"In deep meditation, there is the possibility to put time out of existence, to see all life which was, is, and will be as if it was simultaneous, and there everything is good, everything is perfect, everything is Brahman. Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is, everything only requires my consent, only my willingness, my loving agreement, to be good for me, to do nothing but work for my benefit, to be unable to ever harm me. I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity, and needed the most shameful despair, in order to learn how to give up all resistance, in order to learn how to love the world, in order to stop comparing it to some world I wished, I imagined, some kind of perfection I had made up, but to leave it as it is and to love it and to enjoy being a part of it."
This is Siddhartha speaking to Govinda after everything has happened to him and he is sharing with Govinda his analysis of life and purpose. Siddhartha starts in the beginning of the book in a very nihilistic mindset, regarding rejecting the Braham and so on, and returns to this mindset with his own twist. His has this mentality of no accountability for actions. He is accepting how and what secular living means and feels since there is no escaping it he might as well join it. He has blurred this fine line between good verses evil because he feels there is no good verses evil. He speaks in absolutism based on his enlightenment.
This quote stood out to me because after everything that happened to Siddhartha, he just decides to give up on following teachings to do whatever pleases him and calls that enlightenment. I also find this interesting that Hesse wrote this during the dada movement and all of the chaos was occurring in Germany. It makes me wonder if he was accepting what was happening in his surrounds and had no desire to go against the grain. Or perhaps he wrote this to encourage people not to think as Siddhartha did. To me this a contradiction to what dada artists were doing at the same time. At the same time it seems as if Hesse was trying to find stable "ground" during this time of chaos.
2. I think writers like Hesse would be interested in Eastern philosophy and religion because of the rejection of western philosophy and religion due to association with corrupt leaders and groups using western philosophies as an excuse or a backdrop to hurt or offend other groups. This negative association with western religion and corrupt leadership drives people to go in the opposite direction: peace, oneness, and tranquility. These are some ideas eastern philosophies offer. In a world of corruption, who doesn't want that?
3. I don't think Siddhartha could have ever reached enlightenment while being in the city and being Kamala because while he was there and with her he was allowing everything in his surroundings influence him.
4. I feel that the river represents restoration, transformation, reflection, and reconnection through revealing the complexity of existence. This is seen when Siddhartha looks at his reflection while he hung from the coconut tree and saw the emptiness he'd embraced and become. Later being by the river restores him and rejuvenates him after a deep sleep. This is also seen when Vasudeva encourages Siddhartha to listen to the river and find his interpretation of what the river is telling him regarding existence. The river also represents self examination as every time Siddhartha looks at his reflection in the river it brings him to another realization about himself and who he is as a person.
8. Vasudeva is a godlike figure, also the ferryman on the river, by whom Siddhartha finds Nirvana. His humble demeanor and wisdom grant Siddhartha the serenity not to commit suicide. Vasudeva has a very strong connection to the river and attributes all of his knowledge and wisdom from the river and encourages Siddhartha to do the same, which in turn helps Siddhartha to find Nirvana.
10. Siddhartha chose not to follow Buddha because he feels that every man must go on his own pilgrimage to discover themselves. He feels that that is the only way to gain knowledge and wisdom, not through someone else's teachings, knowledge, and wisdom. Siddhartha feels that Nirvana is from within.
