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Three takeaways from Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
The very oldest works age the least.
A novel by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha, is a story of a young man on a spiritual journey to find enlightenment. Throughout the novel, the main character, Siddhartha, encounters teachers and experiences in different forms that shape his understanding of the world around him. This story parallels that of the Lord Buddha. Siddhartha, the character in the book, wishes to attain the Buddha’s teachings. He runs away from the comfort of his father’s home to become the Buddha’s disciple with the goal of possibly understanding the meaning of life.
The book touches upon many of Buddha’s teachings, by implicitly conveying the essence of the teachings. As I read the journey that the character went through in the book, I pondered upon a few questions. Even though it’s a work of fiction, this story parallels the core teachings of the Buddha and therefore touches upon aspects of sacrifice, self-control, and mindfulness.
I have put forward three questions that I believe the novel tries to address. These…
