"Truly, nothing in the world has occupied my thoughts as much as the Self, this riddle, that I live, that I am one and am separated and different from everybody else, that I am Siddhartha; and about nothing in the world do I know less than about myself, about Siddhartha.
"The thinker, slowly going on his way, suddenly stood still, gripped by thought, and another thought immediately arose from this one. It was: The reason why I did not know anything about myself, the reason why Siddhartha has remained alien and unknown to myself is due to one thing-I was afraid of myself, I was fleeing from myself...a smile crept over his face, and a strong feeling of awakening from a long dream spread right through his being"
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My question from the last entry was answered within a few pages today. I was having trouble understanding how Siddhartha could accept himself as a gift from the Buddha when he practiced losing his Self for years to attain enlightenment. Siddhartha now sees his initial path was one based on fear but does not curse the time he spent traveling it. He is wise and acceptes that there is no fast way to enlightenment. Once again he feels awakened as he sets off on a new journey with a completely different plan to become his own instrument in discovery.
It is always nice when we can answer or questions quickly when reading. What do you think this realization will do for the character? Do you think it has changed his life view? It seems from the quotes that you have chosen that thematically this book is about the importance of finding one's path. Is that the case? Can you connect to this at all? You entries are articulate and your quotes seem well chosen.
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