Feraco Search for Human Potential 20 October 2011 Better Wise Up… Feraco Search for Human Potential 20 October 2011

Characters Siddhartha Govinda Gotama Vasudeva The main character in the story What’s his name? How does he grow? Where does he go? Who does he meet? Govinda Siddhartha’s childhood companion The shadow of greater men What goes around… Gotama An individual who has achieved nirvana Starts as a prince, escapes the shelter, sees suffering, hits the ascetic/excess/bodhisattva phases, and reaches nirvana Vasudeva The ferryman who plays a bigger role near the end Another bodhisattva All walks of life…

Characters Kamaswami Kamala The Brahmin Siddhartha’s Son A merchant who teaches Siddhartha the principles of business Uses intellect and desire as both weapon and fuel Trapped by his fears Kamala The courtesan Siddhartha meets after leaving the Samanas Has the power to grow Nobler than her first impression indicates The Brahmin Siddhartha’s father Never defied…well, just once Siddhartha’s Son The boy Siddhartha conceives with Kamala and attempts to raise Carries a piece of his father Spin the cycle

Concepts The Three Universal Truths The Four Noble Truths Anicca (everything changes), anatta (non-self, impermanence), and dukkha (suffering). The Four Noble Truths Suffering exists in the world Suffering is caused by human desire Suffering can be eliminated by eliminating desire Eliminate desire by following the Eightfold Path The Eightfold Path Right View: Understand the Four Noble Truths Right Aspiration: Care about all living things Right Speech: Speak truthfully, kindly, respectfully, and properly Right Bodily Action: Follow the Moral Precepts Right Livelihood: Your work shouldn’t harm anything that lives Right Endeavor/Effort: Concentrate on meditation; control unnecessary negative thoughts Right Mindfulness: Give full attention to whatever you are doing as you are doing it, and give your best effort at all times Right Concentration: The mental discipline necessary for reaching enlightenment. The Samsara Cycle Birth, Life/Suffering, Death, Rebirth (On each cycle after this one, the steps would be Rebirth, Life, Suffering, Death)

Concepts Karma Maya / Satyam Om Nirvana Bodhisattva Actions have consequences Your life’s course is determined by the positive/negative choices you make Your karma is cumulative, and keeps accumulating until you reach nirvana Maya / Satyam Maya represents our sensory interpretation of reality Satyam represents true reality – a truth our senses aren’t capable of fully processing Think of the veil and what lies behind it Om Represents the unity of all things Nirvana The highest state of human existence A condition consisting of ultimate wisdom and peace that one reaches after defeating desire Bodhisattva An individual who attains enlightenment, thereby freeing him/herself from karma and desire, but who chooses to stay in order to help others who search for peace

Symbols Water / The River The Oar Snakeskin The river symbolizes the unity of all things – life, connection, etc. As Vasudeva says in “Kamala,” the river taught him that “everything comes back” Siddhartha’s lens, Vasudeva’s teacher The Oar Ability to navigate life’s challenges and changes Snakeskin Siddhartha thinks of one in “Awakening,” recalling his own recent “shedding” of the Samana “shell” Birds (especially the songbird) The songbird represents Siddhartha’s soul – more specifically, the best part of it, the qualities that set him apart from all the others and earned him respect and love in his hometown (his focus and drive to become something better) Songbird dead in a cage = Heart dead in a ribcage Golden = Special Gold = Currency/Desire Gold Cage = World of Desire Birds in General = Possibility of Enlightenment/Elevation

Concepts Forests / Trees / Town / Hut The Gaze The Kiss Each geographical location has its own significance The town represents human desire and transitory, everyday concerns The forest represents untouched nature and our own spiritual purity The hut lies on the edge between both, close to the river (Siddhartha’s “rehab house”) The Gaze Judging potential Judging equals Judging wisdom Bright eyes indicate knowledge; dim ones or gazes that fall before him indicate inferiority. The Kiss Kamala’s imperfect gift Desire and pleasure without love Siddhartha, Govinda, and Om

Themes Love Unity Generational Division Peace Suffering Romantic (Kamala) Familial (Brahmin/Son) Respect (Vasudeva) Platonic (Govinda) Unity Everything is united (Om) Karma reinforces these bonds Reality exists at a single unified point in time Generational Division The old cannot grow; the young remain dynamic Peace Free from desire and need The bulls-eye of the Nirvana target Suffering Maya Human Weakness Siddhartha’s Damage (Kamala, Govinda, Kamaswami, the Brahmin, and the Son)

Themes Searching Enlightenment / Knowledge Cycles Identity Different targets (Brahmin, Siddhartha, Govinda, Kamala, Kamaswami), no target (Gotama, Vasudeva, Son) Enlightenment / Knowledge Possibly our greatest aim – definitely Siddhartha’s Possible to attain Cycles Siddhartha’s life moves in cycles People move in and out of it Cause and consequence Samsara cycle Paying off old debts (Kamala, Vasudeva, Govinda, Brahmin) Identity The “self” torments Siddhartha Samanas kill it Clothing vs. Qualities…Substance vs. Superficial Many mistakes stem from a lack of self-knowledge Enlightenment = stable, flawless persona

Themes Poverty / Wealth Transformation / Transience Teaching Excess Spiritual and monetary destitution/excess Poor as a ferryman; different kind of poverty as a Samana Earning money kills spiritual exploration Spiritual wealth exists in inverse proportions to monetary wealth (Notice that Siddhartha reaches enlightenment after his son steals his money!) Ferrymen have nothing, while the Son has everything Transformation / Transience Different Shells Vasudeva’s literal “enlightenment” The lines in Kamala’s face Death, age, loss, youth, triumph, etc. Teaching Siddhartha disdains them, but there’s no nirvana without them! Knowledge, not wisdom Excess See the “Samsara” chapter Samanas suffer from excess in the other direction (deprivation) Don’t binge and purge on anything Kamaswami = Pursuit of excess See the Son and the ferrymen

Themes Control Compromise Compassion Cruelty Siddhartha’s the control freak Thinking, waiting, fasting Losing all control Compromise Uncompromising personalities Slavish devotion to teachings Compromise indicates connection Compassion Gotama and Vasudeva: Listen! Siddhartha sets himself apart Cruelty Siddhartha was cruel…was he malicious? The Son vs. the Father (x 2) Dying alone

Themes Consequences Social Status Relationships Consequence = karma Parental legacies Bad choices Social Status Flipping the coin Shifting with shells Different characters value it differently Relationships Vasudeva Kamala Govinda Kamaswami The Brahmin Gotama The Son

Themes Independence No teachers, no doctrine Shells and departures Setting himself apart Independence vs. unity Sleeping / Awakening (Rebirth) Sleeping through shells Defiance Generational division Defying natural order/universal truths Superficiality Maya and desire The courtesan and the merchant Depthless desires Superficiality and samsara