JacobScrapbook2

=__Jacob Beiter's Scrapbook__=

=With the Samanas=

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 watching shows on Netflix because I like to watch them and sometimes spend a bit more time watching them then I probably should. =Beginning of the Week=

I think that the beginning of the week was hardest for me. I was sorely tempted to watch Dr. Who on Netflix despite my giving it up. The reason that this was very difficult for me is that I am right at the end of a season where it gets really intense and gripping. I spent the beginning wondering what was happening and wishing I could finish the season finale. In the time when I would usually be watching something I mostly played games instead. I played more Minecraft than I usually do because that was the alternative I turned to to largely occupy my time. However, I thought it would get easier as the week went on, as Siddhartha experienced. When Siddhartha deprived himself, he "stood... until he no longer felt the thirst." (8). I hoped the same would apply for me. =Middle of the Week= More towards the middle of the week I started to lose interest in watching Netflix as I got used to not watching it and also got more hooked and interested again in what I was doing in Minecraft. Siddhartha had a similar experience, although instead of giving up Netflix he gave up life for the most part. He started to have contempt for those who lived life normally, "his gaze became icy when he met women" (Hesse 7) and "his mouth twitched in contempt when he passed through a town" (7). He lost interest in what he gave up, similarly to me. =End of the Week= Nearer to the end of the week it got harder to do again. I wanted to cave and watch the show. It got more difficult right at the very end, because I was anticipating being able to watch it. I was sorely tempted to watch Netflix on the final day. It was very difficult. Siddhartha experienced a similar thing, but probably more intense, as what he was giving up was much harder to give up than what I was. For Siddhartha, "The world had a bitter taste" (7) and "Life was torment" (7).

=Awakening=

The Quote
Siddhartha's Awakening occurred after he left the Buddha and Govinda behind in the grove. He saw the world in a new light. It was "beautiful, the world was full of variety, the world

was strange and puzzling! Here was blue, here was yellow, here was green, sky flowed, and river; forest jutted upward, and mountains; everything beautiful..." (Hesse 22) I drew a scene that included most of what was mentioned, the river, sky, forest, and mountains. Siddhartha is walking away on a path in the center. The color radiating from around him represents his awakening and the new way he sees the world.



**Name**: Kamala

**Location**: The Pleasure Grove

**Eyes**: Dark Brown

**Hair**: Chocolate Brown with Caramel Streaks

**About Me**: I am a fun-loving woman. I live in comfort - I have most of what I want, for I am so very good at what I do. I am "good at [kissing], and so I have no lack of clothes, shoes, armbands, and every beautiful thing." (Hesse 32)

Hobbies / ProfessionFor my profession I like to say that I am a professional lover. "Many young men come visit me" (30) and give me money and I return the favor with love. Outside of that, I like to teach men to love - other men who are not paying me, who are more serious.

Looking ForI'm interested in a man who is rich, with many gifts for me. A well-dressed man with good looking clothes and shoes. They must have "a lot of money if [they] wish to be Kamala's friend." (32)

Samsara

My Daily Life
//Write down a list of things you do every day or every week. What are your routines? What does a day in your life look like? What do you get caught up in day to day that may keep you from realizing the "meaning of life" or reaching enlightenment? Remember, you will need at least 6 frames for your comic - so you will need at least 6 "routines." You can write them here:// 1. Wake up. 2.Marching Band 3. Have School 4. Go Home 5. Goof around/ watch shows/ browse the internet 6. Do my homework 7. Go to bed

Quote from Siddhartha
//Find ONE quote describing a day in the life of Siddhartha. What does he do? What routines does he follow? The following pages have some quotes you may wish to use - check them out. Then, put your quote here://

"The years passed by. Enveloped by comfortable circumstances, Siddhartha hardly noticed their passing," (Hesse 75)

Analysis
//After you have your routines and your comic strips, explain your comic strip here. Compare your life and routines to those of Siddhartha. Do you think your routines have a positive or negative effect on your life? You can write that here://

My life is fairly routine. I don't really notice the passing of time a whole lot; most of my days are pretty monotonous. First I wake up, usually late - about ten to fifteen minutes after I plan to. Then, I go to marching band where I rehearse for a while, then start school. The school days go pretty well, I tend to prefer blue days more during the day. Then I go home, sometimes riding the bus crowded with noisy obnoxious people, and sometimes being picked up by my mom and having a peaceful, quicker ride. After I get home I generally mess around for a while, watching things on the computer, playing games, etc. Then, often later than I should, I start my homework. I get it finished and then often mess around for a bit more and distract myself into staying up too late. Then I go to bed and the whole cycle repeats. This just keeps repeating and I don't notice the weeks and months slipping by. This is somewhat similar to the experiences of Siddhartha, for whom "the years passed by. Enveloped by comfortable circumstances, Siddhartha hardly noticed their passing," (75) similarly to me.

