In Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse, the story of a Brahmin priest on the path to enlightenment is shown to the reader. He undergoes many philosophical changes on his journey that ultimately bring him to enlightenment. Some influential events in Siddhartha's life include when he leaves his Brahmin life to join the Samanas, finds the importance of love with Kamala, and discovers the knowledge of the river. Siddhartha experiences many hardships and troubles on his journey, only to find happiness at the end. Although Siddhartha is born a Brahmin, he must leave them in order to follow what he truly believes in.
Siddhartha begins his journey to enlightenment by moving to live with the Samanas in the forest. Living amongst men following the same path, he is forced to give up almost everything he has once known. He eats only once a day and is sometimes forced to go for long periods of time without eating at all. With the Samanas he learns many skills such as meditation, and how to leave one's soul. However, he feels that he cannot obtain true peace with the Samanas. Hesse writes," Siddhartha had one single goal-to become empty, to become empty of thirst, desire, dreams, pleasure and sorrow-to let the self die"(14). Siddhartha shows his first signs of letting go by eliminating himself of all that he had once been made of. He does this by letting go of his Self. Siddhartha finally decides to leave the Samanas, and follow another path to self-discovery.
Along Siddhartha's journey to self-discovery he meets a woman named Kamala. She shows him a different way of living like one he has never known. Her life is solely based on materialistic needs, which Siddhartha has never believed in before. Siddhartha shares a common bond with Kamala however, in that they cannot know how to love. By living amongst these people with the same materialistic interests, he becomes more vulnerable to his surroundings.