GaneshScrapbook3

With The Samanas =**The Assignment-**=

For my Self-denial assignment, I chose not to listen to music on my iPhone. I chose this because it was not something I needed, at least most of the time.

In the beginning, giving up listening to music wasn't that hard. I was not bothered by it. In a way, it made me more aware of my surroundings, for example on the way to school, I noticed the nature. Also my mind was clear, much like when Siddhartha "saw businessmen trading, princes going to hunt, mourners weeping over their dead, doctors attending to the sick, priests deciding the day for sowing, lovers making love, mothers soothing their children-and all were not worth a passing glance". Also, I don't really listen to music on the weekends, so that wasn't really a problem for me. I did okay in the beginning, and that kept going for a few days.
 * [[image:monk.jpg width="170" height="170" align="right"]]Getting started-**

In the middle of the week, I did not get much sleep, so I had to use music as a way to stay awake on the bus. I wasn't that i wanted to listen to music because I felt tired, but because I needed to, and if I didn't, I would have fallen asleep in my classes, which was not a good idea considering we had an open forum discussion in AP history. After that day, I slept more, and was able to stay awake the next day. The next few days were easier for me in the assignment.
 * Midweek-**

**By the End-** After the days when I had little sleep passed, and i had gotten more sleep, I was able to complete the assignment with ease. The task wasn't difficult. All I had to do was to leave my headphones at home, giving me not choice, but actually having made the choice. I know that listening to music in the morning wasn't something I needed, but it was important to me, because it stimulated my mind when I needed it. "Siddhartha informed the eldest Samana of his decision to leave him. He told the old man with the politeness and modesty fitting to young men and students." Listening to music was sort of like a best friend, helping me when I needed the help, and only after this experience did I realize the full extent of what music meant to me. I related this to when Govinda said "Siddhartha, you have more from the Samanas than I was aware." I had learned more about my surrounding while having realized the importance of music in my life. = =

=The Awakening-=

The Quote
What does Siddhartha's "Awakening" look like? Is this the same thing as reaching Enlightenment? In the text, Siddhartha becomes awakened to the world around him after leaving the Samanas and Gotama (the Buddha). He sees "the world for the first time. The world was beautiful strange and mysterious. Here was blue, here was yellow, here was green, sky and river, woods and mountains, all beautiful, all mysterious and enchanting, and in the midst of it, he, Siddhartha, the awakened one, on the way to himself. All this, all this yellow and blue, river and wood, passed for the first time across Siddhartha's eyes. It was no longer the magic of Mara, it was no more the veil of Maya, it was no longer meaningless and the chance diversities of the appearances of the world, despised by deep-thinking Brahmins, who scorned diversity, who sought unity. River was river, and if the One and Divine in Siddhartha secretly lived in blue and river, it was just the divine art and intention that there should be yellow and blue, there sky and wood -- and here Siddhartha. Meaning and reality were not hidden somewhere behind things, they were in them, in all of them"

Analysis
I drew a scene of the forest merging into the open world, all the time following the path by a deep blue river. In the book, the different colors used in the awakening are yellow, blue, and green. I drew the forest to represent the green, the forest he was emerging from. Then I drew the river that led out of the forest which was dark blue. He follows the river, which is winding, life his course of life. After Siddhartha emerges from the forest, he sees the sunrise, represented by the yellow sun in my picture. In the book, he realizes that he has a new opportunity when he says, "Then suddenly this also was clear to him: he, who was in fact like one who had awakened or was newly born, might begin his life completely afresh." he realized the potential he had of making a new life. Also, his awakening was not very pleasant, because he goes on about be in despair. "He was overwhelmed by a sense of icy despair, but he was more firmly himself than ever." Nevertheless, he was grateful for his awakening.

=Kamala=




 * Name ** : Kamala


 * Location ** : The Pleasure Grove


 * Eyes ** : Dark Brown


 * Hair ** : Chocolate Brown with Caramel Streaks


 * About Me:** I am very observant, and also very brave."To Siddhartha's great astonishment he felt how much she had taught him, how clever she was,..." I am a very smart person, and I am able to be very persuasive, but in a good way.


