Siddhartha Discussion Questions

Introduction to Religion
Dr. John Ernst
Val K Heike
NICC
04.09.2010 15:30:28

Begin reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. As you are reading prepare a brief response to the
following discussion questions. The discussion and quiz on Siddhartha will be during Learning
Module 4. Your response to the questions will constitute the Weekly Discussion for LM 4.

A Few Definitions
(Taken from Exploring Religion by Roger Schmidt.)

Atman: a Hindu term for the human soul or the imperishable aspect of living things. In some
contexts atman refers to the world soul, the soul of all, Brahman.
Brahman: the essence of the universe, which is the same as the atman (the essence of the self).
1. When the story opens Siddhartha is a fine specimen of young manhood, yet he is
troubled. Identify his problem(s) and summarize how he responds to it. His problem
was he felt he had no direction and he wanted to feel and serve without the fine aments he was
burdened with that of a fine home, people who loved him, wealth. He chose to become a nomad
and to simply trust that everyone had well within them and that he would eat when his body
needed the nourishment. He felt that the life of a wandering shaman would cleanse his spirit and
soul. He thought as a wealthy young man sees dreams with clouded eyes he had to experience
the truth of how things actually were before he could in actuality see the truth of what he was
about to undertake. But then that is the curse of youth. We have all succumb to it. It is for us all
to experience it and not for those around us to burst out with the knowledge they haven’t got. No
one can tell us what our truth but us is and so he went in sure of that truth. He was like truant
child storming off after a disagreement with his father, telling him (dad) that he can make it on
his own. He was told to go and seek full filament from his dad and if he failed in finding it to
return. That part put me in mind of the prodigal son. Through out the book Siddhartha grows
spiritially.

2. Describe the relationship that Siddhartha had with his father; is Siddhartha a
rebellious son? Not rebellious as one would blindly suppose, he had ideas that were strong
and he was unending in these thoughts.

3. Identify Siddhartha’s goal as a Shramana and summarize how he attempted to achieve

his goal. Discuss why he left the Sharman’s. He gave himself openly to what lay before him
he took courage further then I think his father saw that his son could achieve. Siddhartha hadn’t
followed his father and wasn’t a follower of the Buddha his teacher, this young man followed his
own heart. Except for his clothes and his fine bed he really hadn’t given up much, not really.
Everyone even those who like me aspire to teach know that trying to teach a rock accomplishes
nothing and his young student was like the rock took up space learned very little. The Buddha
finally saw that the young man hadn’t sought him out to become enlightened he didn’t even tried
to be enlightened. Siddhartha’s left because he received no enlightenment form his time in his
presence.

4. Explain why Govinda pledged allegiance to Gotoma but Siddhartha did not. Siddhartha
didn’t want to be like a caged bird the entire world lay before him it was like a rose in bloom to
pick or a berry ripe and full to eat.

5. The fourth chapter is titled “Awakening”; explain why. . Siddhartha’s father had so much
hope for his son’s future he was like a sponge in the way he. Siddhartha could absorb new things
and knowledge. It hurt and angered Brahmin; his son seemed to be erroneous to the
wished of his father.

6. Explain what Siddhartha meant when he speculated that “meaning and essence were
not somewhere behind things, they were in them, in them all.” Siddhartha had experienced a
kind of awakening he had been as if a bird in a cage trapped by the world he had been born to,
His anger had gone and now he saw everything including family and the woman he loved in a
new virginal light nothing was colored in the thoughts of his youth. Everything smelled new
meaning even his senses that he had kept like silent for the enlightenment from his teacher of the
lessons he tried too hard to impart upon the young man.

7. Kamala imparts knowledge to Siddhartha. Siddhartha was taught about love and this it
isn’t like a fruit in a tree or something that is bought it is special and freely bestowed a gift from
the heart. She also teaches him how to woo. Identify what she represents and Kamala she
represents unholy vixen like the snake in the bible fairy tales she is to tempt and delight and uses
the young man as and he most willingly becomes her student.
Summarize what Siddhartha learns from her. Love hasn’t thing to do with your class but
that you are loved. Can you think of other “Kamala” Characters outside of this novel? Our
families whether from birth and blood to our community.

8. Summarize Siddhartha’s experience with Kamaswami; what was Siddhartha’s attitude

toward business; toward gambling? Siddhartha has a tool that the gambler can willing utilizes
to his advantage. That of his education of reading and writing a skill or talent the gambler
doesn’t have.

