Stephen’s review of Siddhartha > Likes and Comments

I lent this out before having a chance to read it. Never got it back. In fact, it was the final straw in lending book. Now I just give away what I've already read.

never thought i'd see "what happens in vegas" within a siddhartha review. that is genius!

mark wrote: "never thought i'd see "what happens in vegas" within a siddhartha review. that is genius!"

Thanks Mark...I actually forgot to use that pic in my review of "The Gambler" by Dostoevsky so I was happy to find a home for it.

Gosh, I feel ashamed now. I read this book more than a decade ago when I was young and stupid obviously. I remember I was quite indifferent to it, hence the three stars, but now I am thinking I was probably just clueless and superficial at that time.

Catie wrote: "I never know what's going to come up next on your feed, Stephen! Your reading is all over the place, but in a good way."

Thanks, Catie. I do try to read a lot of different genres. It keeps things interesting given how much I read.

Flaneurette wrote: "Gosh, I feel ashamed now. I read this book more than a decade ago when I was young and stupid obviously. I remember I was quite indifferent to it, hence the three stars, but now I am thinking I was..."

I have had the same feeling about books others have loved that have kind of left me feeling, Meh. I think certain books just push our buttons. This one did for me.

Love this review! I re-read Siddhartha during a period of transition in my life and I really connected to it. If only we could all rise above it all. :) I also HIGHLY recommend. And its super short so is a quick read!

This is one book I really need to re-read. I remember liking it a lot when I first read it for the first time, oh you know, about 7 years ago, so I think it's time to pay it a revisit, thanks to your review.

Great review and your Quick Side Note certainly gave me a chuckle. Will have to read this one.

Amazing review. I think I might have to re-read this one.

Thanks Ricky and Adam. Reading this was a special experience.

What happens in Vegas in a Siddhartha review, WOW! haha.
Also, most of the Brahmin in those days greatly misused their power, much like your morally suspect celebrities and morally bankrupt politicians. They created the whole caste system, even labeling the lower castes as untouchable. So basically, corruption is an age old tradition.
Excelent review btw!

Thanks, Tanu. I agree with you that corruption is an age old tradition (sadly). I guess with the proliferation of mass media, it is just far more in our faces than it ever has been before.

True:(

Nice illustrations Stephen. You're good at that. The Grasshopper one was good too!

I'm not a Buddhist and don't intend to convert you to the philosophy (real Buddhists will tell you it's a philosophy, not a religion). But there are quite a lot of surface similarities between the earthly life of Jesus and the life of Buddha as recorded by various sources. These sources tell it somewhat differently than Hesse. For ezample, Siddhartha is supposed to have gotten married and had a son before setting out on his journey of discovery. So don't take Hesse's account as gospel(!).

And did you know that the phrase "Work out your salvatiion..." is an allusion to Philippians 2:12-13? I'm sure the Apostle Paul had a different intent in mind than what Hesse implies, but I'm still working on figuring that one out.

Some people would say that Jesus was a Buddha. He reached Enlightenment. Legend and myth turned him into a god. Potentially, all human beings can obtain Enlightenment.

Richard wrote: "Nice illustrations Stephen. You're good at that. The Grasshopper one was good too!"

Thanks, Richard. That picture made me chuckle so I had to use it.

Richard wrote: "I'm not a Buddhist and don't intend to convert you to the philosophy (real Buddhists will tell you it's a philosophy, not a religion). But there are quite a lot of surface similarities between the earthly life of Jesus and the life of Buddha as recorded by various sources."

I could certainly see that as I was reading this. For me, this was one of those reading experiences that just swept me away and Siddhartha's journey had a profound impact on me. Part of this impact is probably the result of my limited exposure to eastern philosophy/religion. Two or three college courses in comparative religion and eastern philosophy barely scratches the surface and doesn't convey any of the nuances.

@ David: My knowledge is limited so please pardon my ignorance; I'm not trying to be confrontational, just to clarify the doctrines so we are all aware of where the other person comes from. Your profile says you are Unitarian Universalist, and I think this means you do not affirm the deity of Christ. But according to a trinitarian Christian reading, John 1:1-14 would suggest that Jesus is God and the Word of God from the beginning, and he was also the Light which came into the world to give light to the human race. So for trinitarian Christians, that would put things the other way round. But one thing we can agree on theologically speaking is that Jesus guides others to enlightenment.