 * Hobbies / Profession**: Courtesan


 * Looking for**: I am looking for a man who is intelligent, and clever. Also, I want him to be dressed nicely, and have many talents. I also want a man with a high status, and lots of money, because I am not rich. This man should be able to accomplish many feats and be successful in the world. "You will need much money if you want to be Kamala's friend." This man has to be proud and happy, and should be a good person. "He was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of pride. He was a Samana no longer." I don't want a person who will starve himself, but that will work for the better. He should be in the real world, and not worrying about fasting and living the Samana way.

=Samsara-=

My Daily Life-
1. Wake up and get ready for school

2. Go to the bus stop, and wait for the bus

3. Be at school and learn things

4. Eat lunch

5. Learn More

6. Go home

7. Practice Violin

8. Do homework

9. Eat dinner

10. Do more homework

11. Go to bed

(12. Repeat?)

Quote from Siddhartha-
Quote- "Like a veil, like a thin mist, a weariness settled on Siddhartha, slowly, every day a little thicker, every month a little darker, every year a little heavier. As a new dress grows old with time, loses its bright color, becomes stained and creased, the hems frayed, and here and there weak and threadbare places, so had Siddhartha's new life which he had begun after his parting from Govinda, become old. In the same way it lost its color and sheen with the passing of the years: creases and stains accumulated, and hidden in the depths, here and there already appearing, waited disillusionment and nausea. Siddhartha did not notice it. He only noticed that the bright and clear inward voice, that had once awakened in him and had always guided him in his finest hours, had become silent."

The Comic-
media type="custom" key="21489022"

Analysis-
In some ways my life is like Siddhartha's, because I do have a very routine life, as depicted by my comic and daily routine list. It does tend to get boring at sometimes, but not to the extent of Siddhartha's routine at that point in his life. Basically, I wake around 7:00 AM, and get ready for school, done the things that I need to do in the morning. Then I go, and wait for the bus. When it does come, it's about a 15 minute drive, in which I usually make or listen to music (garage band). When I get to school, I go through all of the classes I have, depending on the day. Eventually I have lunch, and resume my classes. After school, I go home to first practice violin, and preceding that, start on my homework. Around 6, we have dinner, after which I continue my homework, and finally go to bed, which is usually around 10:00 to 11:00. My life is repetitive right now, but it won't always be that way, so I am not affected by it as Siddhartha is, though sometimes I feel as if I'm not fully there, very similar to Siddhartha's experience." For a long time Siddhartha had lived the life of the world without belonging to it." I feel as if I am standing at the side, watching everything pass, which sometimes can be relaxing, but other times frustrating.

=The River-=

media type="custom" key="21324786" Crest of Waves by Coldplay

Calling out from beneath the waves Beaten down by this ocean rain Never again Never again

Ohhh, Ohhh Ohhh, Ohhh

Screaming out from the crests of the waves


 * The Quote-**

"He was deeply entangled in Samsara; he had drawn nausea and death to himself from all sides, like a sponge that absorbs water until its full. He was full of ennui, full of misery, full of death; there was nothing left in the world that could attract him, that could give him pleasure and solace."


 * Analysis-**

When I read this quote from Siddhartha, it reminded me of one of my favorite songs, Crest of Waves. When Siddhartha thinks this, it shows how he was struggling against the water, a.k.a. himself. The lyrics of the Coldplay song, though not exactly the same as the quote from Siddhartha, hold the same meaning, only in a more exaggerated way.

media type="custom" key="21325030"
 * Rainy Day by Coldplay**

Then there was rain The sky wore a veil of gold and green Night is the bride of a lonely day Time just floated Then there was rain The sound foundations are crumbling To the ground comes a pyramid tumbling Time just floated away We can watch it and stay And we can listen


 * Quote-**

"He stopped at this river and stood hesitantly on the bank...Why should he go any further, where, and for what purpose?"


