Monday, November 30, 2009
Nov 30-Dec 6 Siddhartha
Write down a significant quote from the book with the page number and tell how that quote develops a theme or character in the book. You have done an excellent job in the past not repeating quotes that others have used, so do the same here. Make every quote different from everyone else.
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Jenny Hergert
ReplyDelete"There is, so I believe, in the essence of everything, something that we cannot call learning. There is my friend, only a knowledge- that is everywhere, that is Atman, that is in me and you and in every creature, and I am beginning to believe that this knowledge has no worse enemy than the man of knowledge, than learning." -Siddhartha Pg. 15
The story of this book follows Siddhartha on the path to enlightenment. In this passage that takes place while he and Govinda are living with the Samanas, Siddartha comes to the realization that he doesn't just want to be wise and knowledgable. What he wants is to achieve Nirvana, like the Buddha, basically to purge himself of all the sorrows in the world and live as purely and simply as possible; to be happy. This is a huge character development for Siddhartha. He sets his ultimate goal and realizes that he cannot achieve it simply by following old men around in the woods.
Breanna Taylor
ReplyDelete"Siddharytha could no longer remain at home; that he had already left him" Pg 9
I liked this quote because it shows how Siddhartha has intense communication skills with people and he knows exactly what he needs to do to get his point across and get what he wants. In a way this makes him manipulative but it also shows how incredibly smart he is compared to everyone else so even though his father is his elder he still is almost in control of him. Developing idea- Siddhartha's unique genius.
Crystal Nybo
ReplyDelete"Truly, nothing in the world has occupied my thoughts as much as the Self, this riddle, that I live, that I am one and am separated and different from everybody else, that I am Siddhartha; and about nothing in the world do I know less than about myself, about Siddhartha." (pg31)
This quote comes after Siddhartha and his great friend Govinda are separated. After talking to the great Buddha Siddhartha wanders off on his own and he contemplates if he should go back home again. After deep thought Siddhartha figures out that he can't go back home he has to find out who he truly is and if he goes home he won't be able to do that. Therefore, Siddhartha goes on his own way to learn new things and discover himself. This theme of finding himself will play itself out throughout the book.
"There was wonderful wisdom in these verses; all the knowledge of the sages was told here in the enchanting language, pure as honey collected by the bees(4)"
ReplyDeleteThe verses that are being spoken of is the one, "Your soul is the whole world."
I believe the verse has a lot to it. Everyone is their own person, but they all carry the same burdens as everyone else. That verse as well as others are full of meaning and not one should be forgotten for any reason. They're the life of the Buddha in words and he lives by them. I don't know if that's 100% true or not, but that's just what I believe this quote is talking about.
Maybe later in the book the main character of Siddhartha will learn everything everyone else knows and still believes there is more to learn. Possibly he'll learn that he already knew everything if he just lived his life without wanting to learn more and just let the lessons to be learned come to him.
Anna Billmaier
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
"Opinions mean nothing; they may be beautiful or ugly, cleaver or foolish, anyone can embrace or reject them. The teaching which you have heard, however, is not my opinion, and its goal is not to explain the world to those who are thirsty for knowledge. Its goal is quite different; its goal is salvation from suffering. That is what Gotama teaches, nothing else" (page 27).
Siddhartha is not a follower. His outspoken opinion on the teachings of the Buddah cause Gotama to explain that he is not teaching opinion but rather escape of suffering. I found this encounter interesting because Siddhartha was brave enough to stand up to the Buddah, who everyone praises and follows, and say that his teachings were somewhat pointless because the Buddah can never teach what he's experienced himself. The way the Buddah describes an opinion seems artistic in a way and counters what Siddhartha believes. I believe that Siddhartha's journey towards enlightenment will be based off of this opinion that the Buddah fears and that Siddhartha embraces.
Gina Chenoweth
ReplyDelete“What is it that you wanted to learn from teachings and teachers, and although they taught you much, what was it they could not teach you? And he thought: It was the Self, the character and nature of which I wished to learn.” (31)
This quote is from when Siddhartha is confused about whether or not he can really learn from a teacher. He decided that he could not because teachers cannot help you learn everything you need in life. The most a teacher can do for you is show you how to learn on your own. This represents the theme of self-discovery because if a person lives there life as instructed, they are living the life of their instructor, rather than making their own decisions, choices, and mistakes.
Kiera Wesley
ReplyDelete"'Everyone takes, everyone gives. Life is like that.'
'Ah, but if you are without possesions, how can you give?'
