Finding the Truth in SiddharthaIn Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, a classic novel about enlightenment, the main character, Siddhartha, embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will last a lifetime his life. Along the way, Siddhartha encounters many people who attempt to teach him enlightenment, the most important of which is undoubtedly the Buddha himself. Although Siddhartha rejects the Buddha's teachings, claiming that wisdom cannot be taught, we can nevertheless see that throughout his journey to understanding, Siddhartha encounters the Four Noble Truths which constitute a central theme of Buddhism: suffering. , the cause of suffering, the end of suffering. suffering and the middle way. The First Noble Truth is The Truth of Suffering. If people examine their own experiences or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering. In the novel, Siddhartha experiences both forms of suffering: physical and mental. Physical suffering can take many forms: illness, aging, injury. Siddhartha experienced physical suffering in his youth when he joined the ascetics or Samanas. As Samana, Siddhartha learns to fast, tolerate extreme heat and cold, and endure pain through meditation. Siddhartha's life as a samana is bitter and he learns that "life [is] pain" (p. 11). Siddhartha experiences mental pain in the second half of his life when he begins a contrasting existence of pleasure, and then again when he meets his only son. After leaving the Samanas, Siddhartha begins a life of decadence in the house of a wealthy merchant and in the company of a beautiful courtesan. Although at first Siddhartha remains aloof from their daily problems, as the years pass, Siddhartha himself begins to value money, good wine and material goods. Because of this, “a fine mist, a weariness [settles] over Siddhartha” (p. 63) and he is plunged into mental pain. Later, after getting rid of the pain of the life of a rich merchant by becoming a simple smuggler, Siddhartha again experiences mental anguish when he meets his son. Siddhartha immediately falls in love with his arrogant 11-year-old son, whom he has never seen before. But the son despises his father and his simple life and runs away soon after. Siddhartha becomes agitated and worried, again experiencing great mental anguish. During his journey, Siddhartha realizes the Second Noble Truth - that the direct cause of suffering is desire..