Siddartha
Siddartha, by Hermann Hesse, is a story of a charming young man that wanders physically and spiritually throughout his life. With minimal notice Siddartha would give up everything to try something new. He traveled at first with his lifelong best friend. Siddartha was the popular and widely loved man. This story is set in the time of Buddha.
My reaction to Siddhartha is disappointment. At first, the story appears to be on the life of Buddha. It appeared that the story would be on how Buddha became enlightened. Buddha is encountered only briefly.
However the other part of my reaction was that of interest and some pleasure. It was entertaining to see the young man drift and make decisions based on very little long term sense, even though the decisions would effect him for years. Siddartha threw away a bright future to become a transient Semana for a few years just because he was impressed by someone else doing it. A Semana was a spiritual guru that apprenticed under another Semana. They rejected materialism and civilized life in exchange for finding a spiritual connection to the land they wandered in. Siddartha quit after only a few years.
My reaction to Siddhartha is disappointment. At first, the story appears to be on the life of Buddha. It appeared that the story would be on how Buddha became enlightened. Buddha is encountered only briefly.
However the other part of my reaction was that of interest and some pleasure. It was entertaining to see the young man drift and make decisions based on very little long term sense, even though the decisions would effect him for years. Siddartha threw away a bright future to become a transient Semana for a few years just because he was impressed by someone else doing it. A Semana was a spiritual guru that apprenticed under another Semana. They rejected materialism and civilized life in exchange for finding a spiritual connection to the land they wandered in. Siddartha quit after only a few years.