1. Hinduism and Buddhism Background for Siddhartha

2. Hinduism and Buddhism Hinduism Emerged in India 2000-1500 B.C.
One of the World’s oldest living religions
No individual founder
No “bible” but several religious texts
Rig Veda: oldest—hymns, rituals, etc. Polytheistic
Upanishads: newer—philosophical—monotheistic
Hinduism and Buddhism
The history of Hinduism is important because it stretches back so far. Buddhism is much newer, by about 1500 years, and it is a reform of Hinduism. Notice that there are different views of Hinduism, some Polytheistic (many gods possible) and Monotheistic (one god)

3. Structure of Hindu Society/Caste System (4 Castes) Brahmans = Priests
Kshatriyas = Warriors
Vaisyas = Merchants
Shudras = Laborers
(Castes are a religious hierarchy, not an economic one)
Two Classes “Outside” Caste System
Sadhus [samanas]/wandering monks
Untouchables
The structure is so important because the novel is set in a time of Hinduism, where the Buddha himself is still living—it is a caste society where Siddhartha’s (note that the Siddhartha in the novel is not the Buddha) father is a Brahman priest as Siddhartha is to become. Instead, Siddhartha runs away at the beginning of the novel and becomes a Samana (or Sadhu).

4. Some Essential Concepts of Hinduism: Reincarnation
Karma = good deeds/bad deeds that determine rebirth
Maya = illusion (the earth often represented Maya)
Samsara = the false world itself/the product of illusion
Yoga = the process of meditation
Yogi = spiritual teacher/adviser
Atman = the individual soul/the divine part of a person
These terms come up in the novel, so students should know them. Note that the goal of Hinduism is to get away from the wheel of Samsara (a process of reincarnation), and to do so would mean enlightenment.

5. Brahman = the universal soul (the divine/God)
Enlightenment/liberation = the realization that Atman and Brahman are identical
Reform: Buddhism began as a reform to Hinduism
Buddha did not believe in the Caste System or in many of the traditions of Hinduism
Buddha (c B.C.)
Named Shakyamuni (known as Siddhartha Gotama)
He was a prince
Recognized at birth as special by wise men. They believed he would be a special monk or great conqueror
Note that Nirvana and Enlightenment are identical – Nirvana is the highest state of consciousness.

6. The Four Sights - at 29 he left the palace and saw: A sick man
An old man
A dead man
A monk
What could this mean?
Note the suffering involved here. The goal of Buddhism is to escape the pain of the cycle of life.

7. Dharma—doing one’s duty to family, etc.
Wandering – He decided to leave the palace and seek the truth for himself. He tried to follow these methods to attain truth/enlightenment:
Dharma—doing one’s duty to family, etc.
Kama—pleasure, especially sexual
Artha – Wealth, money, material possessions
Moksha—Liberation/Retirement
Attainment – Nothing worked. Finally, desperate for meaning, he sat under the bodhi (bo) tree and inteneded not to arise until he attained enlightenment or else died. He became enlightened and proceeded to teach “4 noble truths”:
Note the stages of Hindu life—in the novel, Siddhartha more or less follows these.

8. The cause of suffering is desire/selfishness Suffering can be stopped
Life is suffering
The cause of suffering is desire/selfishness
Suffering can be stopped
The way to end suffering is to follow the eight-fold path of Buddhism—Basically the “middle-way”; avoid excess
Theory of Dependent Origination at heart of Buddhism
Everything is caused by something else (cause/effect)
Nothing exists on its own
Nothing is permanent or unchangeable
Everything can be changed
Note that according to Buddhism, we are causing our own suffering. We are never satisfied; we always want more. Also, look at how the Theory of Dependent Origination is based on cause and effect. However, a real paradox is how does one explain enlightenment?—in theory one should be able to do this. However, that is the big mystery of the novel.