Part I, Chapter 1. The Brahmin s Son 1. What practices do Siddhartha and Govinda take part in? 2. What is Atman? 3. What troubles Siddhartha? 4. What does Siddhartha wonder about his father? 5. What does Siddhartha experience while meditating under the banyan tree? 6. Who are the Samanas? 7. What does Siddhartha announce to Govinda? What is Govinda s reply? 8. How does Siddhartha s father react to Siddhartha s announcement? 9. Why does his father give in? Page 1
Part I, Chapter 2. With the Samanas 1. Describe Siddhartha s life with the Samanas. 2. What is Siddhartha s goal as an ascetic? 3. What is the great secret? What means does Siddhartha use to try to attain the great secret? 4. Where else does Siddhartha believe he could have learned what he learned with the Samanas? 5. What does Siddhartha believe the eldest Samana will never attain? 6. What is the knowledge that is everywhere? 7. What is the worst enemy of Atman? 8. Who is Gotama? 9. What did the Buddha give to the people? 10. What path did the Buddha follow before he reached inner peace? 11. What does Siddhartha do to the eldest Samana? 12. What does Govinda say Siddhartha would have learned if he stayed with the Samanas? Page 2
Part I, Chapter 3. Gotama 1. When does Siddhartha first see Gotama? What did the Buddha look like? 2. Why was Siddhartha not interested in the teachings of Gotama? 3. What does the Buddha teach about? 4. What does Govinda ask of the Buddha? 5. What does Siddhartha tell Buddha about his teachings? 6. According to Siddhartha, what is missing from Gotama s teachings? 7. What does Siddhartha say the Gotama robbed him of? What did he give to Siddhartha? Page 3
Part I, Chapter 4. Awakening 1. As he leaves the grove, what left Siddhartha? 2. What does Siddhartha decide kept him alien and unknown to the self? 3. What feeling(s) does Siddhartha have after his realization about the self? 4. What vow does Siddhartha make? 5. Where does Siddhartha decide the meaning and reality exist? 6. After awakening what does Siddhartha realize? How does he feel? Page 4
Part II, Chapter 5. Kamala 1. What major change happened to Siddhartha s friendship with Govinda? 2. At whose house does Siddhartha stay at the beginning of his journey? 3. What strange dream does Siddhartha have? What is the meaning of this dream? 4. Who is Kamla? What is her occupation? 5. What does Siddhartha need to gain before he can become friends with Kamala? 6. Who is Kamaswami? Part II, Chapter 6. Amongst the people 1. What three valuable things has Siddhartha learned how to do? 2. What offer does Kamaswami make Siddhartha? Page 5
3. How does Siddhartha feel about the business world? 4. Describe the relationship between Siddhartha and Kamala 5. What does Siddhartha say is the secret of ordinary people? Part II, Chapter 7. Samsara 1. What addiction does Siddhartha acquire? 2. Why does Siddhartha now fear death? Why has he experienced this change? 3. What does Siddhartha do to change his life? 4. What is Kamala s reaction? 5. What do we learn about Kamala? What life change does she make? Page 6
Part II, Chapter 8. By the River 1. What does the songbird on pages 87, 96, and 98 represent? 2. What is Samsara? 3. What is Siddhartha s mood in the beginning of this chapter? What does he wish for? 4. What stopped Siddhartha from committing suicide? 5. Describe Siddhartha s sleep. When he awakens, who is at his side? Describe the appearance and demeanor of the person. 6. In what way does Siddhartha s mood change during this chapter? 7. Why does Siddhartha praise himself? 8. In what way has Siddhartha died? In what way is he re-born? 9. What are Siddhartha s feelings about the river? 10. Siddhartha has been the son of a Brahmin, a Samana, a merchant, a lover, and a man of fashion. How does he view himself now? What does he think he will be tomorrow? Page 7
Part II, Chapter 9. The ferryman 1. Who is Vasudeva? 2. How has Siddhartha changed his life? 3. In what ways has the river taken on human characteristics? 4. How has Kamala changed? 5. How did Kamala die? 6. Why were all of Gotama s followers crossing the river? Part II, Chapter 10. The son 1. What negative attributes does the son have? 2. What parenting style does Siddhartha have with his son? 3. According to Vasudeva, what is wrong with Siddhartha s parenting style? 4. What advice does Vasudeva give Siddhartha about his son? 5. What does the son say to Siddhartha about his piety and gentle nature? 6. What does the son do? Page 8
Part II, Chapter 11. Om 1. What is Siddhartha envious of at the beginning of the chapter? 2. What does Siddhartha hear while working on the river? How does this change Siddhartha? 3. What final lesson does Vasudeva teach Siddhartha about the river? 4. What is the closest definition of OM? 5. What does Vasudeva do at the end of this chapter? What does this mean for Vasudeva? Page 9
Part II, Chapter 12. Govinda 1. Why does Govinda want to see the ferryman? 2. What does Govinda discover about the ferryman and his teachings? 3. Why does Govinda compare the teachings of the illustrious one to Siddhartha s philosophy? 4. What does Govinda realize about Siddhartha? 5. How did Govinda s journey towards nirvana differ from Siddhartha s? 6. Why does Govinda cry at the end of the book? Page 10