This year I'm reading the Dover Thrift Editions
translated by Stanley Appelbaum, but most of my quotes are copied and
pasted from the Standard Ebook, click here to read it free online.
Gotama is the family name of the Buddha in Pali: Siddhattha Gotama (Pali) and Siddhartha Gautama in Sanskrit. Click here for the Meaning of Characters' Names.
Self Actualization
Govinda becomes a man,
"You [Govinda] have become a man and are choosing your path for yourself."
Gotama's followers have to be free of desires, and yet, Siddhartha, not Govinda, seems to be the one who has freed himself from desires.
"No one will achieve salvation through teachings."
"Either to attain my goal alone or to die."
These are moments for Siddhartha and Govinda. Back to walking on water, one must save oneself. Govinda won't be saved following Siddhartha (more on that later). No ones' teaching will save one. But Govinda breaks from Siddhartha to follow another, to follow a teaching, can it save him?
Losing Shadows
Siddhartha loses his shadow. Govinda is Siddhartha's shadow, the story literally refers to it multiple times. When Siddhartha drops Govinda (his shadow), what is lost? Does the shadow represent more than teachings and teachers? What will Siddhartha gain if his shadow returns (more on that later)? What happens when we lose and or find our shadow?
Part I
Day 1, 20 Dec- Chapter 1: "The Son of the Brahmin"
Day 2, 21 Dec- Chapter 2: "With the Samanas"
Day 3, 22 Dec- Chapter 3: "Gotama"
Day 4, 23 Dec- Chapter 4: "Awakening"
Part II
Day 5, 24 Dec- Chapter 5: "Kamala"
Day 6, 25 Dec- Chapter 6: "With the Childlike People"
Day 7, 26 Dec- Chapter 7: "Sansara"
Day 8, 27 Dec- Chapter 8: "By the River"
Day 9, 28 Dec- Chapter 9: "The Ferryman"
Day 10, 29 Dec- Chapter 10: "The Son"
Day 11, 30 Dec- Chapter 11: "Om"
Day 12, 31 Dec- Chapter 12: "Govinda"
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI already commented on this in a previous chapter, so I'll jump into the future with this one!
ReplyDeleteIn "Awakening," Siddhartha says part of himself is now gone: "the wish to have teachers and to hear teachings." Teaching is false, because it's can't be totally true. So, now he's not any of his old things, yet he's now "on a path to himself."
What is he? It's good, as he "stood alone like a star in the sky--from that moment of chill and despondency--Siddhartha emerged, more himself than before, his powers more firmly compacted."
Huh. Whatever he is now, newly birthed in the world, it seems exciting and wonderful, but I suspect this moment of wonder is going to wear off. Although the next chapter makes it sound compelling: "Siddhartha learned something new with every step of his journey, for the world was transformed and his heart was under an enchantment." So, the world is transformed, and he's under an enchantment ... and this sounds neat ... awakening! ... but an "enchantment" implies he's still not seeing the way things are. And maybe that's not the point! Maybe the point of life is to shake things off and feel these moments of enchantment ... we shall see ...
A manic phase?
Delete