Siddhartha Biography

Hermann Hesse a German- Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. Born on July 2, 1877, in Calw, Württemberg, Germany to his mother, Marie and his father, Johannes. His parents were of European ancestry and did much of their missionary work in India. At a young age, he was expected to pursue a career in religion. But he was very interested in his poetry and literature. After finishing schooling in 1893, he found a bookstore, antique store and a clock tower factory. This is when he pursued his poetry. He soon started to publish his work. His debut novel called Peter Camenzind pushed his career as a writer and poet. Following in his parent’s footsteps, he moved to India and studied Buddhism religion, flavors of India, stories and the old folklore for …show more content…
In the Braham Family, Siddhartha grew up as the golden boy. With his friend, Govinda, they would meditate under a tree. This is where Siddhartha would have visions of the Samanas coming to the village and telling Siddhartha and Govinda to join them. From the book, Siddhartha, it says “Siddhartha had begun to feel that the love of his father and mother, and also the love of his friend Govinda, would not always make him happy, give him peace, satisfy and suffice him. He had begun to suspect that his worthy father and his other teachers, the wise Brahmins, had already passed on to him the bulk and best of their wisdom but his soul was not at peace."(3) Looking for enlightenment, Siddhartha and Govinda went off with the Samanas to gain new knowledge. After learning many life teaching and values, Siddhartha was still not at peace. In order to gain enlightenment, Govinda and Siddhartha went to learn the new teachings of enlightenment from a new teacher, Gotama Buddha. When meeting Buddha, Siddhartha says “There is one thing that this clear, worthy instruction does not contain; it does not contain the secret of what the Illustrious One himself experienced… that is why I am going on my way not to seek another doctrine, for I know there is none, but to leave all doctrines and all teachers and to reach my goal alone—or die.”(28) Siddhartha fond of Gotama’s serenity and peace, he tells Govinda to join the Buddha’s community because Siddhartha says that he will not be able to reach enlightenment through other’s teachings. He wanted to experience all there is to life, once doing that he will be able to find enlightenment through the things he loves to