Siddhartha Reading Blog (Section 1)

     Before we started reading Siddhartha we made a "blueprint" of what we thought the book would be about. I thought Siddhartha would grow so frustrated with his already planned out life that he would rebel and run away. That's not at all what happened. Siddhartha was very calm when he asked his Father's permission to become a Samana, and waited very patiently until his father finally agreed to let him go. He and his friend Govinda started their new life that morning. 
     With the Samanas Siddhartha learned to overcome the pain he inflicted upon himself. He starved himself. He learned how to become a different creature, and forget about everything for a little while. Even with these achievements, Siddhartha was still frustrated. He always came back to his old self. His goal was to become "empty", but he never could. His "thirst" was never quenched. This made him bitter towards the world. Every glimpse of happiness he saw angered him. The Samanas had not taught him what he thought they would. He was unhappy. It was for this reason he begrudgingly accepted Govinda's offer to hear some of Buddha's teachings. The rumor of Buddha had been spreading all over the country. Siddhartha didn't believe in him, but since nothing else had quenched his thirst, he decided to give it a try. 
     Siddhartha reminds me of both Confucius and the Tao. Siddhartha and Confucius both had a great thirst for knowledge, even if the knowledge they wanted to acquire was very different. They also went to great lengths to get this knowledge. Confucius read and studied and learned from the world at any moment possible. Siddhartha starved himself, froze himself, burnt himself, and crouched in a pile of thorns, bleeding, until he couldn't feel pain anymore. One way is obviously a little more extreme than the other, but they both had the same goal. 
     The Tao talks a lot about non-action, being in tune with nature, and learning through experience. Siddhartha spends his time in the forest meditating, fasting, and waiting for the moment to come when he is no longer attached to his "Self". This seems Taoist to me because he is away from society, is very patient, and tries to attain Nirvana through experiences like meditation and pain.    
     If I could make an educated guess, it would be that Siddhartha's thirst will be quenched by Buddha. I think Buddha will help him realize that there are other ways of becoming non-materialistic and overcoming one's sins than whipping yourself. I look forward to hearing what Buddha has to say.