All Paths Lead to Love
The path which one chooses to follow is unique and often idiosyncratic in comparison to those around them. In the novel, Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, the young protagonist quickly separated himself from the path of his brethren in search of his own destiny. Much is similar in Geshe Michael Roach’s Meditation and Jess Row’s For You, where the main characters of both short stories escape their comfort zones in search for answers to their own eternal questions. Throughout the three pieces, it is observed that the characters had trouble finding their paths. With the guidance and wisdom of each person they encountered, the protagonists were able to discover their own destiny, learn from their mistakes, and realize that their questions can be answered with an understanding of love. Through each journey, a common theme arises in the practice of meditation which leads the reader to understand that, regardless of the question, the answer is always love. Through the unconditional appreciation of all things, the questions begin to answer themselves.
In Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, the protagonist is introduced to many people who had an influence on his growth; the two individuals having the largest impact on Siddhartha being Kamala and Vasudeva. Both of these characters taught him about the importance of love, first with the act of it, and finally with the feeling of love.
Kamala spent years teaching Siddhartha about the art of love. After many years of being together, Siddhartha admits to her, “I am like you. You, too, do not love – how else could you practice love as an art? Perhaps people of our sort are incapable of love. The child people can love; that is their secret” (Hesse 63). At this point in his life...
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...or You, Lewis was guided down the path to defining love for himself through meditation and discipline. His teachers helped him discover what really mattered to him, and contributed to his conclusion of peace. The characters of these stories all presented with a defined goal, and through the direction of those around them, they were able to find peace through the concept of love and the use of meditation.
Works Cited
Hesse, Hermann, and Susan Bernofsky. Siddhartha: An Indian Poem. New York: Modern Library, 2008. Print.
Jess, Row. "For You." Ed. Keith Kachtick. You Are Not Here and Other Works of Buddhist Fiction. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2006. 101-23. Print.
Roach, Geshe M. "Meditation." Ed. Keith Kachtick. You Are Not Here and Other Works of Buddhist Fiction. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2006. 191-207. Print.
Hermann Hesse’s novel “Siddhartha” is one of spiritual renewal and self discovery. The novel revolves around the life of one man named Siddhartha, who leaves his home and all earthly possessions in an attempt to find spiritual enlightenment. The novel contains many themes, including the relationship between wisdom and knowledge, spirituality, man’s relationship to the natural world, time, love, and satisfaction. To portray these themes, Hesse employs many different rhetorical devices, particularly diction, symbolism, and point of view. These devices allow us, as a reader, to reevaluate our lives and seek fulfillment in the same way that Siddhartha did.
In both cases, they are going on the hero’s journey to escape societal expectations, to rid themselves of the materialistic world or to experience adventure. For Siddhartha, he “had begun to feel that the love of his father and mother, and also the love of his friend Govinda, would not always make him happy, give him peace, satisfy and suffice him. He had begun to suspect that his worthy father and his other teachers, the wise Brahmins, had already passed on to him the bulk and best of their wisdom [but] his soul was not at peace.” (Hesse 3) Siddhartha has all the love he needs in life, yet he has a true to desire to understand the world around him. He feels like he needs to do more to live a fulfilled in life. His goal is to find true happiness by understanding the world around him and by achieving Nirvana. This desire and knowledge compel him to follow the Samanas on the journey to enlightenment. Likewise, in the film "Into the Wild" Christopher Johnson decides to embark on a journey to achieve true happiness outside of materialistic aspects. From a very young age, Chris’s parents always gave him things that he does not want and
The river is a factor in Siddhartha achieving enlightenment. The river is his last step after the city. It teaches him things about himself that he didn’t even know were important to him. For example “And one day, when the wound burned violently, Siddhartha ferried across the river, driven by a yearning, got off the boat and was willing to go to the city and to look for his son” - “The river laughed”. This is showing how the river tells Siddhartha things that he thinks are reasonable but the river know better. The river also led him to Vasudeva. Vasudeva is like a priest of sorts. He teaches Siddhartha how to listen to the river and what it has to say, just like a priest. Without Vasudeva Siddhartha would not have learned from the river and therefore never have gotten close to enlightenment. The river and Vasudeva were directly part of Siddhartha's
Siddhartha is a much respected son of a Brahmin who lives with his father in ancient India. Everyone in their town expects Siddhartha to act like his father and become successful. Although he lives a very high quality life, Siddhartha is dissatisfied and along with his best friend Govinda- wants nothing more than to join the group of wandering ascetics called Samana’s. This group starves themselves, travels almost naked and must beg for the food they survive on. This group of people believes that to achieve enlightenment and self-actualization: body image, health, physical and material desires must be thrown away. Although this is the life Siddhartha wished for himself, he soon discovers that it is not the right choice for him. Near desolation, Siddhartha happens upon a river where he hears a strange sound. This sound signifies the beginning of the life he was born to live – the beginning of his true self. Hesse uses many literary devices to assure Siddhartha’s goal of self-actualization and creates a proper path for that success.
The beautiful courtesan, Kamala, taught Siddhartha the importance of love along with the pleasures of it. While in the town of Samsara, he was introduced to a life of luxuries by her. She taught him how to please a woman and how to keep her satisfied. He also learned how to gamble and the art of running a business from her friends. Although Siddhartha felt moments of joy, nothing fulfilled the longing in his soul. Over the years, one of the more important lessons he gained from Kamala was that he could have this life of pleasurable things and yet still yearn for a deeper meaning in his heart.
