TheresaScrapbook4

= Theresa's Scrapbook =



The Assignment
To get a feeling for how the Samanas, Indian ascetics that are found in the novel Siddhartha, try to reach enlightenment, we gave up something we enjoy for a week. I chose to give up milk, because I drink it all the time, with //everything//.

Getting Started
The first few days of giving up milk were not that difficult. It was just difficult remembering that I //couldn't// drink milk. Other than the normal times I would drink milk, like for dinner, or with other meals. Throughout the day I kept on, subconciously, reaching for the carton of milk, because I do it so often.

[[image:driddle10h/A piture of Siddhartha.jpg width="284" height="149" align="left"]] Begining of the Week
At the beginging of the week it was easy. The first day I didn't even realize it. Then on the second day, my family sat down at dinner, I usually drink milk with my meals and I had to grab a glass of water because we didn't have anything else. Personally, I think water is tastless an dull, it was not satisfying at all.

Middle of the Week
The middle was slightly harder than the beginging, "The world had a bitter taste,"(7). The fact that I couldn't drink milk then and that I hadn't for days was really difficult, though I had gotten used to it.Though, I still continued, like Govinda said, "We have learned, and we are continuing to learn," (9).

End of the Week [[image:driddle10h/enlightenment2.jpg width="247" height="178" align="right"]]
By the end of the week I'd given up. It was so much better being able to drink milk with everything again. Although, it isn't good that I couldn't go a week without milk I did learn how much I drink it every day. It was great to have it back, like mine, "Siddhartha's soul returned," (8). Finally, by the end of the week I was back to normal. I wouldn't //want// to do this again, but it would not be the worst thing if I had to.

_

Quote
Siddhartha reached awakening after he left the grove of the Buddha, to him, it was, "The forest and the mountains were fixed in their places," (22).

[[image:Siddhartha.jpg width="487" height="363" align="left"]] Analysis
I drew the forest and mountains because, as Siddhartha said, the forest and moutains were fixed in their places. He describes enlightenment as everything being as it is and as it was. He saw the beauty of the world as it was, for the first time. He became himself. This is what I saw when the author was describing Siddhartha's awakening. I chose these colors because they are what the colors of the mountains, trees, grass, sky, and sun would be, as it says in the book. He says that, "blue was blue, river was river," (22), and, so, in my drawing, blue is blue.

_

[[image:http://people.brandeis.edu/~wilson/DW-Design/Siddhartha_Page_2_files/Siddhartha252.jpg align="left"]]Name:
Kamala

**Location:**
Pleasure grove

Eyes:
Brown

Hair:
Brown with streaks

About Me:
I have been told I am beautiful, "To tell you that, and thank you, for being so beautiful," (30), wise, and sweet.

Hobbies/Profession:
My profession is The Art of Love or Prostitution, a courtesan. I do own a songbird, as well.

Looking for:
If he is a kind, handsome man it is not enough, "he still does not stisfy me!" (30) He has to be a rich man, "He must have clothes, handsome clothes, and shoes, good-looking shoes, and a lot of money in his purse, and gifts for Kamala," (30).

**My Daily Life**

 * 1) Wake up
 * 2) Get on the bus
 * 3) Go to my classes
 * 4) Lunch
 * 5) Go to my other classes
 * 6) Ride the bus home
 * 7) Do homework
 * 8) Get on the Computer
 * 9) Eat dinner
 * 10) Read and fall asleep

**Quote**
During his life with Kamala, Siddhartha fell into an every day routine. Soon he despised his life in this routine, "the world entrapped him," (42). Then he decided to leave, sick of this meaningless existance.

**Analysis:**
My school days are pretty much the same each day. I wake up at around seven and get on the bus at about eight-ten. Then, when I get to school, I talk with my friends until the warning bell rings and I go to class. I go to lunch, more classes and, finally, home, where I do homework. After I finish my homework, I enjoy time on the computer until dinner is ready. I eat dinner with my family then get ready for bed. I read until I get tired or decide its late then go to sleep. This is a, somewhat, samsara life but there isn't much I can do to change it.

