Siddhartha

The one religious aspect I truly envy is the realization that time is not real. "For example, there was a man at this ferry who was my predecessor and teacher. A man can spend years learning physics and can be so intelligent that he invents the next nuclear weapon, but did he have the wisdom not to build it in the first place? The answer is no. When he finishes telling Govinda about what he has learned he asks Govinda to kiss him on the forehead, and as Govinda did this, he saw the truth of all things. Yet none of them died, they only changed, were always reborn, continually had a new face: only time stood between one face and another. The part were Siddhartha pushes outward with his soul and becomes other animals is fascinating. " Belief is everything, and I believe in what this book says, that everything is important, no matter how small. I also love the control of spirit shown in the novel. He was a holy man who for many years believed only in the river and nothing else. Here he sees another wise man, Vasudeva, the ferryman. Govinda realized that all things are coexistent, that Siddhartha was but one face of his form, one of a thousand others. Everything exists all at once, and the only thing separating these existances is the illusion of time. When he and Govinda come to the garden of the Buddha and listen to Gotoma’s words, Govinda is immediately converted and stays. Siddhartha believes this very strongly, and feels it is only right that one must gain wisdom for himself. He learned from it; it educated and taught him.