Siddhartha Abridged

            "Siddhartha had already long taken part in the learned men's conversations, had engaged in debate with Govinda and had practiced the art of contemplation and meditation with him" (3). "Samanas,[wandering ascetics], once passed through Siddhartha's town" (9). "Around them hovered an atmosphere of still passion, of devastating service, of unpitying self-denial" (9). Siddhartha said, 'With your permission, Father, I have come to tell you that I wish to leave your house tomorrow and join the ascetics. I wish to become a Samana...'" (10). "As...he slowly left the still sleeping town at daybreak, a crouching shadow emerged from the last hut and joined the Pilgrim. It was Govinda" (12).
            "On the evening of that day they overtook the Samanas and requested their company and allegiance [and] they were accepted" (13). "Siddhartha had on single goal-to become empty, to become empty of thirst, desire, dreams, pleasure and sorrow-to let the Self die" (14). "What I have so far learned from the Samanas, I could have learned more quickly and easily in every inn in a prostitute's quarter" (16). "On the same day, Siddhartha informed the eldest Samana of his decision to leave him" (23). "The young men,[Siddhartha and Govinda] thanked him for his good wishes , returned his bow, and departed" (24).
            "In the town of Savathi every child knew the name of the illustrious Buddha" (25). "Siddhartha saw [the Buddha] and recognized him immediately, as if pointed out to him by a god" (27). "Siddhartha spoke kindly to him, 'Do not forget, Govinda, that you now belong to the Buddha's holy men...Tomorrow, Govinda, I will leave you'" (30). "Siddhartha wandered through the grove deep in thought" (31). "A man only looks and walks like that when he has conquered his Self [and] I also will conquer my Self" (35).
            "As Siddhartha left the grove in which the Buddha, the Perfect One, remained, in which Govinda remained, he felt that he had also left his former life behind him in the grove" (37). "I will learn from myself, be my own pupil; I will learn from myself the secret of Siddhartha" (39). "Immediately he moved on again and began to walk quickly and impatiently, no longer homewards, no longerto his father, no longer looking backwards" (42).
            "During the night, as he slept in a ferryman's straw hut, Siddhartha had a dream" (48). "Siddhartha asked his host, the ferryman, to take him across the river" (48). "[Siddhartha inquired from the first people, [in the town across the river], that he met about the grove and the woman's name, and learned that it was teh grove of Kamala, the well-known courtesan" (52). "'[All I want is] to be your friend and to learn the pleasures of love from you [and] you will find me an apt pupil, Kamala'" (54). "Siddhartha kissed her and said good-bye" (61).
            "Siddhartha went to see Kamaswami and was shown into a rich house" (63). "Siddhartha thanked him and accepted [the job that Kamaswami offered him and was] now living in the merchant's house" (65). "[Siddhartha] visited the beautiful Kamala regularly, learned the art of love in which....giving and taking become one" (71). "'Maybe,' said Siddhartha wearily, 'I am like you, [unable to love as well], otherwise how could you practice love as an art?'" (73).
            "The years passed by, [which were] enveloped by comfortable circumstances, Siddhartha hardly noticed their passing" (75). "Then Siddhartha had spent the night at his house with dancers and wine" (81). "The same night Siddhartha left his garden and the town and never returned [ and] for a long time Kamala tried to find him" (85). "After a time, [Kamala] found that she was with child as a result of her last meeting with Siddhartha" (85).
            "Siddhartha wandered into the forest, already far from the town, and knew only one thing-that he could not go back" (87). "Siddhartha raised himself and saw a monk in a yellow gown, with shaved head, sitting opposite [himself]....and he did not look at him long when he recognized in this monk, Govinda, the friend of his youth" (91). "For a long time Govinda looked doubtfully at the friend of his youth [and] then he bowed to him, as one does to a man of rank, and went on his way" (94). "Siddhartha had wanted to drown himself in the river [but]the new Siddhartha felt a deep love for this flowing water and decided that he would not leave it again so quickly" (100).
            "It is the same river which I crossed on my way to the town [and I recall] a friendly ferryman took me across [so] I will go to him" (101). "Many travelers, when seeing [Siddhartha and Vasudeva, the old ferryman,]together, took them for brothers" (108). "One day, some monks came along, followers of [Buddha]...and asked to be taken across the river [because] the ferrymen learned from them that they were returning to their great teacher as quickly as possible, for the news had spread that [Buddha] was ill" (109). "One day, when very many people were making a pilgrimage to the dying Buddha, Kamala, once the most beautiful of courtesans, was also on her way" (110). "A small black snake had bitten Kamala [in front of her son]" (111). "When the last pain had filled and passed from her eyes, when the last shudder had passed through [Kamala's] body, {Siddhartha, who had found her after she had gotten bitten,] closed her eyelids" (113).
            "Frightened and weeping, [Kamala's son] had attended his mother's burial" (117). "For many months Siddhartha waited patiently in the hope that his son would come to understand him" (118). "The following morning [his son] had disappeared" (124). "Siddhartha went to his bed in the hit and when Vasudeva went to him after a time to offer him some coconut milk, he found him asleep" (127).
            "The wound [of his son leaving] smarted for a long time" (129). "Siddhartha rowed across the river, consumed by longing, and got out of the boat with the purpose of going to the town to seek his son" (131). "Siddhartha climbed into the boat again and rowed back to the hut" (132). "Siddhartha sat down beside the old man and slowly began to speak" (132). "'Yes, I am going into the woods; I am going into the unity of all things,' said Vasudeva" (137). "
            "[Govinda] arrived at the river and asked the old man to take him across" (139). "Astonished and like one bewitched the monk dazed at the ferryman [and asked,] 'Are you Siddhartha?'" (141). "'Come, still nearer, quite close! Kiss me on the forehead, Govinda.'" (149). "No longer knowing whether time existed....Govinda stood yet a while bending over Siddhartha's peaceful face which he has just kissed" (151). "[Siddhartha's smile] reminded [Govinda] of everything that he had ever loved in his life, of everything that had ever been of value and holy in his life" (152).

Edition of Book: Hesse, Hermann, and Hilda Rosner. Siddhartha. Toronto: Bantam, 1971. Print.