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A classic of 20th-century fiction, Hesse's most celebrated work reflects his lifelong studies of Oriental myth and religion.
Translator's
Preface
At
the time Hermann Hesse was composing his famous short novel
Siddhartha,
around 1920, he wrote the following words:
We
are seeing a religious wave rising in almost all of Europe, a wave of religious
need and despair, a searching and a profound malaise, and many are speaking of
. . . a new religion to come. Europe is beginning to sense . . . that the
overblown onesidedness of its intellectual culture (most clearly expressed in
scientific specialization) is in need of a correction, a revitalization coming
from the opposite pole. This widespread yearning is not for a new ethics or a
new way of thinking, but for a culture of the spiritual function that our
intellectual approach to life has not been able to provide. This is a general
yearning not so much for a Buddha or a Lao-Tze but for a yogic capability. We
have learned that humanity can cultivate its intellect to an astonishing level
of accomplishment without becoming master of its soul.
These
passages sound the call for a sort of "journey to the East," to which
Siddhartha
is the answer. The present-day reader, encountering them undated, might be
inclined to place them in a more recent time, in the 1960s and 1970s, when
perceptions similar to those described became the germ of a major
countercultural groundswell.
Siddhartha
spoke to the seekers of those decades; the novella was in great vogue then.
In
fact, pangs of spiritual loss and the desire to cure them by means of "a
journey to the East" have seized us recurrently since science and
technology—and especially their shocking large-scale manifestation in World
War I—seriously began shaking the West's perennial culture. Over the last
forty years, in the train of the spiritual shake-up of the sixties and
seventies, we have seen the rise of many sorts of "yogic" culture in
our society. In the end, it was the East that journeyed to the West. Indian,
Tibetan, and Japanese spiritual teachers in particular exerted themselves to
transplant their meditative traditions to this hemisphere. This movement had a
broad influence on Western societies and the images with which they inspire and
entertain themselves, but on the whole its impact has been shallow.
"Yogic" insights have petered out into the vague and diluted
phenomena of the New Age, and this has now largely run out of energy. Of late,
we see life and vitality pouring on a grand scale into a new endemic rapture,
the headlong intoxication with new communication technologies and the
prosperity they have engendered. More and more American high schools and
elementary schools now boast voluntary extracurricular clubs of avid
Internet-wise students of the stock market. Young people of both sexes in large
numbers are identifying with cell-phone-and-laptop-toting traders and
businesspeople who represent the ultimate cool in a coming world of electronic
supercommunication. I have seen fourteen-year-old boys going to business
meetings in suits.
This
new fertility dance with the microchip and the genome is wondrous and colorful
beyond words. It is making true a future of which the last century only
dreamed. Yet the chances of its expunging or rendering irrelevant the yearning
of which Hesse spoke are small; in fact as the materialistic romp reaches
extremity, it must surely provoke a further acute outbreak of spirituality. If
the yearning for spiritual awakening is an inalienable part of the human
spirit, how could it be otherwise?
Thus
Hesse's brilliant offering to the human spirit, the spiritual journey of
Siddhartha, the brahmin's son, cannot really go out of style. True, Hesse's
grasp of Buddhist thinking was imprecise. He did not escape touches of theism
and thoughts of sin, being the offspring, as he was, of two generations of
Christian missionaries. Doctrinally,
Siddhartha
is not sharp, but sweetly and naively eclectic. But this hardly matters, for in
Siddhartha,
Hesse captured the truth of the spiritual journey.
Hesse
began with a stereotypic, perhaps even corny paradigm. His style was archaic,
recalling scripture; he was dealing with a legendary scenario, beyond time,
larger than life. But as he proceeded to develop his formula, the story became
increasingly real, desperately real—too real for Hesse. His insights cost him
heavily. He suffered a major depression and had to stop writing
Siddhartha
for more than a year. His exploration had uncovered a process in which layer
after layer of conventional and conceptual reference points have to be stripped
away; through inspiration, but also profound disappointment and loss, the
seeker relentlessly approaches naked mind. First to come and go for Siddhartha
is orthodox religion. This is supplanted by life-denying asceticism, which in
turn proves inauthentic and has to be given up. The next patch that will not
hold is affirmation of self and enjoyment of sensuality and the material world;
next, rejection of that approach proves groundless too. At last, understanding
at all, any analysis or intellectual grasp, shows itself as ludicrous
one-upsmanship in the face of reality's flow; the brilliant seeker's last rag
has to be surrendered. The process culminates in the final heartbreaking loss
of the spiritual project altogether. Seeking is exhausted at its root—and
confusion with it. Hesse does not quite give us the "return to the market
place" found in the last of the ten Zen ox-herding pictures,
but
the utter excoriation of ego—all one's world of hopes and fears—is vivid
enough. As is the desolate fulfillment inseparable from the seeker's final
forlornness. There is total dignity and freedom, surety and cosmic correctness,
in not having to attend one's own funeral.