'Everyone gives what he has. The soldier gives strength, the merchant goods, the teacher instruction, the farmer rice, the fisherman fish.'" (pg. 52)
I think this quote is significant in defining this moment in Siddhartha's life because he does not think it is possible to give without material posessions. What Kamaswami teaches Siddhartha is a valuable lesson about giving and accepting. While Siddhartha still feels that he needs to get more things and is greedy, his greed will slowly shift to realization of how his behavior is wrong and that he should be more inclined to give than to recieve.
Tori Weisel
ReplyDelete“Siddhartha learned a great deal from the Samanas; he learned many ways of losing the Self…He lost his Self a thousand times and for days on he dwelt in nonbeing. But although the paths took him away from Self, in the end they always led back to it” (pg 12).
In this quote Siddhartha is trying to lose his Self, and although he has learned to do it he still cannot achieve Nirvana, which is what he really wants. Siddhartha soon realizes that he will not be able to achieve it from the teachings of the Samanas so he knows that he must move on. In this part of the book Siddhartha shows how dedicated he is to achieve Nirvana, he has leaned to eliminate his senses and memory but he just can’t get it to last, at least not with the teachings he has learned so far. I think this shows the strength that Siddhartha has inside of him, but the question is, will he break down or stay strong?
Christine Nafziger
ReplyDelete“But there is one thing that this clear, worthy instruction does not contain; it does not contain the secret of what the Illustrious One himself explained – he alone among hundreds of thousands. That is what I thought and realized when I heard your teachings. That is why I am going on my way- not to seek another and better doctrine, for I know there is none, but to leave all doctrines and all teachers and to reach my goal alone –or die .” (pg. 28)
Siddhartha realizes that following the path of Buddha is not what he feels is the right choice for him. When he goes to listen to the Buddha he realizes that he needs to find himself and the only way to do this is to go away and chose his own path. Siddhartha listens to the Illustrious One but he feels that the teachings are not the way to find yourself. This helps develops the theme of self – discovery. He wants to choose his own life not to follow one that someone else thinks is the way for them.
Brian Gleadle
ReplyDelete"It is a good thing to experience everything oneself, he though. As a child I learned that pleasures of the world and riches were not good. I have known it for a long time, but I have only just experienced it. Now I know it not only with my intellect, but with my eyes, with my hear, with my stomach. It is a good thing that I know this."
This quote is when Siddhartha realizes that he cant learn everything from teachings and that he must go out and experience things and learn things for himself. After Siddhartha realizes that all his pleasures were destroying his life he sets out to find his Self again and discovers that all the pleasures and goods in the world were not good for him. He knew that he knew for a long time but he only just realized it after staring into the river. Know he is ready to go through the transformation that will enlighten him.
Savannah Guillen
ReplyDelete“I had to become a fool again in order to find Atman in myself. I had to sin in order to live again. Whither will my path yet lead me? This path is stupid, it goes in spirals, perhaps in circles, but whichever way it goes, I will follow it” (78).
This is what Siddhartha realizes after he attempts to commit suicide in the river. He is “going backwards” in order to find salvation, and with this realization, he feels that he has been awakened. As his life goes on, Siddhartha is learning more and more about himself, and he realizes that he will make mistakes in the course of his life, and that he should use these mistakes to better himself, which fits into the theme of self-discovery.
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ReplyDeleteKatie MARTENS
ReplyDelete“The Brahmin saw that Siddhartha’s knees trembled slightly, but there was no trembling in Siddhartha’s face; his eyes looked far away/ Then the father realized that Siddhartha could no longer remain with him at home—he had already left him” pg 9
This quote is towards the beginning of the book when Siddhartha stands in one position for hours in order to persuade his father to let him leave to the Samanas. After reading most of the book, I can now see that this is very significant because it shows the beginning of Siddhartha’s journey, and how he uses his teachings to progress him further in the novel. Also, some people may think that this shows that Siddhartha is stubborn, but I think that it shows that he will fight to get what he truly believes is best for himself. In the end, his father knew that there was nothing that he could do to keep Siddhartha from leaving.
Sarah Hale:)
ReplyDelete“Is it not true, my friend, that the river has many voices?” –Siddhartha pg. 88
Siddhartha is able to connect with the river on several distinct levels. Primarily is Siddhartha’s apparent character development throughout the story. On page 87 Siddhartha even says when reviewing his life, that it was also a river, “…Siddhartha the boy, Siddhartha the mature man and Siddhartha the old man…” The way this river flows, so exquisitely together and one path always leading to the next, the ending always bringing a new beginning, Siddhartha is able to relate his journey to the everlasting flow of this river. These “voices” that Siddhartha mentions the river having, uses an interesting personification technique, where essentially the river is speaking to Siddhartha. The river answers Siddhartha’s questioning thoughts of “life, Being, and perpetual Becoming”. (pg. 88) I believe the river feeds Siddhartha with the everlasting knowledge he is constantly pursuing.
