LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #38. Siddhartha (authored by Hermann Hesse, 1951)

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.