Tomorrow: 

• Period 7 - Upper Level B - 26 Computers; Projector;
• Period 8 - NC/DC East 112 -- (32) PCs + Proj;

Chapter 11 and 12 discussion questions

Chapter 11

2. Siddhartha loved his son so much that he wanted to “keep him from suffering, pain,

and disappointment”. In the process Siddhartha makes himself and his son

miserable. Why wasn’t this working?

3. Vasudeva tells Siddhartha that his son is not in a “place where he can prosper”. Why can’t he prosper there?

4. How has Siddhartha become like the child-like people? How is he different?

Chapter 12

2. Even though the Buddha forbade his followers from binding their hearts “to earthly

things with love”. Siddhartha says that love seems to be “the most important

thing”. How does Siddhartha explain the apparent contradiction? Interpret

Siddhartha’s explanation in your own words.

3. According to the novel, in what ways might inner peace be outwardly apparent? What

do Govinda and Kamala both recognize in Siddhartha that was apparent in Vasudeva

and the Buddha?

The Buddha went on his way, modestly and deep in his thoughts, his calm face was

neither happy nor sad, it seemed to smile quietly and inwardly. With his hidden smile,

the Buddha strolled on quietly, calmly, and not unlike a healthy child. He wore his robe

and placed his feet much like all the other monks did, according to an exact rule. But

his face and his gait, his gaze lowered quietly, his motionless hands hanging down, and

even every fi nger of his dangling hands bespoke peace, expressed perfection--they did

not search, or imitate—as they breathed softly with a calm that did not wither, with a

light that did not fade, and with a peace that was intangible. (p. 30).

They heard his voice and it was also perfected, wholly calm and full of peace. (p. 31)

Vasudeva ‘s smile was shining brightly, and fl oating radiantly over all the wrinkles of his

old face just as the Om was fl oating in the air over all the voices of the river. His smile

was shining brightly when he looked at this friend, and the same smile now started to

shine brightly on Siddhartha’s face as well. His wound now blossomed, and his suffering

was radiant; his self had taken fl ight into the unity. (p. 103)

Siddhartha watched him leave with deep joy and intense solemnity; he saw that

Vasudeva’s steps were full of peace, that his head was fi lled with radiance, and that his

whole body was fi lled with light. (p. 104)

Govinda thinks about Siddhartha in Chapter Twelve:

His teachings may be strange and his words may sound foolish, but a purity, calmness,

mirth, mildness, and holiness that I have found in no one else since our exalted teacher’s

death shines out of his gaze, hands, skin, and hair. (p. 111)

And Govinda saw that the smile of this mask, the smile of unity on the fl owing forms,

the smile of coexistence in the thousand births and deaths, the smile of Siddhartha, was

exactly the same type of smile as the quiet, delicate, impenetrable, wise, sometimesbenevolent,

sometimes-mocking, thousand-fold smile of Gotama, the Buddha, as he

himself had looked upon it with reverence a hundred times. Govinda knew that perfected

ones smiled like this.” (p. 112)