This
is where buddhas begin.
Boulder,
Colorado
March
2000
I had to read this book for a literature class in high school. Lately, I've been returning to some of my high school assignment books to see how they read now that I'm older and in a different mind-set. The first time I read this, I wouldn't say that I hated it, just rather indifferent to it. I just re-read it and......wow! What a great story about the search for wisdom and enlightenment. It makes the very valid point that while knowledge can be taught from one person to another, wisdom simply cannot. It is acquired through one's own experiences. No truer words were ever spoken and I think it is a point that not everyone recognizes.
A wonderful and relatively easy reader, Siddhartha contains messages that can be appreciated by anyone who questions the hardships and meaning of life.
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 15, 2008
Herman Hesses' novel depicts the journey of a boy who seeks knowledge and wisdom and quickly finds himself in times of love, devotion, and wisdom. Determined to find his path to enlightenment he witnesses and encounters the hardships which include the path of addiction and trials of his runaway son consumed by greed. Even through all his heartache he is lead by his guide, a mysterious ferryman, through his losses and recuperates by finally achieving his greatest wishes. Siddhartha shows us that the real goal in life is to be complete and always accept your hardships because in the end it is all worth it.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Aglaia
Posted April 18, 2010
This is an amazing little treat, that you don`t want to miss out on. I like Herman Hesse anyway and it was by complete accident that I found this book. It is short, but you get immersed.
A few things about the author: Hesse is a Nobel Prize laureate, born in Germany, but a Swiss writer.He wrote Siddharta in 1922. He had previously, back in the 1910s, visited India.The story focuses on Siddharta, the son of a Brahmin, who leaves his home (the story takes place in Nepal around the time of Gautama Buddha) in search of enlightenment and it recounts the experiences, the events that lead him to reach nirvana. The stories, the people, the events that he encounters all add up to him reaching a deeper understanding of the universe. In the beginning of the story, he actually meets Gautama (Gotama) Buddha, who by then reached the perfect state and listens to his teaching, but decides that he should learn to reach enlightment through his own experiences, not someone else`s teachings.
The style is quite simple, yet at times it reaches almost poetic heights. As I mentioned earlier, this is a very short novel, but it took a long time (and surely a long spiritual journey) for the author to write.
I highly recommend Siddharta, and other works of Herman Hesse as well.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 1, 2008
This book is short, but packed with so much power. Its prose is simple, but it's what's written between the lines that is so thought provoking. I would actually say that this book changed my life every time I am going through a rough time, I think back to Siddhartha and I'm calmed a bit. Pure wisdom.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is a classic for anyone interested in Eastern religions/ways of life, but don't expect a real epic adventure. The book is as slow moving as its characters. I was more excited to start reading it than I was actually reading it. However, it holds multiple life-long messages, all extracted from an author who has respectfully learned them first-hand. It's short & precise, and reminds us how cool monks are, even if it's not original (it's nearly identical to the acclaimed story of the Buddha). Read it, learn from it, move on!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 11, 2005
I read this recently during a painful break-up/separation from my wife. At the time I was convinced we were getting divorced. Reading this book made me realize that I was going to be fine whatever the outcome. Once I stopped pouting around and enjoyed life with or without my wife, she came back. I credit this book with saving my marriage.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 21, 2012
I Also Recommend:
This book-length tale may be the finest of its kind. It's a book about life, about finding out how to live it properly.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 17, 2012
If you are looking for your own spiritual journey... you will be inspired after reading this book. Simple and meaningful. Definitely one of my all time favorites!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 5, 2012
I picked up this Hesse classic on my Nook after a recommendation from a friend. I had never read Hesse and knew nothing of the book's history before reading although I had studied some basic Buddhism in college. In a sense the college work gave me a nice base from which to think a little deeper about some of the concepts Hesse presents through this wonderful story. But, I think one with no prior knowledge of Buddhist beliefs could still stand to gain much from this book. The book is a nice read, well written and just the right length I think for Hesse to present his story. Not too complex and yet not too simple. I highly recommend it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 2, 2012
Its more of a adult read than a high school read
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 5, 2011
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Anonymous
Posted October 13, 2011
