The Self

"One must find the source within one's own Self, one must possess it. Everything else was seeking- a detour, error." (pg 7)

To discover the Self is what is the key to true happiness, according to Siddhartha.
In the beginning of this novel, Siddhartha started out as a Brahmin's son who was educated and compelled to learn new things each day. He lived with his father, who had high expectations of Siddhartha for the future. However, Siddhartha felt incomplete in this life, for his cup was not yet filled with innermost knowledge just yet; he had not yet achieved true happiness. In this, he became a Samana along with his friend, Govinda.Together, they lived in the forest and attained the skills to think, fast, and wait. For many years, they both followed the teachings of the eldest Samana in hopes that this is the life they can find satisfaction and the true meaning of life in. One day, his friend Govinda told Siddhartha of the rumors of Gotama's wise teachings. Govinda was very interested in hearing these teachings of the great Gotama (Buddha), but Siddhartha was not entirely convinced of Gotama's wisdom. When they met the Buddha, however, Siddhartha immediately recognized his peaceful, satisfied, and wise stature compared to the other monks. Govinda was convinced to pledge his allegiance as a follower of the Buddha, yet Siddhartha did not because the Buddha's teachings made him realize that following the teachings of others would hold him back from discovering himself as Siddhartha. With this decision, he became conscious of his surroundings: the world around him, in which he finally found beauty in. He travelled to a town where ordinary people had lived and became one of them. There, he met a beautiful prostitute named Kamala, where they both fell in love. Kamala recommended Siddhartha to Kamaswami, the richest merchant in the town, who she believed would contribute to Kamaswami success in the business. It turns out that Siddhartha's skills to think, fast, and wait & read and write became useful to the business and Siddhartha got a promotion in that sense. Years passed and Siddhartha was becoming one of the richest merchants living in town; he became greedy, anxious, selfish, and more like an ordinary person. With this feeling of regret in this life, he left everything he had there, including Kamala, who was pregnant. Siddhartha was so ashamed and so overwhelmed by these sins he had committed, attempting to drown himself in the river. But then he realized that maybe he came to that town and became a prosperous man to be motivated to find the Self. He started his new life as a ferryman with Vasudeva, the ferryman by the river. This life was very peaceful and happy and he learned much from the river and Vasudeva as well. One day, fleets of monks came to the ferrymen to cross the river and see the Buddha before his passing. Kamala and her son had also decided to come to the Buddha and seek peace, happiness, and wisdom in the last of his presence. On their way to the ferry, Kamala was bitten by a poisonous snake. Vasudeva saw Kamala and her son and took them in. Siddhartha was surprised to find his love and her son here at last with him. He saw the son and realized that he was his son too. Kamala died there, but was happy and at peace because she was with her one and only love, Siddhartha.
In this novel, the Self is a very important motif which motivates Siddhartha to find the true meaning of his life.