From the Bookshelf of Classics Without All the Class…

Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse

Start date: September 1, 2014

Finish date: September 30, 2014

Discussion leader: Crystal

Why we're reading this: Siddhartha is a 1922 novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a …more
[close] Siddhartha is a 1922 novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha. The book, Hesse's ninth novel, was written in German, in a simple, lyrical style

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Jan 07, 2018 Avisek Bandyopadhyay rated it really liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, spiritual

This book has me conflicted. I chose this book because of the aura it exudes. A very dear friend told me, this book has changed the lives of many a astray, distracted individuals including Paulo Coelho who claims that Siddhartha guided him in his quest to be at peace with himself. Now, when a book has that sort of recommendation, the expectations become all the more higher.

This book is about a young guy with an eternal quest to explore his soul - aatman - and to reach a higher level of conscious This book has me conflicted. I chose this book because of the aura it exudes. A very dear friend told me, this book has changed the lives of many a astray, distracted individuals including Paulo Coelho who claims that Siddhartha guided him in his quest to be at peace with himself. Now, when a book has that sort of recommendation, the expectations become all the more higher.

This book is about a young guy with an eternal quest to explore his soul - aatman - and to reach a higher level of consciousness where he can be one with the supreme, all pervading soul of the universe - Brahman. He is initiated in that path by his father, who is almost a saint. His father teaches him all the knowledge and all the ritual he knows but this only makes Siddhartha more curious, more eager. When he believes, his father can't teach him any further, he travels with revered ascetics in the hopes that his mission will be fulfilled. But, he is disappointed again. And so meets the perfected one - The Buddha - where he's in awe of the holiness of Buddha and his teachings, but still, he believes the teachings are derivative and something that will help him lead a good life but will not help him achieve the highest of himself. So, he walks away, tries to be something he has never been - a sansaari- so he lusts after a woman, he runs a business, he drinks, he gambles until one day he gets disgusted with it. He again moves on till he sleeps on the river side and then, suddenly he understands and finds refuge in the river.

The book is written in such a happy, joyous, divine way that at some point, I began to understood what does it mean and how does it feel to be truly fulfilled, truly blissful. The book never propagated any religion, but it propounds self discovery- that no teaching or guidance will make us feel something. We have to walk the path, explore and find our way to truly achieve our true happiness. That route might be circuitous but we all have our own crosses to bear and own paths to tread. If anything stood with me at the end, it would be Om (Aum) - the matrix of all sounds, the mystery of life, the thread with everything - man and nature alike - hinges on. The description is redeeming. However, its an out and out spiritual book. Anyone looking for language thrills or thrills of drama will be sorely disappointed.

So, did it make me a better man ? I don't know but it did make me contemplate on the concept of god, connected energy sources and things that we can only experience but never explain. However, if I would seek to actively pursue a deeper contemplation of myself or my soul, I would probably remember this book and revisit it. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 22, 2013 Pranjal Sood rated it liked it

I remember reading this book around 10 years ago. A younger and more rebellious self of mine read this book and found peace in it. The ways of Siddartha really impressed me. After all these years, Maybe the book changed for me. Or I became more of a story seeker. I am now currently finding myself not enjoying these self professing books. I know it is a wonderful story and how the protagonist experiences every emotion towards finding inner peace. But that is just one way of looking into these thi ...more

Like · see review