9. What does the term “child people” suggest? Peasants, because they were without
education and illiterate. Hindu or India is a class culture. Did Siddhartha “love” or was that
something that only “child people” do? No the young man loved and due to his time within
or immersed within this culture that of the “child people”, he knew how to and to what advantage
he could use what he learned having resided within their presence for three years. Describe how
he changes by the time he is an old man. I think he hardens to the life he returns to while in
his inner most heart he still recall the wandering the forest in search of himself finding and
returning to those that truly love him unconditionally.

10. Discuss why, after years of material success and sensual pleasure, Siddhartha says his
soul was filled with malaise and hidden fear (a condition others have called “soul-
sickness”). Of all the things taken from this story is as my grand ma Lottie Bittinger used to say
well she use to say two things that stand out “life is what we make of it and Put into life what
you expect to get out of it. Khama is like that. I think he regretted the time he could have shared
and helped with his family instead of only thinking of selfish avenues for his own endeavors.

11. Chapter seven is titled “Samsara”; discuss why. Siddhartha was the culture he did so
much to forget. He had such a rebellious lust to attempt and accomplishes all the vices that lay
before him.

12. Summarize how “Om” was Siddhartha’s salvation. Describe how he changed (in
chapter eight).
Siddhartha's salvation comes from immediate destruction, Om. This calms his entire body and he
lives through the experience that might have killed him. He returns to work for the ferryman. He
learns many things from Vasudeva, the ferryman. He learns of nature and how to find true
enlightenment and peace. He studies and works and learns many things with Vasudeva. Finally
Vasudeva guides Siddhartha to the end of samara. He has reached Nirvana, and is total peace.
At that moment Siddhartha decided he’d give up his will and put his mind to being who it was he
was sure he was to be in order to full fill his destiny. All at once it was like he was finally at
peace. His salvation was under way and had become one, in harmony with all that surrounded
him. Now he belonged to all things."
13. In chapter eight, “By The River,” Siddhartha thinks, “Where can my way lead now?
It is a foolish way, one has to drag oneself along it; maybe it is circular (the italics are
mine). But let it be as it pleases, I will follow it.” Explain what he means. Discuss
how this philosophy differs from that of the West in the 21st century.
By the river Siddhartha sees that ending his life would benefit no one. It is the OM in his chest
that stops him from simply walking into the water and ending his life. He decided to medicate in
that he soon finds peace. I think he means that everything follows a distinct system. I have many
thoughts about a circle. Cirmetric. From birth to death life runs in a circle. We are all connected

14. Explain what the river is and what it represents. The river represents the twist and turns
that make up all the days of our life. Is it odd or wrong that I feel the ferry is like Siddhartha’s
one way ticket to his next realm of existence?

15. Describe Siddhartha’s son and his relationship with his father. What did the son?
Teach his father? He was like his son erroneous to the way of the world. He wanted to
strike off upon his own, fought traditions way for him. He tells his son that some knowledge
needs to be taught other needs to be assimilated to be decimated.

16. Identify, according to Siddhartha, what wisdom is; do you agree; explain. Wisdom is to
Siddhartha explains his belief that although knowledge can be communicated, wisdom cannot. I
agree because if it weren’t true then for the past two years I have simply wasted my life and
will be attempting to waster the rest of my life in that pursuit to teach and counsel.

17. Chapter eleven “Om”, describes the revelation of Siddhartha’s redemptive truth;
Summarize the great truth that Siddhartha grasps at the end of his life. Do you agree?
 with him that this is a redemptive truth? Yes, so is it right that the ferryman exchanges
position with Siddhartha and took off to see what he had missed of life upon the ferry. I think
he finally sees all truth and when his friend kisses him on the forehead all the faces Siddhartha
ever saw are reviled in his face. He argues that in every truth, the opposite is also true, that
time is illusory, that suffering is necessary to learning, and that there is no division between the
world and perfection.

18. Discuss why, in the opinion of Siddhartha, Govinda failed to find what he was
seeking. Do you think Siddhartha’s explanation is correct? · Yes, I think he is correct.
Govinda questions Siddhartha about whether he follows a doctrine. Siddhartha explains that
although he has had many teachers, he follows no doctrine. Siddhartha explains his belief that
although knowledge can be communicated, wisdom cannot.

19. In what sense is Siddhartha a religious novel? Is this novel worth reading? Explain.
? At first I had wondered the point of the reading of the test then I realized since this is indeed
called :Intro Religion ergo why would the reading’s for the class include a inclusive literature
bundle.