This legend begins with a wealthy Brahman named Siddhartha, who lived in ancient Indian village. Siddhartha had many things going for him as he was wealthy, educated, and handsome, but his father who is a religious leader in the village does not want him to go and learn new things as Siddhartha wanted to join with a traveling group of clerics in town. His father kept refusing and ignoring Siddhartha, but he stayed in his place even as his father slept until he was finally given permission. Siddhartha begins his journey with the Samana, the name for this priest group, and takes up there way of life by starving almost and wearing only rags to destroy all ego within himself. Siddhartha does this to escape the rigid, forced nature of his religious father and village, and after some time he hears of someone known as "Gotama the Buddha," to have appeared as they had overcame their own ego. Siddhartha, with this hometown friend Govinda who had joined him on his Samana journey, went to seek out this person as they wanted to learn from his newly enlightened teachings. Once they had arrived they were welcomed in instantly among Gotama's followers and began to take part in his teachings, until Siddhartha once again began to doubt the message despite Gotama's deity-like aura. Siddhartha questions Gotama only to be told that Gotama was far superior at this sort of religious knowledge, and following this Siddhartha leaves the camp and his hometown friend behind. The first part of this legend then comes to a close with Siddhartha exiting the camp and in the nearby woods contemplating all of the different teachings he has studied until he realizes that the enlightenment he is searching for cannot be taught, but instead must come from within.
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| Siddhartha book cover (by Hermann Hesse) |
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