Abstract:
We live in a world where everybody is trying to be like somebody by watching video and reading books and then apply their experience upon them; certainly we lose our time and energy to follow others. Then gradually we realise that wisdom and enlightenment can’t be taught by anybody, following someone has no perennial effect on human being. We forget this simple truth and we make efforts to find it (wisdom) from exterior things without peep into within. Siddhartha novel by Hermann Hesse, a prolific German writer, revolves around self illumination of a young Brahman boy Siddhartha along with his friend Govinda. Siddhartha the title character is in search of meaning and truth in the world of sorrows and sufferings. Hesse portrays the Hindu and Buddhist traditions and shows how Siddhartha explores the dichotomy between religion and true longing of the soul. As he becomes older he realises that there is not only a single path to achieve enlightenment or live a life. He says there is no man who can bring light in their life; it can only be attained by experience which comes from within. Hesse tries to unfurl the relation of teacher and disciple and the way in which teaching that reflects the experience of a teacher that can instil in the experience of follower. Siddhartha is a novel of various encounters of the protagonist for finding enlightenment but he always feels lacking of something which blocks his way towards illumination. He was born in a traditional Brahmin Hindu family which renders him intellect but not happiness, followed by asceticism of the Samanas that makes him stoic, even nor do sensuality, wealth and the love of Kamala make him adequate. After come across these above mentioned stages of life he realises that nirvana and illumination are only words so it is better to seize the reality of each moment, which is new, alive and forever changing.
Keywords: Illumination, enlightenment, experience, Nirvana.
Hermann Hesse was a renowned German novelist and poet. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1946. His novels revolve around individuals endeavour to break the established notions of religion, philosophy and beliefs to seek for essential self and identity. Siddhartha in this way breaks all the traditional customs to attain Nirvana. He gets utmost happiness when he undergoes each stages of life according to Hindu tradition as (1) Brahmacharyashram (2) Grihasthashram (3) Vanaprasthashram (4) Sannyashram.
Siddhartha was published in 1922 but it is more relevant today than the time of its publication. Today men seem wandering about their life goals but do not think to elevate the self which will eventually give them unending happiness. There will be no exaggeration that even who want to pursue their life after illumination they do not have proper way and that’s the reason they are moving after others experience. Hesse portrays how Siddhartha without following others way, through the life experience eventually feels the Nirvana. During his journey he comes across many characters like his Brahmin father, his intimate friend Govinda, Samanas- a group of ascetics, Gautama, a courtesan named Kamala, a merchant Kamaswami, a serene ferryman Vasudeva and the river ( which appears core character in the novel), each character helps Siddhartha comes to close to the river where he gains everlasting happiness.
Siddhartha takes place in the time of Gautama, the Buddhist leader. At the very outset of the novel the eponymous hero is splendiferous in performing all the rites and rituals of Brahmin tradition and because of that he becomes a favourite of the villagers and source of the smile of his parents. Everybody respects him but at the bottom of his heart he feels voidness; he is not doing what he actually wants. He lacks inner happiness. Despite his father’s indifference he joins the Samanas, a group of ascetics who control their hunger and physical pain through fasting and meditating. But after passing some years with them he finds that all these physical pains, fasting, meditating cannot satiate his soul which he articulates in the words below:
“I am suffering of thirst oh; Govinda on this long path of Samanas my thirst has remained as strong as ever. I always thirsted for knowledge; I have always been full of questions. I have asked the Brahmans, year after year, and I have asked the holy Vedas, year after year, and I have asked the devote Samanas, year after year. Perhaps, oh Govinda, it had been just as well, had been just as smart and just as profitable, if I had asked the hornbill-bird or the chimpanzee. It took me a long time and I am not finished learning this yet, oh Govinda: that there is nothing to be learned! There is indeed no such thing, so I believe, as what we refer to as ‘learning’. There is, oh my friend, just one knowledge, this is everywhere, this is Atman, and this is within me and within you and within every creature. And so I’m starting to believe that this knowledge has no worser enemy than the desire to know its learning.” (pp 25)
However he learns a lot being with the ascetics group. After too much meditation he now well aware of the fact that the self is nothing but the soul, it doesn’t mean that before it he didn’t know about the soul but he was finding it in the thoughts not in senses. After leaving Samanas he makes himself the follower of Gautama but in very short period of time he realises that no one can aids others to get Nirvana even Gautama was unable to express what he actually felt at the time of illumination, it makes him totally destitute and he eventually enters into the world called the world of MAYA or the world of childlike people. Siddhartha hates the people for their thoughtless works and yearning for trivial desires. Still having all the notions, he is attracted towards it and learns the skill of love, accumulating money, playing dice and everything which he previously believed to be bad. But after facing every task and spending much time in the Sansara eventually he realises his mistake and departs that too with the feeling of sin, which can be appropriately understood in his own thoughts as follows.....
“Now he saw it and saw that secret voice had been right, that no teacher would ever have been able to bring his salvation. Therefore he had to go out into the Sansara loose himself to lust and power, to woman and money, had to become a merchant, a dice gambler, a drinker, and a greedy person until the priest and Samana, greedy and lustful in him was dead.” (pp 105)
Regardless of that much dissatisfaction with life, he continues his journey as a learner, the person named Vasudeva, the peaceful ferryman (who verily champion of the title of this article or we can say who in a true way achieve the word call Nirvana) meets him on the shore of the river. Vasudeva whose countenance seems full of peace and tranquillity guides him in a true way. He renders all the knowledge and intellectualism by unfolding his experience which he has learnt from the flowing river. At the very outset of their encounter Vasudeva tries to pave the way which he is searching for. He doesn’t teach him but just make him experience. Even when Siddhartha’s son leaves him in misery and he wants to pursue him, Vasudeva doesn’t try to impose his thoughts on him about folly to follow him. And thus Siddhartha goes after his son, but after realising the very truth that he can’t bind him with his ideals and living, he comes back to the river. In this way Vasudeva helps him to attain illumination. At the end Siddhartha tells Govinda that he came across many teachers like the Samanas, the follower of Gautama, the beautiful courtesan Kamala, the merchant Kamaswami and even Govinda, though he realised very early that no teacher can teach him. Still they all help him one or another way to come close to river and meet the peaceful ferryman who eventually paves the way for happiness. When Govinda asks him to share some thoughts which he has gained from his entire journey, Siddhartha remarks very politely and peacefully,
“I’ve had thoughts, yes, and insight again and again, Sometimes, for an hour or for an entire day, I have felt life in one’s heart. There have been many thoughts, felt knowledge in me, as one would but it would be hard for me to convey them to you. Look, my dear Govinda, this is one of my thoughts, which I have found: wisdom cannot be passed on. Wisdom which a wise man tries to pass on to someone always sounds like foolishness.” (pp 148)
Conclusion:
In this way, there is a close relationship between the teacher and the disciple. One can renders knowledge as Siddhartha’s father gives him about scripture and offering, from Samanas which he learns how to control the senses, from Kamala he studies the art of love and business from Kamaswami; not a single person teaches him his question of life and enlightenment. Wisdom is not matter of teaching; it can be attained by the experience.
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