Siddhartha

Siddhartha was a young boy living in the wealthy part of India with his parents.

His father, a rich and powerful priest taught him how to read people. At an early stage in his life Siiddhartha could understand people and could hold conversations with the best of even the elders. He was a very impressionable young fellow, and also was very handsome. Siddhartha was supposed to take after is father and be a Brahmin, He too was to become rich and powerful.

By the time Siddhartha was a teenage boy he had already made up his mind that he had learned everything he could learn from elders and his teacher. He needed to find other ways that would help him find what he is looking for.

Siddhartha hear the preaching of many priest. He developed this thirst for more knowledge, he seem to be a “vessel that was not full” PG 3

Siddhartha discovered that with all the teachings he learned from others just did not quench his thirst for knowledge. He was not happy and needed to go out into the world to find out who he really is. Siddhartha told his father he wanted to go wandering, seeking knowledge, and he wanted to take no possessions with him. He wanted to become a Samana, (a nomad). His father disagreed with him, and Siddhartha threw a tantrum. He protested his father’s disagreement by standing by a window all night long. His father eventually gives into Siddhartha’s wishes and agreed to let him go. His father says to him “if you find salvation in the forest, you should come back and teach me”. Pg 7

So Siddhartha set out on his quest for knowledge, his friend Govinda accompanied him.

This remains me of when I was young, the age when I thought I knew everything. I got my first apartment, which made me feel like an adult woman, and I felt as if I knew it all. My mother was not happy about this and she voiced her disapproval. Like Siddhartha, I also threw a tantrum and was very rebellious. I locked myself in the bathroom hoping this would change my mothers’ mind, it did not, and she still disagreed. However, after sometime she finally gives in and approves of me moving into my own place. This was know as cutting the apron string.

Siddhartha was still young and was soon on his way to discover the world. He was in search of knowledge, he wanted to know “What is Self”?

“Siddhartha’s goal is to become empty, empty of wishes, empty of joy and sorrow”. Pg 7. Siddhartha was running from himself. Siddhartha and Govinda could live life like this for years. Siddhartha and Govinda became Samanas. The Great Buddha was the man to see. The Great Buddha tried to introduce a belief system in Siddhartha. They meet and all the efforts from the Buddha were in vain. Siddhartha is still in need of something more. The Buddha just did not provide enough knowledge for Siddhartha, but The Buddha did succeed with Govinda.

Siddhartha feels the need to move on. Govinda tries to talk Siddhartha into staying but he too could not convince Siddhartha. He learned all he could learn from the Buddha and was not satisfied, so he left his friend behind.

Siddhartha goes down a dusty road in his life. He came upon a river where he met a ferryman named Vasuedeva. Vasuedeva tells Siddhartha about all the secrets of the river. Siddhartha is still to naпve to see the prospective so he keeps moving on down the road. He eventually reaches a town where he finds a beautiful woman, her named is Kamala. Siddhartha gave up everything he had to be with Kamala, and learn her ways of love. Kamala lets him know that he will need money, nice clothes and shoes in order for him to learn what she has to teach. She introduces him to a man named Kamaswami. Kamasami is a rich merchant who teaches Siddhartha many things, especially how to do business. He learned that people are more concerned with time and money. Even through Siddhartha learned the rules; he continued to do things his own way.

Siddhartha brought fine clothes and shoes, and he gave many