha rid himself of all obligations (like his son), all passions, and curiosity. With his complacency, it seems as if he belongs on a hippie commune where everyone smokes pot and feels everything they need to learn from is in nature. Don't read this book expecting to be satisfied with Siddhartha's "enlightenment" or to walk away feeling like you discovered something from the book. What is learned is only beneficial for the happiness of Sidd. It's the glorious conclusion of his journey, but if he said wisdom is incommunicable, then what does the reader learn? That everything we need in life is in a river? Or a rock? Why is Siddhartha sharing his personal revalation? Just to make a cheesy story? Anyway, we are all very pround of you, Siddhartha.
8/24/00 By Pouya Rebek