CONTENTS 1
CONTENTS
FIRST PART
TO ROMAIN ROLLAND, MY DEAR FRIEND /1
THE SON OF THE BRAHMAN / 3
WITH THE SAMANAS / 12
GOTAMA / 23
AWAKENING / 33
SECOND PART
DEDICATED TO WILHELM GUNDERT,
MY COUSIN IN JAPAN / 39
KAMALA /41
WITH THE CHILDLIKE PEOPLE /55
SANSARA /64
BY THE RIVER /74
THE FERRYMAN /86
THE SON /99
OM /109
GOVINDA /117

THE SON OF THE BRAHMAN
I
n the shade of the house, in the sunshine of
the riverbank near the boats, in the shade of
the Sal-wood forest, in the shade of the fig tree is
where Siddhartha grew up, the handsome son of the
Brahman, the young falcon, together with his friend
Govinda, son of a Brahman. The sun tanned his light
shoulders by the banks of the river when bathing,
performing the sacred ablutions, the sacred offerings.
In the mango grove, shade poured into his black eyes,
when playing as a boy, when his mother sang, when
the sacred offerings were made, when his father, the
scholar, taught him, when the wise men talked. For
a long time, Siddhartha had been partaking in the
discussions of the wise men, practising debate with
Govinda, practising with Govinda the art of reflection,
the service of meditation. He already knew how to
speak the Om silently, the word of words, to speak
it silently into himself while inhaling, to speak it
silently out of himself while exhaling, with all the
concentration of his soul, the forehead surrounded by
the glow of the clear-thinking spirit. He already knew
to feel Atman in the depths of his being, indestructible,
one with the universe.
Joy leapt in his father's heart for his son who was
quick to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he saw him
growing up to become great wise man and priest, a
prince among the Brahmans.