Siddhartha: A Novel by Hermann Hesse (Epub)

Description

Though set in a place and time far removed from the Germany of 1922, the year of the book’s debut, the novel is infused with the sensibilities of Hermann Hesse’s time, synthesizing disparate philosophies–Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism–into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man’s search for meaning.

It is the story of the quest of Siddhartha, a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege and comfort to seek spiritual fulfillment and wisdom. On his journey, Siddhartha encounters wandering ascetics, Buddhist monks, and successful merchants, as well as a courtesan named Kamala and a simple ferryman who has attained enlightenment. Traveling among these people and experiencing life’s vital passages–love, work, friendship, and fatherhood–Siddhartha discovers that true knowledge is guided from within.

User’s Reviews

From the Publisher In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life — the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom. From the Inside Flap In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life — the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally, wisdom.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ I really really really enjoyed this read. I have the version which was translated by Hilda Rosner.The best thing about this book was that it helped me understand some things about my own journey. Some of the decisions of Siddhartha resonated with me as I have had similar inner thoughts about certain aspects of seeking knowledge and wisdom. I specifically enjoy how he reacted to the Buddah, and while I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it, his reasons for moving forward – I find – to be very valid. We are our own best teachers, but it does us no good if we can’t realize it and then figure out how to utilize it.There are so many insightful words and ideas in this book. Some new, some I already knew. The story is gripping and I read the book in 2 long sessions. This is an absolute must read for the knowledge seeker who is already versed in a variety of general writings. This is also a book that could be read every year or two as you progress on your own personal path of inner growth – you’ll take more away from it each time.One of the most beautiful and telling things about this book was that as Siddhartha progressed through his life, and with all his wisdom, he still learned from others at every chance he could. This is part of becoming a real master of yourself – never assuming you know it all or that others have no knowledge to offer you. I really felt great after reading (and learning from) this exceptional story. It’s more than a story, however. It’s a tool – another piece of the puzzle in discovering who you really are.

⭐ Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha is an absolutely amazing and engrossing tale of one man’s journey to find that all-elusive idea of enlightenment. The book’s title may suggest that it is simply a story that would have value only for people of the Buddhist persuasion, but this simply is not true. The work is well written and thought out, and it does a terrific job of showing us as human beings that often times what we are looking for is with us all along.Hesse’s book follows a young man named Siddhartha on his journey to find the true meaning of life and peace. The young man leaves his family of Brahman priests believing that they have spiritually achieved all that they ever will, and embarks with his friend Govinda down the path of a contemplative and restrictive existence. The young man soon realizes that these religious men (Samanas) also are lacking, to Siddhartha, what the path to true enlightenment really is. He continues on his journey coming by entering the company of the real Buddha—Gatama, but soon comes into contradictions with the Buddha’s teaching of removing oneself from the world. This leaves the man frustrated and lost, and eschews him down another path that is quite opposite of the one he originally intended to take.Siddhartha has now become rather restless with his pursuit of happiness, so he soon discards it for one of sexuality, greed and total reliance on the flesh. He falls in love with Kamala—a beautiful courtesan woman—and embraces the life of a merchant that furthers his greed and lustful desires. Siddhartha and Kamala conceive a son soon after their affair, but after a dream leaves Siddhartha puzzled, he becomes bored and sickened by his lust and greed, and decides to move on to find his enlightened path. With total despair encompassing his heart and soul, Siddhartha comes to a river where he soon hears a unique sound that will change his life forever. This sound signals the true beginning of his new and fulfilled life–the beginning of earthly suffering, human rejection and inner peace, and, finally, ultimate wisdom and enlightenment.The book is a harrowing tale of man’s lust for greed, power, sex and material gain; however, its ultimate purpose is to show that often times what we are looking for is in the simplest places imaginable. Hesse’s work craftily explains (through Buddhist and Hindu philosophies) that life is an all-encompassing journey that will eventually show all mankind what it is looking for. We suffer and struggle mightily through banal everyday tasks, but perhaps this daily grind of being in a symbiotic relationship with other life is what inner peace really is.

