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Scott Mullervy

English 1

Mr. McMann

January 10, 00

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Path to Enlightenment

Everyone everywhere lives his or her life by certain codes or rules, whether it be morals, values, or in most cases religion. Religion can define a person in many significant ways. In most cases, one's religion shapes the path that he or she will ultimately choose in life. For instance, in Hermann Hesse's most renowned novel Siddhartha, a young Brahmin is torn between which path to take on a fascinating journey that will ultimately change his life forever. When the novel begins, Siddhartha, the protagonist and hero, is a rich and handsome young Brahmin, he then transforms in to a meager looking ascetic, then into a businessman, and finally into a ferryman. Even though Siddhartha takes upon himself all these different faces, his path to enlightenment follows three distinct stages, the mind, the body, and the soul.

As a young Brahmin, Siddhartha "delighted and made everyone happy" and in turn "was loved by everybody," while he spent most of his days with his family and meditating.(5) However, although he brings bliss to all, "Siddhartha was not happy with himself." One of the reasons that he is so discontent is because he fears that he can learn nothing more by just staying at home. This is why I believe Siddhartha is so unique in that his life is completely taken care of because he can inherit all of his family's riches, but chooses rather to leave home in order to gain a greater knowledge of the world. The beginning stage for Siddhartha is through the mind where he first becomes a Samana, or ascetic from which he "learns many ways of losing the Self, although [their] paths took him away from Self."(15) Next he listens to Gotama, "the Illustrious One and the Buddha."(1) Although Siddhartha's goal is to become like Gotama, he cannot merely accompany Gotama on his travels; Siddhartha must make every effort to resemble him by attaining enlightenment which cannot be taught or learned but rather achieved. Siddhartha's inner strength and determination to achieve enlightenment make him such a great hero.

The next stage that Siddhartha goes through is the body, one that he has never experienced in his life before. Siddhartha's stage of the mind is cast aside due to a beautiful prostitute named Kamala. Not only does Siddhartha experience the art of love due to Kamala, but also through Kamala he meets Kamaswami, a rich merchant, who teaches him the art of trading money and business. At first Siddhartha has maternal dreams about a "woman's full breast and the intoxicating liquid that comes out."(48) These dreams that he has lead him to a "longing and stir of sex in him, but his inward voice says NO!"(50) After visiting with Kamala regularly he loses sight of his previous ways as an ascetic, one who is supposedly not capable of loving anyone. After seeing how "beautiful Kamala is his heart rejoices" and after just one kiss he is left breathless and is "astonished by how much she has taught him in just one kiss," his first kiss.(57) Hesse describes this event very accurately and, I think, for the sole purpose of adding compassion and love into the novel, which only heightens why Siddhartha is so great. Ultimately, Siddhartha becomes Kamala's best lover she has ever had, and when he leaves her, she becomes aware that she is pregnant with his child.

The last step on Siddhartha's path to enlightenment is through his soul. First Siddhartha becomes much like an apprentice to Vasudeva, the ferryman, and decides to live with him in his hut on the beautiful river which he intends to "stay by and learn from."(101) Now that Siddhartha has completed the stage of the mind and body, he transcends to live his life in accord with his soul, so he is able to completely experience the oneness of life. On the way to see the dying Gotama Buddha, Kamala is bitten by a poisonous snake and is then taken to Vasudeva's and Siddhartha's ferry. For the first time Siddhartha learns that he has a son; however, he witnesses the death of Kamala, "a face that he recognized immediately."(11) While on her deathbed she asks, "Have you attained it? Have you found peace?" Then Siddhartha says nothing, but only smiles and holds her hands. She replies, "yes, I see it."(11) In the eyes of Siddhartha, Kamala sees the face of a Buddha that has found enlightenment. Finally, in a thrilling ending scene Govinda comes to Siddhartha on the ferry in order to seek some words of wisdom. However, Siddhartha tells him that "knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom," for "in every truth the opposite is equally true" and that "Time is not real."(14) To make Govinda's suffering less Siddhartha asks him to kiss his forehead and gives him a "thousand-fold smile," revealing that he is the "Perfect One," a Buddha.(151)

Siddhartha is a character unlike many in literature in that he takes his own initiative in order to better himself. However, was it the right choice for him to leave home? While leaving one's family can be very hard at times, his strength is what makes him achieve the goal for which he left. The author, Hesse, puts an original spin on the novel by creating a different path for Siddhartha to take. Instead of following the Buddha's Eightfold Path, Siddhartha ultimately attains nirvana by living the life of the Buddha for himself, instead of going through all the suffering which the Eightfold Path so strongly enforces. Siddhartha is a novel that should not be overlooked by anyone because it portrays a hero of such greatness and dedication to a religion that is so peaceful. Throughout the reading one learns the value of religion and peace, while enjoying the enlightenment of many characters.

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