After leaving Gotama, the Illoustrious One, Siddhartha entered the life of a human being. He met a beautiful courtesan named Kamala and asked her to teach him the art of love. She said anyone who came to see her must be wealthy and therefore, she wouldn't teach Siddhartha for he was just a ragged Samanas. She introduced him to a rich merchant named Kamaswami and from this man that Siddhartha learned to trade and became rich. Obviously, Siddhartha came back to see Kamala and she accepted him. They learned the game of love together and she taught him many many love lessons that she knew. From her that he learned love could not be forced, people could buy love, ask for love, but could not steal love. He also learned that people must grow old and die and that there was no endless life. Together, Siddhartha and Kamala had a son, Siddhartha, who could not love anyone, loved his son with all of his heart.
Drummond, Richard Henry. A Broader Vision: Perspectives on the Buddha and the Christ. Virginia: A.R.E. Press, 1995.
Siddhartha, in Herman Hesse's novel, Siddhartha, is a young, beautiful, and intelligent Brahmin, a member of the highest and most spiritual castes of the Hindu religion, and has studied the teachings and rituals of his religion with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Inevitably, with his tremendous yearning for the truth and desire to discover the Atman within himself he leaves his birthplace to join the Samanas. With the Samanas he seeks to release himself from the cycle of life by extreme self-denial but leaves the Samanas after three years to go to Gotama Buddha. Siddhartha is impressed by the blissful man but decides to lead his own path. He sleeps in the ferryman's hut and crosses the river where he encounters Kamala, a beautiful courtesan, who teaches him how to love. He is disgusted with himself and leaves the materialistic life and he comes to the river again. He goes to Vasudeva, the ferryman he met the first time crossing the river. They become great friends and both listen and learn from the river. He sees Kamala again but unfortunately, she dies and leaves little Siddhartha with the ferrymen. He now experience for the first time in his life true love. His son runs away and Siddhartha follows him but he realizes he cannot bring him back. He learns from the river that time does not exist, everything is united, and the way to peace is through love. Siddhartha undergoes an archetypal quest to achieve spiritual transcendence. During his journey, he both embraces and rejects asceticism and materialism only to ultimately achieve philosophical wisdom "by the river".
In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, a classic novel about enlightenment, the main character, Siddhartha, goes on a lifelong journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Siddhartha encounters many who try to teach him enlightenment, undoubtedly the most important being the Buddha himself. Although Siddhartha rejects the Buddha's teachings, saying that wisdom cannot be taught, we can see, nevertheless, that along his journey for understanding Siddhartha encounters the Four Noble Truths that are a central theme in Buddhism: suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, and the middle path.
Siddhartha, written by Herman Hesse, is a novel about a man's progression towards his goal to center his life with a combination of peace and balance. Many of the displayed philosophies can be applied to today's world. Through my reading, I noticed many similarities between my life and Siddhartha's. First, Siddhartha felt a need for independence, that to truly be happy with his success, he must attain his achievements in his own way, and not others. Even though, he feels he must acquire this by himself, he tries to be as removed from his human side as possible. Only later does he learn that individuality and freedom from necessity must be united to procure his objectives and free him from his imperfections. Second, Siddhartha discovers that things and riches do not bring happiness. They are only temporary. No matter the extent of wealth a person has this never satisfies the insatiable need for possessions. Lastly, Siddhartha found that balance is the key to peace and happiness. Although a simplistic teaching, it is very complex to learn and apply. In my life, I can relate to his path and lessons, because I feel the same struggles and battles with attaining serenity.
Siddhartha and Chris both take initiative and abandon their homes in search of better lives for themselves. Leaving so abruptly paired with learning the mysteries of life can be a daunting task and cannot be done easily alone. Luckily for both Chris and Siddhartha, they come into contact with mysterious and benevolent people which have an extreme influence on their journeys. In both stories, the main characters stumble upon special individuals who offer some wisdom or some aid them on the travels . In Chris’s scenario, he came across Rainey and Jan, a couple in their later years in life traveling the country in their Van. They pick Chris up nonchalantly, expecting nothing more than a hitchhiker, but are met with our protagonist who helps their struggling marriage and acknowledges the Gap in their life. He doesn't leave without any of his own benefit however as with the help of Rainey and Jan, as he learned to overcome himself and best fear along with some financial aid and a place he can stay. In Siddhartha's case, he comes along a pricy courtesan by the name of Kamala, who gives him the greatest gift of all: Physical love,This.plays a major role in the enlightenment of Siddhartha. Siddharta accepts her as his teacher, which isn't like Siddhartha as he is not the biggest fan of teachers. “To tell you this and to thank you for being so beautiful. And if it doesn't displease you, Kamala, I would like to ask you to be my friend and teacher, for I know nothing yet of that art which you have mastered in the highest degree." -(Hesse, 89). This quote is the explanation that Siddhartha provides in order to to elaborate on why he has chosen Kamala, out of all people, to be his teacher. Kamala begins to inform Siddharta in the rigorous art of physical love, in which he learns to love and value the non-materialistic things. Kamala also offers a
Throughout all, Hermann Hesse explained how without Siddhartha’s relationships with his father, Kamala, and himself would not have changed as he sought enlightenment. He left his fathers love, never to return to it, only for the gambling chance to find a new love. He craved for Kamala’s teachings of love and their relationship turned from denial to acceptance. In his son, he saw the reflection of himself and had to set love free when it could no longer be restricted. Hesse reveled the existence to enlightenment survived through the value of love in a relationship. All in all, enlightenment could not breathe without the continuous pulse of love.
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