Siddhartha

Siddhartha was one of the books I heard a lot about. I am ignorant of this universe since I started reading books at the age of 29. I’m still learning.

I usually gather information about books before I read them. But in this book, I relied directly on the reviews. An Indian inspired story written by a German author. The author was interested in Indian philosophy for a while, and this work emerged as its inspiration.

Siddhartha; He is a very popular young man in his community. He is a handsome, decent, exemplary person. One day, Siddhartha realizes that he will never be able to get over the feeling of incompleteness that he feels inside, and he searches for it.

Siddhartha, who is an exemplary man even for the Brahmin, tells his father that one day he wants to join the “ascetics”. The “Ascetics” are a group of people who are constantly wandering, homeless, lying in the woods and searching for the meaning of life. In this way, he thinks that maybe he can find “om”, that is, perfection in himself.

Although it is a very simple story, it is possible to find academic articles about this book with very deep messages.

An academic study entitled “Reading Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha in the Context of the Hero’s Journey and Archetypal Symbolism” says that Joseph Campell’s book on the hero’s eternal journey is a very good example.

I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good story. A masterpiece for anyone who has a library at home.

A Short Quote:
“And that secret,” he once asked his friend Vasudeva, “did you also learn from the river that there is no such thing as time?”

A radiant smile spread over Vasudeva’s face.

“Yes, siddhartha,” replied Vasudeva. “I think you mean: the river is also everywhere, where it boils, where it spills, in the waterfall, in the boat, in the current, on the sea, on the mountain, but also everywhere, and for him there is only the present, he knows no such thing as the shadow of the past.”

“Yes, that’s what I mean,” said Siddhartha. “And as soon as I learned this, I took a glance at my life, and it was a river too, just a shadow separating the boy Siddhartha from the young Siddhartha and the old Siddhartha, it was not a real thing. there was no past, and there will be no future in his death and his return to Brahma. There is nothing in the past, nothing in the future; everything exists only in the present.”

Siddhartha was overjoyed, the inspiration born in him filled him with happiness. Oh, wasn’t all suffering and suffering time, all toiling, all fear not time? As soon as time is overcome, as soon as the idea of ​​time is removed from the head, do not all the difficulties and all the hostilities in the world disappear, are they not defeated? Siddhartha spoke with enthusiasm.