@ Stephen: I had a copy of Siddhartha at one time and started it but couldn't finish. I've read up on Buddhism a bit, but don't know much. I may give it another try some day.

Richard, if you ever give it another go I'd be curious what you think of it. I found it a very universal story.

Hi Stephen, I like your thoughts on this wonderful book. This book gives a very personal experience, one that everyone should have.

Stephen wrote: "Richard, if you ever give it another go I'd be curious what you think of it. I found it a very universal story."

I have now read it but haven't posted a review of it yet.

As a native Las Vegan (what karma!) who has read Siddhartha many times, I laud you for "getting it". This book is scripture posing as literature and is best read after getting what you thought you wanted.

I am the 100th liker of this review! Yaay! I hope I enjoy reading this book! Thanks for the great review Stephen.

I completely agree with your review. Another Hesse book you might like is "Journey To The East". It is a very different book, but one that captures the imagination nonetheless.

Great review, I absolutely agree!

Very apt description. I feel the same (after reading).

Truly...Stephen: you read and understood it in depth... We all
Comes from the word....and in the beginning the word was God...Gof id word which means sound and light.. Everything created by sound and light...in this world...one has to close his eyes and ears, one has to set out of these world and worldly things to see the God sitting inside...its only the faith that guided the Siddhartha.....

Fantastic review. One of my all-time favorite books.

Its hard not to gush about Hesse. Great review.

Great review. I’m about 25 pages in and I just can’t get into the writing style or the story. Why did Hesse choose Buddha’s first name as the protagonist’s name? I need encouragement to restart this book. I feel like it’s a school assignment. Do you really like the style of writing? I think it stilted and distracting.

Sounds like a gap year ;-)

Great review, took the words out of my mouth!

Perhaps this book is to be read many times over the course of ones life. It is just like the river in the story which is always flowing and is always and never the same. Often the water is murky and troubled and then it calms and becomes clear and in its surface and depths all things are reflected.
🙏🏼

Ahh!is this just a story book? I have to check. 😊

Same! This is truly a Universal book

Thank you. 🙂

I highly recommend for whoever enjoyed this book to read a book called "one more round on the merry go round" or "un altro giro di giostra" from the author Tiziano Terzani, it often talks about similar subjects

Herman Hesse is Swiss. This book is written through a western lens; though the name and setting is highly misleading.

Siddhartha truly captures the essence of a spiritual journey and the quest for meaning, which I found so profound.

It’s incredible how these stories explore life's deeper questions and the pursuit of inner peace.
It reminded me of a similar theme I explore in my new eBook, Life Has Two Doors, where the protagonist, Eon, embarks on a mystical journey of self-discovery.

If you’re into books that challenge you to reflect on life's purpose and the balance between the physical and spiritual worlds, I think you’d really connect with it!

Buddhism’s philosophical tenets have deep relevance in any thoughtful human society because they provide a logical approach to dealing with basic social attitudes and behaviours . These ‘behaviours’ ie the 7 deadly sins are ancient and, as we all know, stem from our need for self preservation and tribalism in a seemingly ‘resource constrained ’ planet. the 10 Commandments are simply a ‘dictat’ of the same tenets of Buddhist philosophy. The difference is the unthinking focus on ritual and diatribe by which western society (mis) understands and practices Christian philosophy. Unfortunately both philosophies have a declining followership because in pure form they aren’t so easy to understand or adhere to, more so in context of present day social tenets of a mercantilist, transactional and desperately-survival driven world

Nice review. Would like to add the essence of one-ness that Siddhartha realized. That pain and pleasure, birth and death, even samsar ( the drama of life) and nirvana ( liberation from the cycle of birth and death) are different formations of the same, the one-ness of all beings as well as of inanimate creations. He realizes that wisdom lies in awareness and admiration for all these forms of existence, as they are , instead of fighting them.