Siddhartha Flashcards
When and why does Siddhartha leave home?
At age 15 he leaves to join the Samanas
How does Siddhartha’s father feel about Siddhartha leaving?
He reluctantly lets him go
What are Siddhartha’s three talents throughout his life?
Thinking, fasting, and waiting
Why does Siddhartha leave the Samanas?
He can’t achieve permanent enlightenment and hears about the Buddha.
Gotama robs Siddhartha of his , but gives him .
friend / his self
How does Siddhartha convince the Samanas to let him go?
He hypnotizes the oldest Samana
How does Siddhartha convince his father to let him go?
He stands in one place for hours.
What is the flaw in the Buddha’s logic, according to Siddhartha?
If all things are connected, how can some people achieve Nirvana and rise out of the interconnected cycle of life?
What makes the Buddha stick out from his followers?
His smile
Why does Siddhartha tell Govinda that he will not stay to follow the Buddha?
He does not want to follow a teacher, but follow his inner voice.
Why does Siddhartha want Kamala to be his teacher?
He wants to learn the art of love.
What are Kamala’s requirements for Siddhartha before she will teach him?
He needs to have nice clothes and money.
What talent does Siddhartha have that most impresses Kamaswami?
He can read and write
What about Siddhartha disappoints Kamaswami when they first start working together?
He is not as concerned about making a profit. (He goes on a business trip and stays there for a while making friends even though he doesn’t succeed in making the deal.)
What is the significance of the songbird?
It is kept in a cage just like Siddhartha is caught in a cycle of suffering. When Siddhartha leaves, Kamala releases the bird.
How is Siddhartha like a shooting star or a rock thrown in a river?
He finds the most direct route to his goal.
Who sat all night by the river with Siddhartha to protect him from snakes?
Govinda
Other than representing Siddhartha’s path to enlightenment, how is the river significant?
It reunites him with important people from his life: Kamala, Govinda, and his son
Why does Vasudeva say Siddhartha must let his son go?
He needs to have his own experiences in order to learn
What happens to Kamala?
She receives a bite from a snake and dies
What does Siddhartha hope to learn from the river?
How to listen
What does Siddhartha eventually hear in the river?
Laughter
What is the significance of smiles in Siddhartha?
People who are enlightened have them. They seem childish because they are truly happy, living in the moment, and not suffering.
What does Siddhartha reveal to Govinda at the end of the novel?
All things are interrelated and contain parts of everything else. (A rock can become dirt which can become a plant or a person and vice versa.) A person can simultaneously be a saint, a sinner, and a Buddha.
Other things not in these flashcards: Review the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, what Siddhartha learned from the people in his life (River Chart handout), and the themes discussed in our review.
Study hard! Good luck!