Leslee Fall
ReplyDelete"He felt indeed that his love, his blind love for his son, was a very human passion, that it was Samsara, a troubled spring of deep water. At the same time he felt that it was not worthless, that it was necessary, that it came from his own nature. This emotion, this pain, these follies also had to be experienced." (pg.99-100)
This quote shows how Siddhartha's emotions are growing in the book. Earlier Kamala said that Samanas cannot love, but when Siddhartha found his son it opened a door inside him. He was able to love and in this qoute it explains that this emotions should be experienced, even if it gives him pain at times because at other times it gives him great joy. It is a confusing emotion and it is a turning point for Siddhartha in his life when he finds his son.
Laura Ahlrep
ReplyDelete"The teaching which you have heard, however, is not my opinion, and its goal is not to explain the world to those who are thirsty for knowledge. Its goal is quite different; its goal is salvation from suffering. That is what Gotama teaches, nothing else." (27)
I think this quote well defined Siddhartha's jounrney in trying to free himself from all desires and find Nirvana. He almost mocks Buddha in his teachings and how they don't seem to actually lead to the end goal of salvation. Yet Buddha explains that he is not going to spend his time trying to explain the reasons to believe in this practice to those who desire to know why. This looking for an answer is just like any other desire such as sex, drugs, etc that Siddhartha has been trying to free himself from.
April Dick
ReplyDelete"You have learned nothing through teachings, and so I think, O Illustrious One, that nobody finds salvation through teachings." (27)
In pointing out Gotama's main flaw in his argument, Siddhartha has formed the basis of his spiritual journey. Instead of learning about someone else's enlightenment, he will choose to experience it for himself. Siddhartha does learn about love from Kamala, but for the rest of the book his journey will be self-guided and he must search for Nirvana in himself.
“The thinker, slowly going on his way, suddenly stood still, gripped by his way, suddenly stood still, gripped by this thought, an another thought immediately arose from this one. It was: The reason why I do now know anything about myself, the reason why Siddhartha has remained alien and unknown to myself is due to one thing, to one single thing- I was afraid of myself, I was fleeing from myself. I was seeking Brahman, Atman; I wished to destroy myself, to get away from myself, in order to find in the unknown innermost, the nucleus of all things, Atman, Life, the Divine, and the Absolute. But by doing so, I lost my self on the way” (31)
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows the how Siddhartha’s want to find him self. He thinks that in order to find himself is to get away from him self. Siddhartha’s thinks that if he get away from the him self, he will able to find himself in three things. Atman means, self, and translated as soul or ego. Life and divine means priest who specializes in the study of God and religion. And this helps Siddhartha to self-discovery himself.
Nik Toor
ReplyDelete"I do not know; I know as little as you. I am on the way. I was a rich man, but I am no longer and what I will be tomorrow I do not know." (pg 76)
This quote tells us a lot about Siddhartha and the journey that he is on. I think he is looking for happiness in the form of enlightened meant and he feels the only way that is possible is by experiencing every way of life. He knows that people simply telling him how their way of life is the best or how it isn’t the best won't help him, so he has to go out and experience it first hand to truly learn. I also liked in this quote how he said that he knows as little as Govinda instead of as much even though they are both smart men Siddhartha feels that they don't know anywhere close to everything.
Dan McMillan
ReplyDeleteP.60 "For a long time siddartha has lived the life of the world without belonging to it. His senses, wich had deadend during his ardent samana years, were again awakened."
For Siddartha to reach a state of content and for him to feel that he has gained everything life has to offer, he has to be able to awaken his senses. If he realizes he needs to have passions and love and have ordinary feelings like everyone else, he will feel that he is missing out on lifes greates values.
Samielle Foltz
ReplyDelete“He had died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep.” (81)
This quote marks the point where Siddhartha had ended completely a way of life and began a new one where he has reached an awakening. He had done this before, earlier in the book, when he had wished to end the life of a Samana to the exact opposite, a man that embraced life's pleasures. However, despite his embrace of the rich life he prevented himself from being completely lost in that lifestyle by detaching himself unconsciously in the smallest measure. Hence, the reason why he's still alive. There's still a greater part of himself that he had buried despite self discovery. Before it was too late and Siddhartha had succeeded in killing himself it was necessary for him, with the kind of person that he is, to learn about the part of himself that he had buried. He had to symbolically kill that older self in order to start anew. After all Siddhartha takes everything to the max to master an art. He mastered the rich life. I personally think that if Siddhartha was so smart he would have took the position as an observer, to discover if his Self was really meant to discover happiness in a rich lifestyle. After all if rich men were not happy and content with the way things were that might have been a hint as to how he'd end up. In the beginning, Siddhartha would have known this. He took the position to sit down and observe nature, to learn from it in his own way. But as a rich man he put that side of himself, the Samana side, away. Since he's “died and a new Siddhartha had awakened from his sleep.” he has made the right decision to totally cast away the path of the rich man despite his lengthy mistake. But since he is “reborn” so to speak, he has much more to learn despite having developed into a new and better Siddhartha.
