Circle of Life

by PRAVAT J GURUNG

FROM ISSUE # 167 (November 2009) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Siddhartha
Author: Hermann Hesse, with an introduction by Paulo Coelho
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Language: English

In the shade of a banyan tree, a man sits. Some said he was a mad man, some said he was god, some said he was a sage. He was once a wandering Samana looking for teachings that he could not get from the teachers in his father's palace. Born to a family of  Brahmins, Siddhartha was blessed in all aspects; appearance, intelligence, and charisma. To find the true meaning of life, he discarded his all-set future for the life of a wandering ascetic.

There is a reason why Herman Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Siddhartha, published in 1922, is a work of art. No book is quite like this. A book with a blissful philosophy and so much to learn from. It seemed a thin uninteresting book when it first came to me as a birthday present. But I was wrong.

In the book, Siddhartha leaves behind his life of luxury and richness to find the true meaning of life. He lives the life of a Samana as part of a band of Hindu beggar-ascetics for years before he finds out that his goals cannot be attained in this way. He then listens to the preaching of the great Gotama (The Buddha) but he follows noone but his soul and moves on from there too leaving behind his best friend, Govinda, who makes up his mind to follow the Buddha. Siddhartha moves on to a life of luxury and passion with Kamala, a mistress and his employer merchant Kamaswami. Tired of everything he moves on again and tries to commit suicide but ends up falling asleep. He seeks refuge with an old ferryman and lives with him by the river. The old ferryman who employs him teaches him what life is. He tells him that the cycle of life and death never stops and is the way of the world. Noone cheats death, for death will come to everyone.

A beautiful book, Siddhartha is a simple read but powerful enough to get you glued to reading. Following the life of a young Brahmin and passing with him through the various phases of his life, this book manages to weave a tale that is both captivating and enlightening. The first time I read it, I was 20 pages down at a go and put the book down a happy man with questions about what happens next and where it leads. It's hard to imagine anyone not finding something to think deeply about after reading this book. A book masterfully written with messages that will remain with you forever. A must read!