chapter 11: om

Chapter 11: OmChapter 11: Om

FeracoFeraco

Search for Human PotentialSearch for Human Potential

19 October 201119 October 2011

In “Om,” Hesse finally harvests the In “Om,” Hesse finally harvests the crop he’s steadily planted for ten crop he’s steadily planted for ten chapterschapters

All of the river/water/stream imagery All of the river/water/stream imagery finally reaches its triumphant finally reaches its triumphant conclusion; as we’ve suspected all conclusion; as we’ve suspected all along the river provides Siddhartha along the river provides Siddhartha with the catalyst for his epiphanywith the catalyst for his epiphany

SiddharthaSiddhartha

SiddharthaSiddhartha The chapter doesn’t start out so The chapter doesn’t start out so

gloriously; once again, Siddhartha’s gloriously; once again, Siddhartha’s beginning to regress, as his suffering beginning to regress, as his suffering proves so intense that his view of people proves so intense that his view of people and process of reasoning begins to distort and process of reasoning begins to distort againagain

Fortunately, it’s a fairly short process, Fortunately, it’s a fairly short process, and it leads to some good thingsand it leads to some good things

For example, it leads him to reassess For example, it leads him to reassess desire as the source of both man’s desire as the source of both man’s strengths and weakness, as well as what strengths and weakness, as well as what counts as wisdomcounts as wisdom

““Within Siddhartha there slowly grew and Within Siddhartha there slowly grew and ripened the knowledge of what wisdom ripened the knowledge of what wisdom really was and the goal of his long really was and the goal of his long seeking. It was nothing but a preparation seeking. It was nothing but a preparation of the soul, a capacity, a secret art of of the soul, a capacity, a secret art of thinking, feeling and breathing thoughts thinking, feeling and breathing thoughts of unity at every moment of life.”of unity at every moment of life.”

Yet his thoughts still aren’t about unityYet his thoughts still aren’t about unity They’re about his son, who (through no They’re about his son, who (through no

fault of his own) has become an anchor fault of his own) has become an anchor around his father’s neck, dragging him around his father’s neck, dragging him away from the path just as he dragged away from the path just as he dragged Kamala away from hersKamala away from hers


At one point, Siddhartha’s pain becomes At one point, Siddhartha’s pain becomes so great that he rows back across the so great that he rows back across the river – specifically going against river – specifically going against Vasudeva’s advice – in order to chase Vasudeva’s advice – in order to chase after his sonafter his son

He’s fueled by love here, but – once again He’s fueled by love here, but – once again – only by one of its components– only by one of its components

He desires his son’s presence in his life He desires his son’s presence in his life again, desires relief from pain, regardless again, desires relief from pain, regardless of whether it’s truly in his son’s best of whether it’s truly in his son’s best interestinterest

Once again, he’s not thinking ahead; what Once again, he’s not thinking ahead; what would he do if he actually found the boy?would he do if he actually found the boy? For a grown man, Siddhartha sure behaves like For a grown man, Siddhartha sure behaves like

that overamped 1-year-old pretty often…that overamped 1-year-old pretty often…


But once he’s across the river, he hears it But once he’s across the river, he hears it laughing at him (seriously!), and when he turns laughing at him (seriously!), and when he turns to look at his reflection, we see the first of two to look at his reflection, we see the first of two “faces” scenes in the chapter: he realizes how “faces” scenes in the chapter: he realizes how strongly his reflection, after all these years, strongly his reflection, after all these years, resembled his father’s resembled his father’s

““Had not his father also suffered the same pain Had not his father also suffered the same pain that he was now suffering for his son? Had not that he was now suffering for his son? Had not his father died long ago, alone, without having his father died long ago, alone, without having seen his son again? Did he not expect the same seen his son again? Did he not expect the same fate? Was it not a comedy, a strange and stupid fate? Was it not a comedy, a strange and stupid thing, this repetition, this course of events in a thing, this repetition, this course of events in a fateful circle?…Yes, that was how it was. fateful circle?…Yes, that was how it was. Everything that was not suffered to the end and Everything that was not suffered to the end and finally concluded recurred, and the same sorrows finally concluded recurred, and the same sorrows were undergone.”were undergone.”