_

The River
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Song
River of Life by Jonathan Butler

Lyrics
Yeah, to the river of life Oh, to the river of life You're my river of life

Quote
"'You have chosen a fine life,' the passenger said. 'It must be beautiful to live by this water every day and to travel on it,'" (55).

Analysis
In this song, River of Life, the singer is 'drifting away on the river of life' towards his love. He travels across the ocean, in the sky to be 'in your arms tonight'. Like Siddhartha, a river is the answer to where he belongs in life. Siddhartha finds his place, after a long journey of questions, as a ferryman living by a river. The singer, as well, finds his place with his love in the 'River of Life.' _

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Song
Back To the River by Susan Tedeschi

Lyrics
and get back to the river back to the river oh back to the river back to the river to take my time

Quote
"'I shall remain by this river,' thought Siddhartha. 'It is the same one that I once crossed on my way to the child-people.'" (54)

Analysis
In the song, the narrator is singing about going back to the river where her life is. Like Siddhartha, she is wandering away from her river and soon finds that this river is her home. Siddhartha, throughout the book is returning to this river while he travels and he doesn't realize until the end that the river he has been passing across all this time is his answer to finding enlightenment, as a ferryman of the river.

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Song
Find The River by R.E.M.

Lyrics
I have got to leave to find my way A need to leave the water knows I have got to find the river.

Quote
"-but was it of any value to know all this when they did not know the one and only thing, the most important thing, the only important thing?" (3)

Analysis
At the begining of the book, Siddhartha feels as though he needs to leave his safe, wealthy home to find his way, like the singer in this song. He eventually finds his way, his place or enlightenment. His enlightenment is by a river as a ferryman, the singer in this song could mean that by finding his river he is finding his way to enlightenment.

__

Om
Govinda, Siddhartha's friend from youth acts a foil for him in many ways throughout the story. Where Siddhartha is a leader, Govinda is a follower. Where Siddhartha is arrogant, Govinda is humble. In the book, he is extremely different from his friend yet very similar, as well.

When Siddhartha decides he wants to leave and join the Samanas, Govinda happily joins him along his quest. It was said, early on, in the book that, "he wanted to follow Siddhartha, the loved one, the splendid one," (2). While Siddhartha was the leader, Govinda was the, ever-faithful, follower. The two joined the samanas and learned a great deal from them. Then, they go to see the Buddha, together. They heard what Gotama, the Buddha, had to say and Govinda, a follower at heart, was deeply moved by his sermon and He made the decision to join in the refuge of the Buddha's Law. Siddhartha, although, did not wish to accompany his friend. Upon hearing this, Govinda begged him to stay but Siddhartha, a strong leader, refused and the old friends parted ways.

As Siddhartha leaves Gotama's community he realizes he is alone, much unlike his friend Govinda, "Govinda had become a monk, and a thousand monks were his brothers, wore the same garment, shared the same faith, spoke his language," (23). Govinda, throughout the story, is never alone. He was either with Siddhartha or the Buddhist monks, whereas, Siddhartha was alone a great piece of his journey to enlightenment. Perhaps this was because he was naturally a follower and followers do not tend to go off on their own, but, whatever it was, Siddhartha felt differently, he contrasted his friend.

At the very end of the story, Govinda runs into Siddhartha, again. He was going to see the ferryman many people believed was a sage. On his journey across the river, he discovers that this fabled ferryman is his old, childhood friend, Siddhartha. Then, Siddhartha asks him to stay the night, Govinda accepts. The two discuss faith, “I see that you have found peace. I confess that I have not,”(80). While Siddhartha has finally reached enlightenment, Govinda, though he joined the Sublime One, had not. Another thing that differs between them, Govinda, still a follower, still learning when Siddhartha who went off on his own and learned from many teachers then became the teacher himself.

Govinda, Siddhartha’s best friend, within the book, Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, is a contrast to his friend. Govinda was always a follower, from the beginning of the book to the end, he follows Siddhartha to the Samanas, then follows the Buddha hoping to find enlightenment. Govinda never was alone, he joined what many people had, becoming part of the crowd. He rejoins Siddhartha again and, again becomes the student to Siddhartha. The two opposites, student and teacher, Govinda and Siddhartha.