One of the most powerful books on Buddhism ever written. The totality of conscious events of a human life, is shown as the best way to approach understanding of reality and attain enlightenment - Hesse's crafting of Siddhartha's journey shows that understanding is attained not through intellectual methods, nor through immersing oneself in the carnal pleasures of the world and the accompanying pain of samsara. It is the completeness of these experiences that allow Siddhartha to attain understand