Siddhartha's Wisdom Of Strength

697 Words3 Pages
Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly; instances of vulnerability only reveal one’s strength. The concept of binary opposition, the juxtaposition of concepts that are opposite in meaning, is essential for one’s philosophical growth. Thus, the wisdom of strength could have only been obtained exclusively through personal experience. In the novel Siddhartha (1951), by Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha mirrors the caterpillar. During his expedition for trueness and perfection, Siddhartha suffers from weakness and loss. However, this fresh wisdom unveiled his profound appreciation of the world’s perfections and imperfections, and ultimately inner peace. Siddhartha, the caterpillar, experiences various forms of binary opposition to assist him throughout his trek toward balance.…show more content…
According to these ascetics, the passage to enlightenment requires the expulsion of the self and worldly possessions. This means that Siddhartha must mentally obscure the material world surrounding him. After enduring three years under ascetic practice, Siddhartha discovers the sheer reality of their system: obliterating the self is only temporary. “He has become sixty years old and has never attained nirvana…we shall never obtain nirvana, not he, not we” (Hesse 10). Siddhartha recognizes that the Samanas are closely related to alcoholics; they are mentally numbed and find brief escape, but are disappointed that conditions are the same once sober. Thus, the Samanas help him eliminate traveling the purely spiritual path, and conclusively narrow the options of his search for success. His repetitive lifestyle and stagnant progress is unsatisfying and discouraging; Siddhartha completely neglects the physical world, unearthing the conclusion that enlightenment cannot be obtained only spiritually but perhaps
Show More
Related

  • Summary Of Siddhartha Reading Response To Siddhartha

    1467 Words  | 6 Pages

    path from childhood to man is one that involves learning wisdom and maturity. Starting from infancy, the most effective and common form of learning is through trial and error. Attempts to teach by rote or through anecdotal evidence rarely has a lasting effect. Throughout a lifetime, the learning process continues, marking the change from child to man. The most critical part of growing older is gaining more knowledge, more maturity, and more wisdom. Childhood is marked by an insatiable curiosity, a desire

    Read More

More about Siddhartha's Wisdom Of Strength

Open Document