Siddhartha's Journey of Self-Actualization in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha

527 Words2 Pages

In “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha is put to the test to find inner enlightenment while trying to discover himself. He must work through the hardships and overcome loosing himself along the way.

Siddhartha began his adolescence with learning the ways of Brahman in hopes to find enlightenment by following the footsteps of his father. He lived along with his best friend Govinda but slowly grew discontent with his life. He felt empty and was hungry for something new. “that the wise Brahmans already revealed to him the most and the best of their wisdom, that they had already filled his expecting vessel with their richness, and the vessel was not full, the spirit was not content, the soul was not calm, the heart was not satisfied” (page 6). Siddhartha was in search of a more refreshing spiritual fulfillment, which resulted in his decision to become a samana. After years of meditation and fasting once again he felt like he was missing something.

Govinda and Siddhartha were in search to find a well spoken about Buddha named Gotama known as the “the one”. Govinda soon joins the ...

Show More
Related

  • Hermann Hesse’s Use of Literary Devices in Siddhartha

    633 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Siddhartha Essay: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Journeys

    1490 Words  | 3 Pages

    Siddhartha's journey begins with his physical journey.  This journey begins in Siddhartha's hometown.  At home, Siddhartha focuses his religious involvement in Brahmin rituals.  These rituals do not allow him to reach Nirvana so he decides to leave his village and follow the teachings of the Samanas.  The Samanas are men who believe that temporary life is only an illusion, and they practice extreme self-denial and meditation (Welch 58).  Siddhartha's journey with the Samanas begins as he pulls himself away from the structure of everyday life. However, Siddhartha finds this life to be unfulfilling and wasteful. When Siddhartha decides to leave the Samanas, he hypnotizes the leader in order to convince him to let Siddhartha move away (http://www.imsa.edu/~trasched/siddhartha/phys.html).

    Read More

  • Pleasures In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

    409 Words  | 1 Pages

    76). All of the spiritual aspects Siddhartha gained as being a Brahmin’s son and a Samana was turning into a memory because of his new pleasures. Siddhartha was not a man like he used to be. He went down a path that caused him to lose his kindness and became arrogant. Even though Siddhartha felt superior compared to the people around him, he had a feeling of becoming more like them. Also, he became extremely unhappy and hated himself for how he was. The teachings he learned from Kamaswami only lead to negative effects on Siddhartha. He did not gain a sense of enlightenment from having pleasure of being rich and gambling money. Siddhartha realized he needed to continue down a different path if he wanted to discover enlightenment. He felt this in his heart that made him reach for a new goal: “A path lies before you which you are called to follow. The gods await you” (83). Siddhartha went through a life of pleasures that only decreased his hope of reaching full

    Read More

  • Free College Essays - Siddhartha and Govinda

    398 Words  | 1 Pages

    Siddhartha, written by Herman Heese, is a book about a man’s journey to find his inner self beginning as when he was a child and ending when he was of old age.  Siddhartha, while on this quest, searched for different mentors to teach him what they know, hoping to find truth and balance in and of the universe.  At the end of the novel, Siddhartha reaches the enlightenment through many teachings.

    Read More

  • Siddhartha’s Influences

    431 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the novel Siddhartha, Herman Hesse used other characters to let Siddhartha grow both intellectually and spiritually. During the course of his journey, Siddhartha encountered many people and experienced different ways of living and thinking about life. Each person taught him something about himself and the world around him.

    Read More

  • The Search for Wisdom in Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    The novel, Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse focuses on a young man named Siddhartha and his lifelong pursuit to attain enlightenment. Throughout his endeavor, Siddhartha follows the way of rejection and doctrines from the Samanas and Gautama the Buddha, respectively. Soon enough, however, Siddhartha realizes that following the path of others is hopeless, and he starts to look within himself to gain wisdom and become enlightened. By looking at and listening to the river, Siddhartha begins to realize who he actually is through the visions and voices that appear from the river. This helps bring Siddhartha to the conclusion that gaining wisdom is completely different than gaining knowledge. Hesse suggests, via Siddhartha, that wisdom, unlike knowledge, cannot be passed on or taught. Siddhartha’s character serves to display how wisdom can only be found through the self.

