PHIL105 Siddhartha

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Brian Marsh

Professor Seech

Philosophy 105

31 January 2011

Reading Questions for Siddhartha

Question 1

Siddhartha was loved by and a source of joy for everyone, although he did not love himself and

was not a source of joy for himself (page 3). Siddhartha had felt that he had learned as much wisdom as

his father and other Brahmans could provide and he also decided that his vessel was not full and

needed to become full. His vessel refers to his spiritual learnings from the Brahmans in his town. His

soul was not calm and his heart not satisfied. Siddhartha had a legitimate reason in seeking further

enlightenment. Govindas reasoning in seeking more wisdom is that he loved Siddhartha. Govinda would

follow Siddhartha everywhere he went.

The difference between Govinda and Siddhartha as religious seekers has everything to do with

how Govinda views Siddhartha. The only reason Govinda joined the Samanas is because he wanted to

follow Siddhartha. Govinda loved Siddhartha and wanted to seek new enlightenment solely because

Siddhartha was going to. Siddhartha has actually reason in seeking more enlightenment, his heart, sole,

and mind are not at rest with just what he learned from his father and other Brahmans at his town.



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Question 2

Siddharthas first experience on one side of the river is one of nothingness. Siddhartha does only

what is necessary to survive. He is doing the bare minimum to live on the earth. Siddhartha becomes

extremely starved and understands how to live on what is only necessary on the earth. Siddhartha does

not indulge on any materialistic urges of the human body. He also learns how to overcome pain, hunger,

thirst and tiredness (page 10). On the other side of the river, after Siddhartha crosses the river, he

experiences nothing but riches and materialistic things. Siddhartha, who once before was trying to

become nothing and lose his self, is now a living a complete opposite of the way of life on the other

side of the river. His senses that were killed off had awoken, he tasted riches, lust, power, and he stilled

remained a Samana at heart in the beginning (page 43). The main difference between the two sides of

the river is that one side represents the nothingness of life and how to lose ones self from the

materialistic world; on the other side it represents nothing but the materialistic world and the shows the

sole and body what it is to love. The two sides are complete opposites from one another in Siddharthas

life.

Question 3

The river in Siddhartha represents life itself, time, and the path to enlightenment. As a

representation of life, it provides knowledge without words, and Siddharthas reward for studying it is

an understanding of life in a spiritual since. The rivers sounds suggest the sounds of all living things, and

the flow of the river, as well as the fact that its water perpetually returns, suggests the nature of time.

The ferryman was never Siddharthas final teacher, but it was the river that finally taught Siddhartha the

wisdom he was seeking his entirely life (page 60, 62). As, Siddhartha sat and watched the river flow,

listened to the flow, he began to understand or become enlightened about his life and obtained the

wisdom he sought; all forms of life are interconnected in a cycle without beginning or end. He came to



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realize that birth and death are all part of a timeless unity. Life and death, joy and sorrow, good and evil

are all parts of the whole and are necessary to understand the meaning of life. The river was the final

teacher that gave Siddhartha his wisdom that he had been seeking all his life.

Question 4

The first change Siddhartha experiences is the joining of the Samanas. He learns to become

nothing and lose one self from the world and all its material pleasures. He learns to overcome pain,

hunger, and thirst. The second change is when Siddhartha decides to leave the Samanas in sought of

love with Kamala. Before he can have Kamalas knowledge of love he must become a powerful and rich

man. In doing so, Siddhartha experiences the complete opposite of the Samana ways. Siddhartha

experiences the wonderful tastes lust and power. The final change that Siddhartha has is at the river. He

obtains his wisdom from watching the river. Siddhartha was able to reach his nirvana by experiencing

both sides of the river, then reaching the river and learning from the river what his life had meant.

Siddhartha had finally understood life and reached his wisdom (page77).

Question 5

At the very end of the story as Vasudeva leaves to retire in the forest for the remainder of his

life, Siddhartha has become enlightened. The difference that I see between them seems be that

Siddhartha had gained more knowledge than Vasudeva just because of Siddharthas path that caused

him to change his views on the world. I do see many similarities between the two because Siddhartha

becomes a ferryman and then guides Govinda to the path of enlightenment. Siddhartha and Vasudeva

both are ferryman. The difference is that of which Vasudeva decided to pass on the toll of being the

ferryman of the river after he retired in the forest.

Hesse, Herman. Siddhartha.Trans. Hilda Rosner. New York: New Directions Publishing. 1951

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PHIL105 Siddhartha