Reading: Siddartha

In the textbook room at school, I noticed a class set of Siddartha by Hermann Hesse. Curious as to why a Buddhist text would be found in a middle school, I wanted to check it out. So I borrowed one! I read it while up at Harbin, I thought it would be appropriate.

The main message of the book according to Hesse, was that the whole world is one. That unity prevails, and we are all different manifestations of the same thing. Minus the chosen-one-ness, I'd say Judiasm has a similar premise("We are all made in G-d's image"). I'd assume other religions have similar premises as well. His other premise is that time doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how long something happens, as long as it eventually happens!

What I liked about this book is that the main character had it all, but was still not happy. His predecessors, had done all the work for him, all he had to do was go through the motions, but it wasn't enough for him! He left home, even though he would grow to be a revered priest in the faith and tried other lives on for size. He first becomes a thinker living with a tribe of others in the forest, without any possessions but who does need to beg for food everyday. After three years, he finds that the possessions he has are his ability to think, to fast and to wait(patience).

He then decides he needs to experience the pleasures, and leaves his life of poverty and enters a life of riches and women. For a while, his ability to think, fast and wait keep him separate from the "regular people" but soon he falls victim to many of the same pettiness as the rest of the people.

Finally, he up and leaves that life, and becomes a ferryman, living to the end of his days ferrying people across a river. The last 8 pages or so, he espouses his message to his former childhood friend. He finds peace and happiness by listening to the river.

Other themes of the book include:

• you can't have a teacher, you need to live life on your own!
• Theory will not help you attain happiness/peace
• your goal should not be overcome your self, but to know your self truly

I still think the book is inappropriate for 6th graders as there minds aren't experienced enough to understand all that he says. In truth, this was his premise in the book, that all the holy books in the world, if given to someone to young, cannot stop you from living your life!!