One of my top 5 favorite books of all time.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.soccerkitten214
Posted September 24, 2011
"Siddhartha" was a great book. My favorite part about this book is how the author used symbolism. The author used symbolism to express greater thoughts. An example of this is the river that Siddhartha reflects in his own life. Siddhartha learns to understand through the rivers' "om". Om is a representation of meditation and when Siddhartha finds om in the river then he finds unity in his self. The river also represents the flowing of Siddhartha's life. The river is always moving and doesn't stop for anything, like life. Another example is the songbird. When Siddhartha travels to the sinful city of Samsara, he meets Kamala. Kamala has a rare song bird that she keeps caged up. After 20 years, Siddhartha has a dream that the song bird dies and sees it as his inner self dieing. He decides to leave the city. After he leaves, Kamala sets the bird free because she is heart broken. After leaving and being away for awhile, Siddhartha realizes that the "song bird" within his self is still alive. After seeing the affect that symbolism had on the book, I think the author completed his purpose well. The authors' purpose was to show how the world altered the mind of Siddhartha. The author expresses this by symbolism and conflict. Throughout the book Siddhartha is going through different kinds of conflict, internal and external. By going through different kinds of conflict, Siddhartha realizes the struggles within himself and the world. After realizing how difficult the world is, Siddhartha realizes that he must make himself happy to reach Nirvana. He must keep himself happy by moving on and never stopping or allowing someone to stop him in his path, like the river. He realizes that he must be free and not have anyone hold him back, like the songbird in the cage. This book was a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who is not just learning about the life of Siddhartha, but to anyone who is learning about life itself.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.leahstilphen
Posted August 8, 2011
A wonderful enlightening journey.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is on my Top 10 Best Books of All Time list. You will reexamine the way you view life. It's is crushing and uplifting in the same breath. It's a shorter book, but don't be tempted to read it all in one sitting. Savor every sentence, let it marinate in your psyche, you will wonder how you never thought like that before.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.sdpNJ
Posted July 25, 2011
You need to be high to understand it. Unfortunately, I do not do drugs.
0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.6194507
Posted July 18, 2011
This book was neither easy nor fun to read. It did not provoke any thoughts in me. Why? Maybe I am not a deep person. Maybe I have already seen in my forebearers Siddhartha's journey through life. Maybe his journey was flawed by his own hand. A million things to ponder. Nah, I am just not a deep person.
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Siddhartha is a book written about the journey of a young Brahmin to a wise old man.It is a book written for anyone interested in Middle Eastern religion and ways of life. Although this topic may sound extremely intriguing to some people, this was not the case for me. I only began reading this book because there was nothing else to read at the time.
At first, the plot was slow-moving and I didn't really see the point. This book was boring me so much that I had to stop reading it and find something more interesting.
Weeks later, with a new mindset, I gave the book another try. I paid attention to the life-long messages that the author was portraying in between the lines. These small details in the plot were what I found most thought-provoking.
As Siddhartha continued his journey to understand perfection, to understand Om, I began to understand the story. It was not about Siddhartha finding Nirvana, but about Siddhartha realizing the perfection of life and why the good and bad aspects of it are both important.
After finishing this book I realized that it had left a huge impression on me. It had influenced my ways of thinking about and seeing the world around me. I can actually say that this book, Siddhartha, changed my life. Herman Hesse's writing is what I would define as pure wisdom.
Shrkb8kid
Posted April 7, 2011
This book is beautifully written and translated, telling the story of a wonderful teacher with grace and almost poetic reverence.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ILoveMyNookColor
Posted March 22, 2011
i have read this book twice and i highly recommend it. the depth and meaning is great. it is a truly amazing book.
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![Siddhartha [Illustrated]](http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/119210000/119218784.GIF)
Overview
This classic novel of self-discovery has inspired generations of seekers. With parallels to the enlightenment of the Buddha, Hesse's Siddhartha is the story of a young Brahmn's quest for the ultimate reality. His quest takes him from the extremes of indulgent sensuality to the rigors of ascetism and self-denial. At last he learns that wisdom cannot be taught–it must come from one's own experience and inner struggle. Steeped in the tenets of both psychoanalysis and Eastern mysticism, Siddhartha presents a strikingly original view of man and culture, and the arduous process of self-discovery that leads to reconciliation, harmony and peace.A classic of 20th-century ...