Siddhartha | Page 8

had believed his goal was to live to be sixty and seventy years of age
and to keep on practising those feats and exercises, which are becoming a Samana. But
behold, I had not known Govinda well enough, I knew little of his heart. So now you, my
faithful friend, want to take a new path and go there, where the Buddha spreads his
teachings."
Quoth Govinda: "You're mocking me. Mock me if you like, Siddhartha! But have you not
also developed a desire, an eagerness, to hear these teachings? And have you not at one
time said to me, you would not walk the path of the Samanas for much longer?"
At this, Siddhartha laughed in his very own manner, in which his voice assumed a touch
of sadness and a touch of mockery, and said: "Well, Govinda, you've spoken well, you've
remembered correctly. If you only remembered the other thing as well, you've heard from
me, which is that I have grown distrustful and tired against teachings and learning, and
that my faith in words, which are brought to us by teachers, is small. But let's do it, my
dear, I am willing to listen to these teachings--though in my heart I believe that we've
already tasted the best fruit of these teachings."
Quoth Govinda: "Your willingness delights my heart. But tell me, how should this be
possible? How should the Gotama's teachings, even before we have heard them, have
already revealed their best fruit to us?"
Quoth Siddhartha: "Let us eat this fruit and wait for the rest, oh Govinda! But this fruit,

which we already now received thanks to the Gotama, consisted in him calling us away
from the Samanas! Whether he has also other and better things to give us, oh friend, let
us await with calm hearts."
On this very same day, Siddhartha informed the oldest one of the Samanas of his decision,
that he wanted to leave him. He informed the oldest one with all the courtesy and
modesty becoming to a younger one and a student. But the Samana became angry,
because the two young men wanted to leave him, and talked loudly and used crude
swearwords.
Govinda was startled and became embarrassed. But Siddhartha put his mouth close to
Govinda's ear and whispered to him: "Now, I want to show the old man that I've learned
something from him."
Positioning himself closely in front of the Samana, with a concentrated soul, he captured
the old man's glance with his glances, deprived him of his power, made him mute, took
away his free will, subdued him under his own will, commanded him, to do silently,
whatever he demanded him to do. The old man became mute, his eyes became motionless,
his will was paralysed, his arms were hanging down; without power, he had fallen victim
to Siddhartha's spell. But Siddhartha's thoughts brought the Samana under their control,
he had to carry out, what they commanded. And thus, the old man made several bows,
performed gestures of blessing, spoke stammeringly a godly wish for a good journey.
And the young men returned the bows with thanks, returned the wish, went on their way
with salutations.
On the way, Govinda said: "Oh Siddhartha, you have learned more from the Samanas
than I knew. It is hard, it is very hard to cast a spell on an old Samana. Truly, if you had
stayed there, you would soon have learned to walk on water."
"I do not seek to walk on water," said Siddhartha. "Let old Samanas be content with such
feats!"

GOTAMA
In the town of Savathi, every child knew the name of the exalted Buddha, and every
house was prepared to fill the alms-dish of Gotama's disciples, the silently begging ones.
Near the town was Gotama's favourite place to stay, the grove of Jetavana, which the rich
merchant Anathapindika, an obedient worshipper of the exalted one, had given him and
his people for a gift.
All tales and answers, which the two young ascetics had received in their search for
Gotama's abode, had pointed them towards this area. And arriving at Savathi, in the very
first house, before the door of which they stopped to beg, food has been offered to them,
and they accepted the food, and Siddhartha asked the woman, who handed them the food:
"We would like to know, oh charitable one, where the Buddha dwells, the most venerable

one, for we are two Samanas from the forest and have come, to see him, the perfected one,
and to hear the teachings from his mouth."
Quoth the woman: "Here, you have truly come to the right place, you Samanas from the
forest. You should know, in Jetavana, in the garden of Anathapindika is where the
exalted one dwells. There you pilgrims