LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE
Do you take delight in watching films,
listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs,
and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You
can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of
wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.
#38. Siddhartha (authored by Hermann Hesse,
1951)
Siddhartha
tel=>ls the story of a spiritual journey in which the main character seeks
answers to the deep questions surrounding human purpose, isolation, and
dissatisfaction in life. It is the most well-known work of Hermann Hesse, who
received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946. Through the experiences of a
young Indian named Siddhartha, Hesse presents a powerful moral allegory about
fate and the uncertainties people face throughout life.
(ferryman Vesudeva): “I could see that and I did not
expect any payment or gift from you. You will give it to me some other time.”
(Siddhartha): “Do you think so?”
(ferryman Vesudeva): “Certainly. I have learned that
from the river, too; everything comes back. You, too, Samana, will come back.”
ð
The ferryman named Vasudeva is a humble yet
enlightened figure who recognizes that Siddhartha is not ready to offer payment
in a material sense because he is undergoing a spiritual journey that demands
other forms of exchange, such as experience, hardship, and understanding. He
sees Siddhartha as still being a seeker (i.e., a Samana), not yet fully
developed, and therefore offers his help freely, trusting that the balance will
be fulfilled in time. He believes in the cyclical nature of existence. The
river teaches Vasudeva that nothing is ever permanently lost. Everything that
departs—whether people, events, or decisions—returns in some form. This implies
that Siddhartha’s journey away from the river is part of a larger cycle that
will eventually lead him back to discover his true calling.
This does not mean that
Vesudeva is just predicting the future but rather has a deeper understanding of
Siddhartha’s spiritual path. Siddhartha must first immerse himself in the
ordinary world—experiencing desire, wealth, and suffering—before he can fully
grasp the river’s wisdom. Vasudeva understands that Siddhartha’s current direction
is only temporary and that he will return when he is prepared to learn the
river’s ultimate lesson.
We could tell that Vasudeva has
mastered the art of “listening” to the river, which allows him to perceive the
unity of all existence and recognize time as an illusion where past, present,
and future coexist. In a sense, he can already foresee the conclusion of Siddhartha’s
journey—his return to the river—even at its early stage.
“He is drawn and lets himself fall. He is drawn by his
goal, for he does not allow anything to enter his mind which opposes his goal.
That is what Siddhartha learned from the Samanas.”
ð
Hesse
likens Siddhartha’s determination to a stone sinking in water. A stone does not
struggle but simply follows the most direct path downward due to gravity. In
the same way, Siddhartha is effortlessly pulled toward his goal rather than
forcing his way forward or going against it. The idea of “letting himself fall”
suggests that Siddhartha releases his ego and distractions. By clearing his
mind of anything that contradicts his aim, he allows himself to be drawn
steadily toward his destination.
This control over his inner
state—developed during his time with the Samanas—is what Siddhartha refers to
as “magic.” While others are carried away by worries and desires, his
disciplined mindset enables him to move through life untouched, like a stone passing
through water. The statement that he does not permit anything into his mind
that conflicts with his goal shows his strong mental discipline. By shutting
out competing desires—such as craving, pleasure, or pain—he keeps his entire
being focused on one aim: reaching the deepest level of existence.
(Siddhartha): “I had to experience despair, I had to
sink to the greatest mental depths, to thoughts of suicide, in order to experience
grace, to hear Om again, to sleep deeply again and to awaken refreshed again.”
ð
Siddhartha
comes to understand that true knowledge cannot simply be taught—it must be
lived and felt in person. His experiences with indulgence, such as greed and
desire, along with his deep despair, reveal to him the emptiness of a life
lacking spiritual purpose.
His thoughts of ending his
life by the river represent his lowest moment, which ultimately sparks a
profound spiritual awakening and brings the sacred sound “Om” back into his
awareness.
This moment marks the
symbolic death of his former self, who was driven by pleasure, and the
emergence of a wiser version of himself who can finally rest peacefully and
awaken with clarity. That is, only by experiencing deep suffering can one truly
recognize and appreciate inner peace and spiritual harmony.
The text shows that Siddhartha’s life
of excess was not a failure but an essential stage in his journey toward
enlightenment, reinforcing the idea that wisdom arises from personal experience
rather than learned teachings.
** Jean’s Small Thoughts:
I believe
that everything happens for a reason. Both the positive and negative moments in
a person’s life serve as lessons, shaping each step forward and guiding their
future in the right direction. I don’t mean to say I can stay phlegmatic under
any circumstances at all. I fall pretty low on the “cool and unbothered” end of
the calmness scale from one to ten. Yes, Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha would make
a lifelong manual for emotional people like me to lean on to stay unperturbed
and calm.
No one can
simply shift blame onto others and avoid responsibility. Those who have tried
eventually realize that everything in existence, living or not, holds its own
unique value just as it is. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for being able to
take another breath in this moment, with genuine humility and appreciation.
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