⭐ I didn’t think I would give low rating for this book. I was super excited to read this book, I have heard a lot about Hermann Hesse and I guess I had too much expectation.Being a woman searching for answers, I don’t find this book relatable. I do generally get connected to male protogonist, however few choices protogonist makes in this book seems sexist. For the book which is about consciousness exploration, I wouldn’t expect it to put down half of world population. But it does! It could be because it is written few decades before where there weren’t much awareness to treat women like human. I just can’t get over the fact that this protogonist will go in greater length to convince his dad but he would just inform his mom like she could never have any opinion or feelings. After few years, having lot of learning under his belt, he will still do similar thing to a women who loves him like she never existed or mattered. But later, he expects us to understand how losing son affects him and even afer that he would reflect only on loss experienced by his dad — not mom or women he left! There is a profound ending and it is written beautifully, but definitely not so worth for me for the time it took me to finish this book.

⭐ I’d say this book was a serious diamond in the rough. Readers look to “get something” out of a book, generally. After reading Siddhartha, I came away feeling a part of a similar process as the protagonist, Siddhartha: life and reading is about significance; you must surrender your own aims to understand we’re all part of a bigger system “river” or cycle that cares little of our petty problems. Basically surrendering ego is of utmost importance to understand the wisdom in front of you.Thus one must NOT have an aim to experience “Om” is to be free, receptive, and have no goal. Simply obsorbing life and a book entails opening ones life, mind, and emotions for enlightenment or self wisdom.The book is an easy read much can be gained–especially if the reader interprets the text from a western perspective.

⭐ I’ve read this story many times over my lifetime. Each time, I learn something new. Each time, I have a different take away. This particular translation is the one that I find the most spellbinding. And the one I that I share with others the most. I encourage you to take the step into this amazing story of introspection and spiritual growth.

⭐ This is my favorite translation by far of this amazing classic. I read this book again every couple of years since I first read it sometime back in the ‘70s. I have studied most of the eastern religions in some detail, and this book captures an essential understanding of how the journey is a personal unfolding process and something that requires an honest exploration that is your own, and not just a conforming to a general map of some belief or system.

⭐ Autobiographical in nature, Siddhartha takes you on his journey towards enlightenment. Inherent to his quest is a belief that a higher order of knowledge and mindfulness does exist and can be achieved. He leaves the comfort and security of home to pursue his goal on his own path. He embraces a life of abstinence but then leans into the acquisition of possessions in order to secure love and sensual pleasure. His only skills were thinking, waiting and fasting. These, combined with the ability to read and write, enabled him to play the games of the “child like” people who value these things and acquire the assets of wealth. However the trappings of wealth robbed him of his primary values and ultimately placed him on the edge of extinction. He does survive but does he ever find Nirvana?

⭐ I bought this book for my son, who is 19 and a thinking person of whose intellect I think highly. Spirituality is not something we talk about often, if at all. I read this book when I was about his age, more or less, and I remember it was an important book for me in my process of arriving at a set of spiritual beliefs. I’m hoping that reading it will make a similar impression on my son. This is one of several books written more than a century ago but not several hundred years ago that, I believe, still sheds light on our world.

⭐ Bravo Hermann Hesse. Like a meditation, the book cannot be described. It must be read and experienced. The writer’s poetic prose is in keeping with the subject matter. As a novice Buddhist, I get it. It is the wheel of life. It is a story and yet it is. It is. Read. Be transformed. Or not. Its all love.

⭐ A beautiful, haunting novel of spiritual growth and development. Hesse was a talented writer who explored some of the pulsing questions of life. His book on his experience in school, Beneath the Wheel, is one of my favorites. Siddhartha is probably the work to start with when reading Hesse (it’s one of his most well-known), if not Demian or Steppenwolf before working up to The Glassbead Game.What makes this story so engaging (without sharing too much) is the way the ending reflects the beginning. This narrative arch marks this book as a masterwork and calls the reader to question long after reading.

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