Mark Galambos
ReplyDelete"'I have no desire to walk on water,' said Siddhartha. 'Let the old Samanas satisfy themselves with such arts.'" (19)
When Siddhartha left his father he denied his father's religious position, he thought he could do more than what his father could, so he set off on his own religious journey. In time however, Siddhartha began to believe that what the Samanas were teaching him was not all that he could do. After this quote was spoken, he decided he would move on from the Samanas and follow a different path to enlightenment.
Erik Enselman
ReplyDelete"He had finished with that. That also died in him. He rose, said farewell to the mango tree and the pleasure garden." pg 68
This is the part in the book when Siddhartha decides to start a new life. He leaves everything he loved, such as his father, Govinda, and Kamala. Siddhartha is trying to rethink his ways of life and what he actually wants to do in his life. So far, this book is really interesting.
Craig Thomas
ReplyDelete"but today he only saw one of teh river's secrets, one that gripped his soul. He saw that the water contunually flowed and flowed and yet it was always there; it was always the same and yet every moment it was new. Who could understand, conceive this? He did not understnad it; he was only aware of a dim suspicion, a faint memory, divine voices." (Pg 83)
This part of the book is explaining how siddhartha realizes he has much to learn. He talks about how a river seemingly never changes the waves are always in the same place but yet the river is constantly changing. it is never the same. the water is constantly moving and changing the scene without a noticable change. He is confused by this and cant figure out who would be able to understand it. I believe he is starting to go back to his original beliefs and will soon understand what he is searching for
Brody Hovatter
ReplyDelete"But where were the Brahmans, where the priests, where the wise men or penitents, who had succeeded in not just knowing this deepest of all knowledge but also to live it?"
This is what Siddhartha asks himself as he is pondering the best way to learn and to attain enlightenment. After living in his village, and with the Semanas, Siddhartha is realizing that the best way to gain knowledge is not only to learn it from a source but to live and experience it. Siddhartha respects his mentors, but realizes that they themselves have not achieved enlightenment and that in order for him to do so he must do it on his own. It will be interesting to see what Siddhartha will go experience later in the book.
Maxx Forde
ReplyDelete"'Siddhartha,” he said, “why are you waiting?'
'You know why.'
'Will you go on standing and waiting until it is day, noon, evening?'
'I will stand and wait.'
'You will grow tired, Siddhartha.'
'I will grow tired.'
'You will fall asleep, Siddhartha.'
'I will not fall asleep.'
'You will die, Siddhartha.'
'I will die.'”
This conversation between Siddhartha and his father shows just how set he is on leaving and going with the Samanas. Although his father is very offended, it is not something that he is able to stop and it shows that when Siddhartha is set on something, it will happen, which develops his character a little bit.
Kirsten Zoba
ReplyDelete"Nothing is mine, I know nothing, I possess nothing, how strange it is! Now, when I am no longer young, when my hair is fast growing gray, when strength begins to diminish, now I am beginning again like a child. He had to smile again. Yes, his destiny was strange!" (77)
This is when Siddhartha is realizing how wrong his stage as a rich man was and he is transforming back into the simple person that he was instead of this lavish, over-the-top person. He looks back on his life and time as a rich man as being foolish and strange. This contributes to the overall theme of change and inner growth because of the obvious realizations that Siddhartha is making.
Jade Baumann
ReplyDelete"I will no longer try to escape Siddhartha. I will no longer devote my thoughts to Atman and the sorrows of the world. I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find the secret behind the ruins. I will no longer study Yoga-Veda, Atharva-Veda, or asceticism, or any other teachings. I will learn from myself, be my own pupil; I will learn from myself the secret of Siddhartha." p.32
This quote deisplays a very serious theme in the story of Siddhartha. Siddhartha is thirsty for knowledge, and does anything he can to learn more. He travels from several different tribes, using severl techniques to learn more, and strive to achieve nirvana. But he never seems to reach his goal. Eventually, Siddhartha realizes the only way to learn more, is to teach himself, and experience things for himself. Not everything can be taught from other teachers. This quote shows the different learning techniques he has used, and how he decides to start on his own.