Siddhartha learned a great deal from Samanas; he learned many ways of losing the Self and traveled through the path of self-denial. Govinda, Siddhartha's shadow, also traveled along the same path and made the same endeavors. One day Siddhartha asked Govinda, "Do you think we are any further? Have we reached our goal?" Govinda replied, "We have learned and we are still learning. You have learned each exercise quickly. Someday you will be a holy man, Siddhartha." Siddhartha said, "It does not appear so to me. What I have so far learned from the Samanas, I could have learned more quickly and easily in every inn in a prostitute's quarter, amongst the carriers and dice players." He further added, "I only find a short respite in my exercises and meditation, and am as remote from wisdom, from salvation, as a child in womb." Siddhartha accepted that his thirst for knowledge had not been quenched.
Govinda and Siddhartha decided to listen the Buddha preach in a nearby village. Buddha's talk about salvation impressed Govinda and he decided to join him. Siddhartha went to see him off where he got an opportunity to have an interaction with Buddha. Buddha said, "The goal of teachings is salvation from suffering." Siddhartha asked Buddha, "You have done so by your own seeking, in your own way, though thought, through meditation, though knowledge, through enlightenment. You have learnt nothing through teachings, and so I think that nobody finds salvation through teachings. To nobody you can communicate in words and teachings what happened to you in the hour of enlightenment. The teachings of enlightened Buddha embrace much, they teach much - how to live righteously, how to avoid evil. But there is one thing that this clear worthy instruction does not contain; it does not contain the secret of what the Illustrious One experienced - he alone among hundreds of thousands. That is what I thought and realized when I heard your teachings. That is why I am going on my way - not to seek another and better doctrine, for I know there is none, but to leave all doctrines and all teachers and to reach my goal alone - or die."
As he slowly went on his way, his head was full of this thought. He reflected deeply, until his feeling completely overwhelmed him and he reached a point where he recognized where he recognized causes, it seemed to him, is to think, and through thought alone feelings become knowledge and are not lost, but become real and begin to mature.
He left Samanas and came to town. As the years passed by he had become rich. People started liking him; they came to him if they wanted money or advice. He had no close friends except Kamala who is a courtesan.. Property, possessions, pleasure and riches had finally trapped him. He started gambling for money. He started becoming impatient with the losses. He was no longer kindhearted to beggars; he no longer had the desire to give gifts to poor. He noticed that the bright and clear inward voice, that had once awakened in him and had always guided him in his finest hours, had become silent. Finally he said good bye to all these things. Kamala found that he was with the child as a result of her last meeting with Siddhartha.
Siddhartha left the town. He was seating beside a river where he met Govinda once again. Then Siddhartha did introspection and decided to stay beside river. He started living with Vasudeva, who is a ferryman. He met with Kamala who died in his arms leaving behind his son along with him. Siddhartha loved his son. He wanted to pass on all his learning to him. However, son hated Siddhartha and wanted to indulge in Samsara.
Vasudeva said Siddhartha, "Who protected Siddhartha, the Samana, from Samsara, from sin, greed and folly? Could his father's piety, his teacher's exhortations, his own knowledge, his own seeking, protect him? Which father, which teacher, could prevent him from living his own life, from soiling himself with life, from loading himself with sin, from swallowing the bitter drink himself, from finding his own path? Do you think that anybody is spared this path? Perhaps your little son, because you would like to see him spared sorrow and pain and disillusionment? But if were to die ten times for him, you would not alter his destiny in the slightest." Finally son alone went to town leaving behind Siddhartha in sorrow. Siddhartha realized that his father had also suffered the same pain that he was now suffering for his son. He also acknowledged the repetition of events, the fateful circle of life.
The story ends with a lot of emphasis on being a good listener. In this book Vasudeva is projected as a good listener. Siddhartha said Govinda, "Vasudeva is a simple man; he was not a thinker, but he realized the essentials as well as Buddha. He was holy man, a saint." He further added, "Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom."
The book talks about the spiritual journey of a boy who questions himself about the right path one should follow in life. The voyage from asceticism to materialistic world and then to spiritualism had been captured very well with the meaningful conversation between Siddhartha and Govinda / Buddha / Vasudeva / Kamala. It has lot of touchy scenes. And hence it is worth reading this book.
Date :01-Sept-2009
Place: Mumbai
