Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post sayings and stories you find interesting or useful.
User avatar
Annapurna
Posts: 2639
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Annapurna »

Hanzze wrote:I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.
Hermann Hesse

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us.
Hermann Hesse

_/\_
I've always loved that quote, Hanzze! :hug:

Christopher, you are just amazing :-) I will call you "Chris the peacemaker", and you can nothing do against it :tongue:
Did anyone read the first quote of Chris the peacemaker?
Perhaps. Where is it?
alan
Posts: 3111
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:14 am
Location: Miramar beach, Fl.

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by alan »

If anyone has "The making of Buddhist modernism" handy, there is an interesting passage referring to Hesse's interpretation on page 228-232. Worth a read.
User avatar
Hanzze
Posts: 1906
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:47 pm
Location: Cambodia

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Hanzze »

Perhaps people like us cannot love. Ordinary people can - that is their secret.
Hermann Hesse
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by ground »

alan wrote:If anyone has "The making of Buddhist modernism" handy, there is an interesting passage referring to Hesse's interpretation on page 228-232. Worth a read.
Could you elaborate ... very briefly?

Kind regards
User avatar
Hanzze
Posts: 1906
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:47 pm
Location: Cambodia

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Hanzze »

There's no reality except the one contained within us. That's why so many people live an unreal life. They take images outside them for reality and never allow the world within them to assert itself.
Hermann Hesse
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by ground »

Hanzze wrote:There's no reality except the one contained within us. That's why so many people live an unreal life. They take images outside them for reality and never allow the world within them to assert itself.
Hermann Hesse
And in fantasizing about others' qualities and characteristics and thus fostering distraction you are following Hesse's footsteps?
Hesse was raised in a conservative christian environment, perhaps this motivated him. Christianity upholds saviours.



Kind regards
User avatar
Annapurna
Posts: 2639
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Annapurna »

alan wrote:If anyone has "The making of Buddhist modernism" handy, there is an interesting passage referring to Hesse's interpretation on page 228-232. Worth a read.
No, I don't.

:|
User avatar
Annapurna
Posts: 2639
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Annapurna »

TMingyur wrote:
Hanzze wrote:There's no reality except the one contained within us. That's why so many people live an unreal life. They take images outside them for reality and never allow the world within them to assert itself.
Hermann Hesse
And in fantasizing about others' qualities and characteristics and thus fostering distraction you are following Hesse's footsteps?
Hesse was raised in a conservative christian environment, perhaps this motivated him. Christianity upholds saviours.

Kind regards
I think he said that he finds "Siddharta" useful to understand Buddhism. He didn't even say in which way.

Plus, this quote doesn't seem to be from Siddharta.

When you say: in fantasising about others' qualities and characteristics and thus fostering distraction,

is that really necessarily bad and "fostering distraction"?

When I reflect upon the Buddhas qualities and characteristics, do I foster distraction? No, it is an inspiration for me.

Who knows if that isn't what Hanzze is doing, when he reflects upon Siddharta and Buddha? ;)
Hesse was raised in a conservative christian environment, perhaps this motivated him. Christianity upholds saviours.
And Buddha grew up in a Hindu environment. Perhaps this motivated him? :smile:

I'm not trying to dismiss what you said, -just adding some of my thoughts.

Kind regards
PeterB
Posts: 3909
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:35 pm

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by PeterB »

There was no Hinduism at the time of the Buddha. Hinduism is a much later bringing together of various strands, some of them influenced by Buddhism but differing in asserting a reincarnating atta.
User avatar
Hanzze
Posts: 1906
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:47 pm
Location: Cambodia

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Hanzze »

To study history means submitting to chaos and nevertheless retaining faith in order and meaning.
Hermann Hesse
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by ground »

Annapurna wrote:
TMingyur wrote:
Hanzze wrote:There's no reality except the one contained within us. That's why so many people live an unreal life. They take images outside them for reality and never allow the world within them to assert itself.
Hermann Hesse
And in fantasizing about others' qualities and characteristics and thus fostering distraction you are following Hesse's footsteps?
Hesse was raised in a conservative christian environment, perhaps this motivated him. Christianity upholds saviours.

Kind regards
I think he said that he finds "Siddharta" useful to understand Buddhism. He didn't even say in which way.

Plus, this quote doesn't seem to be from Siddharta.

When you say: in fantasising about others' qualities and characteristics and thus fostering distraction,

is that really necessarily bad and "fostering distraction"?

When I reflect upon the Buddhas qualities and characteristics, do I foster distraction? No, it is an inspiration for me.

Who knows if that isn't what Hanzze is doing, when he reflects upon Siddharta and Buddha? ;)
Invalid reply. Why do you neglect the context? Irrelevant whether Siddharta or not.

Hannze quoted Hesse.

The context is this:
Hanzze wrote:There's no reality except the one contained within us. That's why so many people live an unreal life. They take images outside them for reality and never allow the world within them to assert itself.
Hermann Hesse
This (the underlined) is what I call "fantasizing about others' qualities and characteristics" and if Hannze does the same (which may be the reason why he quotes this) then he is fostering distraction ... (if he considers himself a buddhist) and he is "following Hesse's footsteps".

Please note: "if" means conditional statement. Therefore the question above.

Kind regards
User avatar
Annapurna
Posts: 2639
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:04 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Annapurna »

:shock:

wow. ;)

Reminded me of a school teacher I once had...

... :smile:
alan
Posts: 3111
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:14 am
Location: Miramar beach, Fl.

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by alan »

I'll try to summarize that tomorrow. Meanwhile, Thanissaro's book "purity of heart" has a typically brilliant essay which is relevant to this discussion. Couldn't find it at ATI, but here is an article from the tricycle archives which might fill in the background information. http://www.tricycle.com/feature/romanci ... a?page=0,0
Read this first. Everyone needs background information before making assumptions about Hesse, and what, if anything, his book can tell us now.
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by ground »

Annapurna wrote::shock:

wow. ;)

Reminded me of a school teacher I once had...

... :smile:
Well posting actually is inseparable from textual analysis if one's post refers to something someone else has written. And yes, textual analysis is a subject in school that actually is very helpful especially in the context of buddhism and its texts.


Kind regards
User avatar
Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Siddhartha (novel) & Herman Hesse

Post by Ben »

Probably time to re-engage with the topic?
Thanks for your cooperation.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
Post Reply