Will Siddhartha Cross the River?

     As Siddhartha reintroduces himself to the ferryman, many things happened. Vasudeva, the ferryman,  is the key  to Siddhartha's realization. Vasudeva said, I recognize you. You slept in my hut almost twenty years ago and I took you across the river. Where you not a samana then? "My name is Siddhartha and I was a Samana when you last saw me." (p. 84) Said Siddhartha. They conversed and Siddhartha got to tell his story of fine clothes and the Om. Vasudeva was curious of why he had come in with such gran clothing and yet no money. Vasudeva listened carefully to the story, and understood him.
   
     The story intrigued Vasudeva when Siddhartha had said how the river taught him. Vasudeva was a firm believer in the rivers teachings. Vasudeva later stated, "It is as I thought; the river has spoken to you." (P. 85). When they arrived Vasudeva allowed Siddhartha to apprentice for him and live with him. He said since his wife had died many years ago, he is lonely and there is much food and drink for them both.
     
     Siddhartha had then set on his next stage in life. To learn from the next person that came along. Vasudeva told Siddhartha, "The river has taught me to listen; you will learn from it, too." Siddhartha wasn't about learning from the people he comes by, but rather the experiences and the lessons he learns on his own.
   
     Vasudeva tells Siddhartha in the night, I have taken thousands across the river, yet only four or five have taken notice of what it can teach. Later those days, Siddhartha had worked as a ferryman and fieldworker and did many other jobs with Vasudeva. While working, Siddhartha had revealed one of the teachings he ha learned,  "Have you also learned that secret form the river; that there is no such thing as time?" Vasudeva was proud of Siddhartha taking an interest into the river.
 
     Siddhartha has gone through many different stages in life. The ferryman might just be one of them. I wonder if Siddhartha will ever return to Kamala and his son? Will he learn from the river and move on to teach what he has learned from the river? Is Siddhartha going to move on away from Vasudeva like he has with many others? What is Siddhartha's goal in life? As in, if this story will have an ultimate goal and ending or will Siddhartha just continue searching. Is Govinda ever going to become Siddhartha's best friend again? Lastly, Does Siddhartha ever reach full Nirvana and become a teacher of his journeys?
   

The Lost Hero

     Siddhartha was just a regular Brahmin's son until he went out on his life changing journey. After struggling with life, gambling, and alcohol, he steps into the forest to find himself again. "I have had to experience so much stupidity, so many vices, so much error, so much nausea, disilussionment, and sorrow, just in order to become a child again and begin anew." (Page 78). Siddhartha had lost himself. He needed to restart and find himself again.

     That is why Siddhartha resembles two different superheroes to me. Wolverine, a man that lives forever, was lost. He didn't know what to do with his life. He had fought in many wars, and knew where he was supposed to be in life. "I had to sin in order to live again." (Page 78). Wolverine had some years roaming around Canada. Just living and doing what was next. Before he had found Professor X, he was lost and unkowing of his Self. Once Professor X came, he realized where he needed to be and he started anew. Siddhartha and Wolverine both surcame to the pressures of the world. And each had taken time to reevalute themselves.

    Hancock, whether considered a real superhero or not, might also represent Siddhartha. Hancock was a drunkard on the street corner that lived forever. "Was this not the river in which he had once wished to drown himlesf-hundreds of years ago-or had he dreamt it?" (Page 77). Hancock didn't want to live forever, but he had to. He was the guy that put a bad name to superheroes. As Siddhartha was asleep in the woods, Govinnda cam along to protect him. Govinda guided Siddhartha and helped him realize what was needed to be done. Siddhartha needed to relenquish his old habits and return to the real Siddhartha. "-I have know put an end to that self-detestation, to that foolish empty life." (Page 79). After Govinda had left him, Siddhartha wondered. Hancock, who had destroyed most of the city by trying to save people, also had found a guide. A man he had saved had taught him he is an important figure and needs to be who he was meant to be.

     Wolverin, Hancock, and Siddhartha had lost their ways. They were all originally a simple and quiet person. They all lost their lives to alcohol and worldly things. Yet, with the help of another, each had refound their inner Self.

Siddhartha's Rotting Soul

      As Siddhartha's soul was rotting away, he was living luxuriously and without trouble. "Siddhartha had learned how to traansact business affairs, to exercise power over people, to amuse himself with women; he had learned to wear fine clothes, to cammand servants, to bathe in sweet-smelling waters." (page 61). He had learned how to become a wealthy man, that had no value on the world. After reading these lines, it had reminded me of the movie Lottery Ticket. Kevin (played by Bow Wow) suddenly wins the lottery and becomes as rich as could be. He spends tons of cash and has no value on anything anymore. Kevin, coming out of the projects, or Siddhartha coming out of the woods and living like a samana, had no values. Yet, they both became overwhelmed in their lives.
     