Having reached this realization, he Having reached this realization, he turns and heads back to Vasudeva’s turns and heads back to Vasudeva’s hut, still without his sonhut, still without his son

Vasudeva hears him recount his Vasudeva hears him recount his experience and takes him right back experience and takes him right back down to the riverdown to the river

He knows Siddhartha’s on the verge He knows Siddhartha’s on the verge of the breakthrough he’s sought for of the breakthrough he’s sought for decadesdecades


He saw his father, lonely, mourning for his son; He saw his father, lonely, mourning for his son; he saw himself, lonely, also with the bonds of he saw himself, lonely, also with the bonds of longing for his faraway son; he saw his son, longing for his faraway son; he saw his son, also lonely, the boy eagerly advancing along also lonely, the boy eagerly advancing along the burning path of life’s desires; each one the burning path of life’s desires; each one concentrating on his goal, each one obsessed concentrating on his goal, each one obsessed by his goal, each one suffering…The picture of by his goal, each one suffering…The picture of his father, his own picture, and the picture of his father, his own picture, and the picture of his son all flowed into each other. Kamala’s his son all flowed into each other. Kamala’s picture also appeared and flowed on, and the picture also appeared and flowed on, and the picture of Govinda and others emerged and picture of Govinda and others emerged and passed on. They all became part of the river. It passed on. They all became part of the river. It was the goal of all of them, yearning, desiring, was the goal of all of them, yearning, desiring, suffering; and the river’s voice was full of suffering; and the river’s voice was full of longing, full of smarting woe, full of insatiable longing, full of smarting woe, full of insatiable desire.desire.

As he listens, he realizes that all of the voices As he listens, he realizes that all of the voices in the river – to this day, he’s heard them all in the river – to this day, he’s heard them all distinctly – are in fact indistinguishable from distinctly – are in fact indistinguishable from each othereach other

They all belonged to each other: the They all belonged to each other: the lament of those who yearn, the lament of those who yearn, the laughter of the wise, the cry of laughter of the wise, the cry of indignation and the groan of the dying. indignation and the groan of the dying. They were all interwoven and They were all interwoven and interlocked, entwined in a thousand interlocked, entwined in a thousand ways. And all the voices, all the goals, ways. And all the voices, all the goals, all the yearnings, all the sorrows, all all the yearnings, all the sorrows, all the pleasures, all the good and evil, all the pleasures, all the good and evil, all of them together was the world. All of of them together was the world. All of them together was the stream of them together was the stream of events, the music of life…then the events, the music of life…then the great song of a thousand voices great song of a thousand voices consisted of one word: Om – perfection.consisted of one word: Om – perfection.

Siddhartha finally understands what Siddhartha finally understands what he’s been he’s been thisthis close to understanding close to understanding for many chapters: the true nature of for many chapters: the true nature of the unity of the universethe unity of the universe

He has finally reached an enlightened He has finally reached an enlightened state: “There shone in his face the state: “There shone in his face the serenity of knowledge, of one who is no serenity of knowledge, of one who is no longer confronted with conflict of longer confronted with conflict of desires, who has found salvation, who desires, who has found salvation, who is in harmony with the stream of is in harmony with the stream of events, with the stream of life, full of events, with the stream of life, full of sympathy and compassion, sympathy and compassion, surrendering himself to the stream, surrendering himself to the stream, belonging to the unity of all things.”belonging to the unity of all things.”


At this point, Vasudeva takes his At this point, Vasudeva takes his leave of Siddhartha; there’s no leave of Siddhartha; there’s no sadness in his departure, for sadness in his departure, for there’s no reason for him to staythere’s no reason for him to stay

He, like Govinda in “By the He, like Govinda in “By the River,” has served as a midwife River,” has served as a midwife for Siddhartha’s transition for Siddhartha’s transition between phases, and he’s done between phases, and he’s done his job – the job of a bodhisattva – his job – the job of a bodhisattva – exceedingly wellexceedingly well


When he leaves, he heads “into When he leaves, he heads “into the woods…into the unity of all the woods…into the unity of all things,” and he’s virtually things,” and he’s virtually glowing with light (i.e., glowing with light (i.e., enlightenment) as he walks awayenlightenment) as he walks away

The two share one last gaze – you The two share one last gaze – you see the “bright eyes” in see the “bright eyes” in Siddhartha’s face once more – Siddhartha’s face once more – and the chapter concludes on a and the chapter concludes on a beautiful, peaceful notebeautiful, peaceful note


Siddhartha has become Siddhartha has become “ordinary,” working as a “ordinary,” working as a ferryman instead of a rich man or ferryman instead of a rich man or a village leader…and yet, he’s a village leader…and yet, he’s finally become extraordinary, finally become extraordinary, finally fulfilled his potentialfinally fulfilled his potential

There remains but one loose There remains but one loose thread, and it’s about to be dealt thread, and it’s about to be dealt with…with…


chapter 11: om

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