    Read More

  • The Father-Son Relationship Depicted in Hesse's Siddhartha

    529 Words  | 2 Pages

    Siddhartha was a proactive, self-sufficient young man. He quickly absorbed the Brahmin’s doctrine and decided he wanted to learn even more; he had to become a Samana. Of course, in order to make such a step he needed his father’s permission. When he first requested, his father rejected the idea and said he should not speak it again. However, Siddhartha persisted. Respecting his father’s words, he stood patiently and waited for his request to be granted. His father asked him why he was waiting. Siddhartha responded, “You know why.” He continued on saying he would wait until he died. His father said, “And you would rather die than obey your father...

    Read More

  • Kamala In Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha

    1883 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the course of our lives, we will encounter a diverse group of others and experience a variety of events releasing various emotions and responses. These experiences and encounters may be beneficial while others could potentially have a negative impact. All of these external factors help shape and determine who we become as based on the lessons we learn from those around us and the discoveries we make from our experiences. Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, a modern novel that relates Siddhartha’s life from a child to an adult on a journey to enlightenment, built on Buddhism and the idea of escaping the endless cycle of rebirth. Siddhartha experiences many contrasting events throughout his journey, shaping his values in life and how he views the

    Read More

  • Siddhartha With The Siddhartha Analysis

    608 Words  | 2 Pages

    He traveled along the path of self-denial through pain, through voluntary suffering and conquering of pain, through hunger, thirst and fatigue” (Hesse 15). Through deep concentration he learned the boundaries of his mind and transcends himself. “…and Siddhartha took the heron into his soul, flew over forest and mountain, became a heron, ate fishes, suffered heron hunger, used heron language, died a heron’s death.” (Hesse 15). In these passages, Hesse explains the many things he learned with the Samanas. However, their teachings did not reach his ultimate goal of finding the Self. “What is meditation? What is abandonment of the body? What is fasting? What is the holding of breath? It is a flight from the Self; it is a temporary escape from the torment of Self. It is a temporary palliative against the pain and folly of life. The driver of oxen make the same flight, takes this temporary drug when he drinks a few bowls of rice wine or coconut milk in the Inn… he finds what Siddhartha and Govinda find when they escape from their bodies by long exercises and dwell in the non-Self” (Hesse 17). “I suffer thirst, Govinda, and on this long Samana path my thirst has not grown less” (Hesse 18). At this point, Siddhartha begins to doubt the path he has taken. After many years with the Samanas

    Read More

  • Siddhartha

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first teacher that Siddhartha had was the Samanas. Siddhartha followed their path for a few years, and learned much from them. He had accomplished the eightfold path and the four noble truths in a short time. Although he had learned much he came to a decision to leave the Samanas. Siddhartha was grateful for they’re teachings, but in the end he believed he could have learned everything that they had taught him on his own.

    Read More

  • Free Siddhartha Essays: Finding the Truth

    630 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Learning From Siddhartha

    1013 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Herman Hesse's Siddhartha

    1161 Words  | 3 Pages

    Siddhartha, after realizing that the Brahmins will not aid him in achieving his ultimate goal, joins the Samanas. This brief stay wit...

    Read More

  • Siddharth The Hero's Journey Of Sidddhartha

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    Siddhartha has the urge to become enlightened There was something telling him to endure on his journey to enlightenment and thus begins the Hero Journey This is the first step towards his journey After seeing the Samanas, he decides he wants to follow in their footsteps to learn more about himself and the world that he has been sheltered from his whole life When he tells his family about his decision of becoming and Samana they refuse to let him go, especially his father who has done most of

    Read More

  • The Role of Teachers in Herman Hesse's Siddhartha

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    The role of teachers in Hesse’s exceptional work of fiction is to aid in the achievement of the ultimate knowledge, while not taking the pupil directly there, instead giving him the skill set necessary to achieve what the student, in this case Siddhartha, feels is that ultimate knowledge.

    Read More

More about Siddhartha's Journey of Self-Actualization in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha

Open Document