Small, rough summary of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse using Multimedia Tools

1. Siddhartha
by Hermann Hesse

2. Siddhartha
Rough Summary
Siddhartha lived life as a Brahmin (Hindu
priest or teacher) until he became
spiritually restless.

3. Ascetic
He then left home with his friend
Govinda to seek a life as an Ascetic (One
who lives without worldly pleasures.
Possessions, Bounty of food, etc.) hoping
that this would answer his spiritual
questions and free him from Samsara.

4. Buddha
After realizing that Asceticism has kept
him as spiritually restless as his previous
life, he decides to follow the Buddha,
Gotama.

5. Gotama
After speaking with the Buddah, he saw
that one cannot teach enlightenment and
rather than fleeing from Samsara he
should embrace it and learn from it.

6. City
He left Godvina to live a life of pleasure.
He met a woman named Kamala who
taught him the ways of love and pleasure,
and a merchant, Kamaswami, who taught
him the ways of Business.

7. River
After realizing that the life of a pleasured
merchant has left him without any
spiritual fulfillment, Siddhartha leaves
and wanders towards a river. Here he
thinks about killing himself.

8. Om
Siddhartha’s thoughts of death are put at
rest by a thought of the sound “Om”
which is considered holy.

9. Vasudeva
Siddhartha then lives with a ferryman
named Vasudeva who teaches him how
to learn from the river and the people
who cross it.

10. Kamala
Kamala, on her way to see the Buddha, is
bitten by a snake and dies. She gives her
son “young” Siddhartha to his father,
Siddhartha the Ferryman.

11. Young Siddhartha
Young Siddhartha steals Vasudeva and
Siddhartha’s money and flees towards the
city. Siddhartha understands that he
should let him go and learn about life on
his own, despite wanting to protect the
boy.

12. Nature
Siddhartha listens to the river with
Vasudeva and learns that time is an
illusion and that all of nature is a cycle.
Vasudeva leaves Siddhartha to find his
own peace.

13. Govinda
An old Govinda goes to visit the
ferryman without realizing that it was his
old friend. After finding Siddhartha,
Govinda asks to be taught his wisdom.

14. Enlightenment
Siddhartha explains his wisdom to
Govinda.
Govinda does not understand what
Siddhartha tells him.
Govinda kisses Siddhartha’s forehead and
immediately understands and is
enlightened.

15. Check out the link below
for another quick review.
Siddhartha - Thug Notes