Siddhartha: The Son and Vasudeva's Advice

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Questions and Answers

What does Vasudeva suggest Siddhartha do for his son?

Allow him to return to his previous life in the city. (correct)
Ensure his son remains in the hut, to minimize negative influences.
Encourage him to pursue enlightenment as a samana.
Force him to adhere to a strict regimen of work and meditation.

What is Siddhartha primarily hoping to achieve through his patience and kindness towards his son?

Earning his son's respect through displays of wisdom.
Winning his son's affection and changing his heart. (correct)
Weakening his son's resolve so he obeys him.
Forcing his son to acknowledge the value of a simple life.

How does Siddhartha react to his son's open rebellion and eventual departure?

He experiences intense grief and a powerful urge to follow him. (correct)
He becomes angry and vows to find and punish his son.
He consults religious texts to find advice.
He feels relieved that his son is no longer under his care.

What does Siddhartha realize while sitting by Kamala's garden?

That he must relinquish his attachment to his son's fate. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the central conflict Siddhartha faces in the story?

The internal battle between love and the desire to control his son's destiny. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What lesson does Siddhartha learn through his relationship with his son?

That everyone must ultimately experience their own destiny. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What prompts Vasudeva to share his thoughts with Siddhartha about Siddhartha's son?

Vasudeva sees Siddhartha and his son are in distress. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the symbolic significance of the river in the story?

It represents the constant change and flow of life and destiny. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use animal imagery relate to the son in the story?

The boy, like a bird accustomed to a different nest, is out of place reflecting a longing for a different environment. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is Siddhartha bored with the way that he is treated by his father?

The kindness is cloying and his intention is see-through. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Pampered Boy's Adjustment

Siddhartha's son is accustomed to a life of luxury, with fine food, a soft bed, and servants, making it difficult for him to adjust to a simple life with strangers in poverty.

Vasudeva's Advice

Vasudeva advises Siddhartha to let his son go, suggesting he bring him to the city or a teacher so he can live among his peers and experience his own path.

Protecting from Sansara

Vasudeva reminds Siddhartha of his own journey, emphasizing that no one can protect another from experiencing life, making mistakes, and finding their own path.

Siddhartha's Love

Siddhartha realizes that his love for his son has made him a childlike person, suffering and acting foolishly out of love, which is a human passion and part of Sansara.

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Boy's Rejection

The boy expresses his hatred and contempt for Siddhartha, rejecting his religious devotion and indulgence, and declares he would rather be a criminal than become like his father.

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Letting Go

Siddhartha recognizes that his desire to find his son is driven by a foolish impulse and that he must let go, leading him to experience emptiness and a sense of loss.

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Past Reflections

Siddhartha sits by the gate of Kamala's garden, reminiscing about his past life, including his experiences with Kamala, his worldly desires, and his spiritual journey, leading him to wish for annihilation and then finding healing in the holy Om.

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Study Notes

The Son

A boy attended his mothers funeral subdued
Siddhartha took him in, but the boy was resistant and unhappy
The boy grew up pampered and struggled with a life of poverty among strangers
Siddhartha did the chores for him, hoping to win him over with patience
Siddhartha found that his son brought him suffering and worry, but he still preferred it over happiness without him
Young Siddhartha had been living in the hut, so Vasudeva took on being the ferryman again and Siddhartha worked in the hut to be near his son

Vasudeva's Advice

Vasudeva noticed Siddhartha’s grief and the son’s unhappiness
Vasudeva said the boy is like a bird in the wrong nest
Urged Siddhartha to listen to the river, where water joins water and youth joins youth
Siddhartha was ashamed by the suggestion of parting with his son
He wanted to win his heart with love and patience
Vasudeva warned Siddhartha that he may be shackling the boy with love or forcing him to live a life he does not belong in
Vasudeva suggested bringing him to the city and giving him to a teacher so he can be among his peers

Siddhartha's Dilemma

Siddhartha sees the wisdom in Vasudeva suggestion: "You're seeing into my heart"
Siddhartha worried about his son losing himself to power and pleasure and repeating Siddhartha's mistakes
Vasudeva told Siddhartha to ask the river but the river laughs
Vasudeva questioned if you really think you can protect your son from Sansara with warnings and teachings like the story of Siddhartha
Siddhartha cannot act on this as the love is too strong
Siddhartha could not give up on the boy so he let the boy order him around and he waits and says nothing
They were both masters of patience

The Nature of Love and Sansara

Siddhartha suddenly thinks that you cannot love like Kamala had once told him
Siddhartha felt childish, suffering, and fooled because of the passion
The blind love was still a source of Sansara
The son was not won over, instead bored
He would have preferred Siddhartha to threaten, or abuse him

The Breaking Point

The boy refused to gather brushwood, shouting hatred and contempt
He declared he’d rather be a murderer in hell than like Siddhartha who is devout, soft, and wise
The next morning, the boy was gone and took the boat and coins

The Chase and Acceptance

Siddhartha was grief struck by the son speech
Siddhartha wanted to follow the ranting son who is a child alone in the woods
Vasudeva knew the boy knows his way and is heading toward the city
Vasudeva: “He’s doing what you’ve failed to do yourself. He’s taking care of himself.”
Siddhartha ignored the words and made a raft of bamboo
Vasudeva knew he was going anyway
Siddhartha knows the son broke the oar on purpose to not be followed
Siddhartha continued running without stopping in attempt to perhaps see the boy
As he approached the city, Siddhartha stands at the entrance of Kamala’s pleasure garden
He had a recollection of himself and now he once again feels disgust and the wish to annihilate himself just to be healed by Om
He knows he can not cling to his son with emptiness in his heart

The River's Lesson

The wound in his heart has not blossomed and instead there emptiness
Siddhartha sat and waited, having patience, and listening
He fell into emptiness and filled himself with om where one of the monks offers him a banana
Vasudeva greeted him after following and then the two silently went back to the ferry
Siddhartha already fell asleep and then Vasudeva offered coconut milk