 * Analysis-**

This reflects Siddhartha's confusion, as well as his desperation for a life's purpose. In the song, Rainy Day, the singer is also showing the same emotion as Siddhartha. he is trying to find the purpose of his life(intellectually).

media type="custom" key="21324956"

The Moldau, Smetana


 * Analysis-**

This music is actually a symphonic orchestra piece that I played in a recent concert. The piece doesn't have any words, so naturally a quote is unnecessary to explain it, just the experience of having read the book. In this piece, if you listen to it, it follow Siddhartha's life very accurately, in my opinion. The beginning symbolize the trickle of water, much like Siddhartha' life. He wanted to become a Samana, which can be very peaceful. Then the trickle of water swells to a creek, symbolizing Siddhartha's growing discontent. Later on there are happy moments as well as the happy moments in his life, and sad moments as well. in the end, the music gets very intense, symbolizing Siddhartha's final attempt at find his life's purpose, and his awakening is symbolized by the end, where the piece becomes happy, and acts as a resolution to the conflict of the story. Of the many reasons I chose this piece, the strong correlation between Siddhartha's life and its self was the best reason.

=Om...=

Sock

Once, a kid named Sock decided that he wanted to go out into the world. The thing is he was only 16, and was too young to support himself. He was a very stubborn, but intellectual person. He wanted to know what his purpose was in life, and what he should, or would do with his life. “With your permission, Father, I have come to tell you that I wish to leave your house tomorrow and join the ascetics. I wish to become a Samana. I trust my father will not object.”(Hesse, 10) Sock decided to bring this to his parents one day, and told them while he was having dinner. They were not happy, but they knew that he could take care of himself. They had always trusted him with things like that. He wanted to live like the poor, and decided to live in the streets, to get a perspective of what a hard life would be like. He believed that after that experience, he would understand himself more. Sock left the next day, taking with him nothing but himself. The first day wasn’t that hard because the hunger had not affected him yet. He went to the downtown, and chose a spot. After of few weeks, he understood, but realized that it wasn’t the thing for him. He certainly learned to appreciate the life that he had before. He decided to change his approach. Sock traveled to California all the way from Washington State, mostly on foot, but sometimes by car, if anyone was feeling generous. He got there and went to Hollywood. There, he met Bruce Lee, a famous actor, but also a very introspective and thoughtful individual. “In the town of Savathi every child knew the name of the illustrious Buddha and every house was ready to fill the alms bowls of Gotama’s silently begging disciples.”(Hesse, 25) When Sock met Bruce Lee, Bruce was in his car. He had asked Sock many questions about him, and ultimately invited Sock to stay at the hotel with him, and Sock realizing who it was, accepted the invitation. When Sock and Bruce finally got to the hotel, Bruce offered to talk to him about very deep things, such as the purpose of life, and how not to worry one’s self, and to be in the moment. After all of Sock’s questions were answered, life went much faster, much like a pleasant blur. In the years that passed, Sock grew. He met a woman, who inspired him to become an educated gentleman, in order to win the hand of the woman. He returned to his family, and completed the rest of his academic career. After he finished school, he got a very high paying job, which made him very rich. He was married to the women, and they had a son. Soon enough, Sock got a better job offer, and ended moving to Puerto Rico, separating their family. He became even wealthier than he already was, but was very depressed at the repetitiveness of his life. He also sorely missed his wife and baby son. As time went on, he become more depresses, and more unsure of himself. Finally, one day, Socks wanted to kill himself. He planned to jump off of a very high bridge. When he did, he realized as he fell, that he didn’t want to die, but he had already jumped. When he landed in the water, there was a large splash. He didn’t lose consciousness, however, and saw fins approaching him. He thought they were sharks, and was about to pass out in fear of what he had just done, and what was about to happen. He blacked out, but stayed floating. Eventually, the coast guard came and pulled him out of the water. They told him that there were dolphins swimming around him to keep him floating. The coast guard tried to ask him what he was doing in the water, but he just mumbled random word. They couldn’t understand him, but he understood…