     Siddhartha then became envious of the average people."And yet he envied them; the more he became more like themm, the more he envied them." (page 62). The world had swallowed him. "-the expressions of discontent, of sickliness, of displeasure, of idleness, of lovelessness." (page 63). Siddhartha had changed. He was no longer that boy in the samanas. He was coldhearted and essentially, he was different. Siddhartha went from the man with no possesions to more than enough.
  
    While reading pages 63-64, Siddharthas actions reminded me of someone, Allen Iverson. Allen Iverson was a very succsesful and very good athlete. A NBA annylist Stephen A. Smith wrote, "Iverson would either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away." Siddhartha ruined his life by relying on gambling. Allen Iverson did the same. Iverson has been banned from more than two casino's and is currently playing basketball in Turkey because no NBA team wants him anymore.

     "Then Siddhartha had spent the night at his house with dancers and wine..." (page 65). Even after remembering his nice times with Kamala, he still returned to alcohol as the solution. Then, when the sun rises he goes to a mango tree. He tells himself he is going to die. "Gradually, he collected his thoughts and mentally went through the whole of his life..."(page 67). Some people believe before you die you see your life flash before you. Siddhartha was experiencing this, but without death.

     Later that day Siddhartha had left the mango tree, left all of his friends in the town, and most of all,he left Kamala. Kamaswami was worried for him. But Kamala was glad he had moved on. In the end we learn Kamala was pregnant. Siddhartha being the father.

Thoughts on Siddhartha (vlog)

Here is a quick look into the book Siddhartha presented in a vlog.

A Place in the World

"He realized that something had left him, like the old skin that a snake shed." Sometimes I feel the same as Siddhartha felt. As in a part was missing in his life that used to be there. I also feel like I have left something behind that I can't return to.

"I wanted to rid myself of the Self..." How can someone not relate to this. I think what he is saying is how he wants to learn and fully understand and control his life. No  one can truly control their own Self. I for one definately am not. Many factors that are in our lives control it. Ourselves are just part of it.

"I will no longer try to escape from Siddhartha." I, like Siddhartha wish to be free from the teachings and the daily troubles of life. I want to learn and live from experiences I have with myself. Once he freed himself from the "Sorrows of the world," he could cleary view it, and what had been blinding him.

"All this is over for me now." Siddhartha said this as he realized what he had done. He has nothing more to strive for. I sometimes wonder where my life will go and what I will do. This really takes time and pacience to find. It is definately hard to completely change your life and restart it in just a few moments.

Siddhartha was truly alone from then on. "He sought his place in this world." He was lost and was searching for his niche on the planet. Just like anyone else, Siddhartha didn't know who he will be. Many people, including myself, don't know where they will be, but keep searching. No-one knows where they will turn up ,but they hope for the best. We hope for our place to be known.

Siddhartha will eventually find himself. As will everyone, in time.

A Blog for the Learners to Teach

Of all that I read, the discussion between Gotama and Siddhartha got my mind wondering. First, where does Govinda fit into this story? Then a few pages later it says that he will leave Siddhartha and devote himself to Gotama. Why does Gotama teach if the way to enlightenment is to learn as Siddhartha said? Why does Gotama think the goal is salvation from suffering? Why is Siddhartha striving for so much knowledge? Will Siddhartha's cleverness come back to haunt him later? All of these questions I hope will be answered later in the book.

Entering Words on Something Worth the Words

     As I read from pages 9 to page 20, I thought of a movie that really reminded me of what I was reading. I thought of Avatar. It was strange to me how Siddhartha put his mind into another animal and into a carcass and even into rocks and water. Avatar was similar by the fact that the main character was transformed into an aliens body and would control, walk, and think while being in this other form, just like how Siddhartha did so. Then as Siddhartha had trained himself to the cold, heat, breathing, and essentially thinking, It reminded me of the discipline Batman went under while he was training.What also struck me was how it says Siddhartha uses a sort of Jedi mind trick on the eldest Samana. Just as how Obi-Wan controlled the storm troopers, Siddhartha communicated to the eldest Samana of what he had planned on doing. Doing so, the Samana blessed him on his journey.