The River
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Song: Riverside by Kirk Franklin
__Lyrics:__ It's Friday and my bills are due My 3 month old baby need some shoes Can you feel what I'm going through Clock on the wall keeps tickin' tockin' No stoppin' and somebody's knocking On the do tellin' me to go Brother I can't take no mo So with my knees I hit the flo' And say help me Jesus, help me Jesus

Let's go down by the riverside Leave your problems all behind You can rest troubled minds Down by the riverside

If I concentrate on all the bad And all the things I wish I had How can the dark clouds ever pass Weeping may endure for a night But joy comes in the morning light Gotta keep the spirit right So no matter what the people say Ain't nobody taking this joy away In spite of everything I've been through I can say Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus

Let's go down by the riverside Leave your problems all behind You can rest troubled minds Down by the riverside //[3 times]//

Well, Well, Well

There's a blessin' in the water ya'll By the riverside, Say what now There's a healin' in the water By the riverside, Say what now "Love this river, stay by it, learn from it." Yes, he wanted to learn from it, he wanted to listen to it. It seemed to him that whoever understood this river and its secrets, would understand much more, many secrets, all secrets" (Hesse 54).
 * Quote from the text:**

The chorus of this song reminds me a lot of Siddhartha's view on the river. It says that you can go and stay by the river, leave all your problems behind, and rest your mind. This is similar to what Siddhartha does, except instead of resting his mind he brought himself to enlightenment. He decide that "he wanted to learn from it, he wanted to listen to it. It seemed to him that whoever understood this river and its secrets, would understand much more, many secrets, all secrets."
 * Analysis:**

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Song: Yes, The River Knows by The Doors
__Lyrics:__

Please believe me The river told me  Very softly Want you to hold me, ooo

Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breathe under water 'till the end Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breathe under water 'till the end Yes, the river knows

Please believe me If you don't need me  I'm going, but I need a little time I promised I would drown myself in mystic heated wine

Please believe me The river told me  Very softly Want you to hold me, ooo

I'm going, but I need a little time I promised I would drown myself in mystic heated wine

Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breathe under water 'till the end Free fall flow, river flow On and on it goes Breathe under water 'till the end

"filled with disgust and misery, he had even wanted to throw away his life," (48)
 * Quote from the text:**

The lyrics of this song remind me of Siddhartha's time of discernment when he sat by the river. He tried to figure out his role in life. "I'm going, but I need a little time" and "I promised I would drown myself in mystic heated wine" are the parts that remind me of it the most. "I'm going, but I need a little time" - he was trying to reach enlightenment, he needs time. In the song "I promised I would drown myself in mystic heated wine" refers to someone drowning their sorrows in wine. In the book, Siddhartha literally tried to drown himself in the river. He was "filled with disgust and misery, he had even wanted to throw away his life." (48)
 * Analysis:**

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Song: Riverman by Nick Drake
__Lyrics:__ Betty came by on her way Said she had a word to say About things today And fallen leaves.

Said she hadn't heard the news Hadn't had the time to choose A way to lose But she believes.

Going to see the river man Going to tell him all I can About the plan For lilac time.

If he tells me all he knows About the way his river flows And all night shows In summertime.

Betty said she prayed today For the sky to blow away Or maybe stay She wasn't sure.

For when she thought of summer rain Calling for her mind again She lost the pain And stayed for more.

Going to see the river man Going to tell him all I can About the ban On feeling free.

If he tells me all he knows About the way his river flows I don't suppose It's meant for me.

Oh, how they come and go Oh, how they come and go.

"I would like it best of all, ferryman, if you were to give me an old apron and keep me on as your assistant," (55)
 * Quote from the text:**

The "Riverman" in this song seems to align very well with Siddhartha's view of Vasudeva, the farrier, in the book. Siddhartha is "going to see the river man," hoping he will "tell [him] all he knows about the way his river flows." Siddhartha wants to learn from Vasudeva and from the river - learn to reach enlightenment. He wanted to stay with Vasudeva; he told him that he "would like it best of all, ferryman, if you were to give me an old apron and keep me on as your assistant." (55)
 * Analysis:**

The Son of Brahman:
Siddhartha departs His goal to be enlightened Govinda follows

With the Samanas:
The pair journeys on They join a samana group And live their lifestyle

He decides to leave Samana life is not for him Govinda follows

Gotama:
They traveled forward To the town of Savatthi They find the Buddha

Siddhartha moves on Govinda stays with Buddha Siddhartha goes alone

Awakening:
Siddharta ponders He discovers a great truth The world is not false

Kamala:
Siddhartha meets her Finds her in the pleasure grove Becomes her lover

With the Child-People:
Siddhartha stays there He becomes like one of them Becomes rich and fat

Samsara:
Years rushed by quickly Eventually he left them Left to journey more

By the River:
Siddhartha moves on Finds a river and thinks there He is a new man

The Ferryman:
Siddhartha stays there He lives with Vasudeva The man's apprentice

Kamala finds them Tells Siddhartha there's a son But Kamala dies

The Son:
He ignores Siddhartha The son runs away from them Goes to live his life

Om:
Vasudeva leaves He has reached enlightenment Siddhartha learns too

Govinda:
Govinda finds him Siddhartha teaches him too To enlightenment

=Works Cited= Hesse, Herman. //Siddhartha//. New York: Bantam, 1971.