Free Siddhartha Essays: Finding the Truth :: Hesse Siddhartha Essays

Finding law in Siddhartha   In Hermann Hesses Siddhartha, a chaste novel about enlightenment, the main character, Siddhartha, goes on a flavorlong jaunt of self-discovery. Along the way, Siddhartha encounters many who try to teach him enlightenment, undoubtedly the most massive being the Buddha himself. Although Siddhartha rejects the Buddhas teachings, saying that wisdom cannot be taught, we can see, nevertheless, that along his journeying for understanding Siddhartha encounters the Four Noble virtues that are a central mind in Buddhism suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, and the middle path.   The First Noble Truth is The Truth of Suffering. If people examine their own experiences, or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering. In the novel, Siddhartha experiences the two forms of suffering - physical and mental. Physical suffering can issue in many forms - disease, ageing, injury. Siddhartha experiences phys ical suffering as a teen man when he joins the ascetics or Samanas. As a Samana, Siddhartha learns to fast, to tolerate thorough heat and cold, and to endure pain through meditation. Siddharthas life as a samana is bitter, and he learns that life is pain (p.11).   Siddhartha experiences mental pain in the help half of his life when he begins a contrasting existence of pleasure, and consequently over again when he meets his only son.   After leaving the Samanas, Siddhartha begins a life of decadence in the house of a wealthy merchant and in the company of a beautiful courtesan. Though at first Siddhartha mud apart from their daily troubles, as the years go by Siddhartha himself begins to regard as money, fine wine, and material possessions. Because of this a thin mist, a weariness settles on Siddhartha, (p. 63) and he is engulfed in mental pain. Later, after ridding himself of the pain of the life of a wealthy merchant by becoming a bare(a) ferryman, Siddhartha again experiences mental anguish when he meets his son. Siddhartha immediately falls in making love with his arrogant 11-year-old son, whom he has never seen before. But the son despises his father and his simple life, and after a short time runs away. Siddhartha becomes restless and worried, again experiencing great mental anguish.   As he goes along his journey, Siddhartha realizes The Second Noble Truth - that the direct cause of suffering is desire.