In the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Hesse explores what it truly means to live and stay eternally enlightened. Siddhartha was born the son of Brahmin; he was privileged and intelligent and stood out with his dark indulgent features. Siddhartha was also loved, well respected, and followed by many of the Brahmins. Although he had so much support and love throughout his life, Siddhartha felt as if there was a grip tightened around his soul coated in sadness and helplessness. The over whelming feeling rooted deep inside of him inspired and motivated Siddhartha to venture beyond his own teachings; to find his own enlightenment (nirvana).
There are many different sides to life that could bring enlightenment to individuals. For Siddhartha achieving enlightenment was not simple; there were no limits, and no boundaries. When he believed he could not reach enlightenment on the path he was perusing; Siddhartha moved to the next and began a new journey. Even with the teachings from the Buddha himself, Siddhartha still was dissatisfied with his own understanding of enlightenment. Siddhartha moved with the wind holding on to what he could for knowledge. Siddhartha carried with him all of the knowledge he obtained from being with the Samanas, Gotama, and Kamaswami. Spending almost all his life on this journey to enlightenment; Siddhartha finds it in the one place his least expects. The river.
To find nirvana you have to be capable of reaching into yourself and finding what life means to you. How does it all connect? How can I be a part of this? The river was a huge eye opening experience for Siddhartha and the reader. The way of the river’s many sounds shows the audience the sound of all living things, and the flow of the river, as well as the fact that its water returns in a cycle, demonstrates the nature of time. Vasudeva points Siddhartha in the right direction, but the river alone is Siddhartha’s final path to enlightenment.
Siddhartha’s journey provides one with their own motivation to find the om in themselves. The novel also shows how time is of no importance to the journey to enlightenment. Enlightenment could take years, months, or days; but only if you know in your mind, body, and soul you have reached it . Open your mind and Open your heart to the world around you, there might be more then you can see.
Jack77 • Mar 3, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Cool article. The major misconception about enlightenment is that people think it has to be attained. Our true essence is enlightenment, we already are enlightened, however its just a matter of remembering that. Usually through cultural and social programming, mental barriers are created that inhibit lucidity. Eliminating these barriers and detaching from illusions is enlightenment. So rather than spending years meditating and accumulating illusory knowledge, the “path” to enlightenment is getting rid of any illusion that inhibits lucidity.