ASSIGNMENT 3: SIDDHARTHA(1922) Hermann Hesse

SIDDHARTHA'S (1922); Hermann Hesse's novel

"But let me say this one more thing: I have not doubted in you for a single moment. I have not doubted for a single moment that you are Buddha, that you have reached the goal, the highest goal towards which so many thousands of Brahmans and sons of Brahmans are on their way. You have found salvation from death. It has come to you in the course of your own search, on your own path, through thoughts, through meditation, through realizations, through enlightenment. It has not come to you by means of teachings! And—thus is my thought, oh exalted one,—nobody will obtain salvation by means of teachings! You will not be able to convey and say to anybody, oh venerable one, in words and through teachings what has happened to you in the hour of enlightenment! The teachings of the enlightened Buddha contain much, it teaches many to live righteously, to avoid evil. But there is one thing which these so clear, these so venerable teachings do not contain: they do not contain the mystery of what the exalted one has experienced for himself, he alone among hundreds of thousands. This is what I have thought and realized, when I have heard the teachings. This is why I am continuing my travels—not to seek other, better teachings, for I know there are none, but to depart from all teachings and all teachers and to reach my goal by myself or to die. But often, I'll think of this day, oh exalted one, and of this hour, when my eyes beheld a holy man".

MY INTERPRETATION OF THE PASSAGE

From Hermann Hesse’s reading, Siddhartha was making his point clear about the reality of the Buddha when he encountered him in his search to be enlightened. I think “enlightenment” as I understand from the reading is to get that level where you are considered pious, godly, holy, spiritual-uplifted, etc. That is the only way to get salvation. Because depending only on the scriptures and teachings wouldn’t get you there. Anyone who is willing to get Salvation should start with seeking, meditation, deep thinking, and so forth.

   He further stressed that, he never doubted the Buddha, and he re-assured himself that, the ultimate goal of every single being was to get to the point where Buddha had reached. It was a point of reaching an ultimate goal or achievement. And as he put it in his own word, “ The highest goal towards which so many thousands of Brahmans and sons of Brahmans are on their way.”  He also tried to explain that no one actually get that high unless he has made his own effort to look far and to search far. He believed anybody could be able to get there when they search on their own. To him, you should ignore the existing teachings, or the teachers of faith for answers about how to be enlightened. It is important to engage in self-thoughts, meditation, take a journey on your own to find the answers.

    According to my understanding of what he was saying, Buddha teaches many people to live righteous and avoid all evil. But the highest goal any man or being could reach was to keep on searching. That was the essence of his journey to find answers, to find the light and be uplifted.

    

WHY I CHOOSE THE PASSAGE 

I chose the passage because it was interesting to note what Siddhartha’s thought about one’s reaching Salvation. I tried to compare that analogy to both Christianity and Islam. It is like saying that, the scriptures; both the Koran and the Bible are not enough to get you to close to God, and that your going to Sunday church or going to mosque for prayers and to listen to preachers are still not enough unless they are followed by a thorough thoughts about life and death, meditations, righteousness and avoiding all sort of evil. That I found interesting in Siddhartha’s expressions about the Buddha or the Buddhism and how they get their Enlightenment or Salvation. That was why I chose this passage.