WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:06.599 Chapter nine, the ferryman by this river, I want to stay, thought 2 00:00:06.719 --> 00:00:11.599 said Arthur. It is the same which I have crossed a long time ago 3 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:17.359 on my way to the childlike people. A friendly ferryman had guided me. 4 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:22.440 Then he is the one I want to go to. Starting out from his 5 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.480 heart, my path had led me at that time into a new life, 6 00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:34.159 which had now grown old and is dead. My present path, my present 7 00:00:34.280 --> 00:00:41.119 new life, shall also take its start there. Tenderly, he looked into 8 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:47.200 the rushing water, into the transparent green, into the crystal lines of its 9 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:53.920 drawing, so rich in secrets, bright pearls he saw rising from the deep, 10 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:59.719 quiet bubbles of air floating on the reflecting surface, the blue of the 11 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:04.640 sky being depicted in it with a thousand eyes. The river looked at him 12 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:11.079 with green ones, with white ones, with crystal ones, with sky blue 13 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:17.159 ones. How did he love this water? How did it delight him? 14 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:22.599 How grateful was he to it? In his heart? He heard the water 15 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:27.120 talking, which was newly awakening, and it told him, love this water, 16 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:33.519 stay near it, learn from it. Oh, yes, he wanted 17 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:38.400 to learn from it. He wanted to listen to it. He who would 18 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:44.200 understand this water and its secrets, so it seemed to him, would also 19 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:51.359 understand many other things, many secrets, all secrets. But out of all 20 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:57.480 secrets of the river he today only saw one. This one touched his soul. 21 00:01:59.400 --> 00:02:07.120 He saw this water ran and ran incessantly, It ran and was nevertheless 22 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:13.280 always there was, always, at all times, the same and yet new 23 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:22.439 in every moment. Great be he who would grasp this, understand this he 24 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:29.960 understood and grasped it, not only felt some idea of its stirring a distant 25 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:37.400 memory, divine voices, said Arthur Rose. The workings of hunger in his 26 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:43.599 body became unbearable. In a daze, he walked on up the path by 27 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:49.439 the river, up river, listened to the current, listened to the rumbling 28 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.360 hunger in his body. When he reached the ferry, the boat was just 29 00:02:53.560 --> 00:03:00.039 ready, and the same ferryman who had once transported the young Samana across the 30 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:07.039 river stood in the boat. Siddartha recognized him. He had also aged very 31 00:03:07.159 --> 00:03:13.599 much. Would you like to ferry me over? He asked. The ferryman, 32 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:19.599 being astonished to see such an elegant man walking along and on foot, 33 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:23.879 took him into his boat and pushed it off the bank. It is a 34 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:30.199 beautiful life you have chosen for yourself. The passenger spoke, it must be 35 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:37.879 beautiful to live by this water every day, and a cruise on it with 36 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:40.759 a smile. The man at the oar moved from side to side. It 37 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:46.919 is beautiful, sir. It is as you say. But isn't every life? 38 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:53.080 Isn't every work beautiful? This may be true, but I envy you 39 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:59.240 yours. Ah, you would soon stop enjoying it. This is nothing for 40 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:04.719 people where her fine clothes, said Arthur laughed. Once before, I have 41 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:10.759 been looked upon today because of my clothes. I have been looked upon with 42 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:15.720 distrust. Wouldn't you, ferryman, like to accept these clothes, which are 43 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:21.040 a nuisance to me from me? For you must know I have no money 44 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:27.240 to pay your fare. You are joking, sir, the ferryman laughed. 45 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:32.360 I'm not joking. Friend. Behold, once before you have ferried me across 46 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:38.560 this water in your boat for the immaterial reward of a good deed. Thus 47 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:44.360 do it today as well, and accept my clothes for it. And do 48 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:50.000 you, sir, intend to continue traveling without clothes? Ah? Most of 49 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:55.240 all, I wouldn't want to continue traveling at all. Most of all, 50 00:04:55.720 --> 00:05:00.639 I would like you, ferryman, to give me an old loincloth and keep 51 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:04.680 me as your assistant, or rather as your trainee, for I'll have to 52 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:10.680 learn first how to handle the boat. For a long time, the ferryman 53 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:16.240 looked at the stranger, searching. Now I recognize you, he finally said. 54 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:23.040 At one time you've slept in my hut. This was a long time 55 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:29.399 ago, possibly more than twenty years ago, and you've been ferried across the 56 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:35.000 river by me and we parted like good friends. Haven't you been a samana? 57 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:41.079 I can't think of your name any more. My name is said d'Arthur, 58 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:46.439 and I was a samana when you last saw me. So be welcome, 59 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.920 said Arthur. My name is Vasu Diva. You will, so, 60 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:55.079 I hope, be my guest to day as well, and sleep in my 61 00:05:55.240 --> 00:06:00.399 heart and tell me where you're coming from and why these beautiful clothes those are 62 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:03.600 such a nuisance to you. They had reached the middle of the river, 63 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:10.399 and Vasudeva pushed the oar with more strength in order to overcome the current. 64 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:15.360 He worked calmly, his eyes fixed on the front of the boat. With 65 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:23.560 brawny arms. Siddhartha sat and watched him and remembered how once before, on 66 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:28.720 that last day of his time as a samana, love for this man had 67 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:35.079 stirred in his heart. Gratefully, he accepted Vasudeva's invitation. When they had 68 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:39.680 reached the bank, he helped him to tie the boat to the stakes. 69 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:45.120 After this, the ferryman asked him to enter the hut, offered him bread 70 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:49.720 and water, and Sir Dartha ate with eager pleasure, and also ate with 71 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:57.360 eager pleasure of the mango fruits Vasu Diva offered him. Afterwards, it was 72 00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:01.079 almost the time of the sunset. They sat on a log by the bank, 73 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:06.560 and sid Arthur told the fairyman about where he originally had come from and 74 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:12.240 about his life as he had seen it before his eyes to day, in 75 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:19.959 that hour of despair, until late at night lasted his tale. Vasudeva listened 76 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:27.920 with great attention, listened carefully. He let everything enter his mind, birthplace 77 00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:34.040 and childhood, all that learning, all that searching, all joy, all 78 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:42.759 distress. This was among the Fairyman's virtues, one of the greatest. Like 79 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:47.879 only a few he knew how to listen without him having spoken a word, 80 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:57.560 The speaker sensed how Vasudeva let his words enter his mind, quiet open waiting. 81 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:03.360 How he did not lose a single word, awaited, not a single 82 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:09.600 one with impatience, did not add his phrase or rebuke, was just listening. 83 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:16.439 Sid Arthur felt, what a happy fortune it is to confess to such 84 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:22.560 a listener, to bury in his heart his own life, his own search, 85 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:28.279 his own suffering. But in the end of Siddartha's tale, when he 86 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:33.919 spoke of the tree by the river, and of his deep fall of the 87 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:37.600 holy om, and how he had felt such a love for the river after 88 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:46.639 his slumber, the ferryman listened with twice the attention, entirely and completely absorbed 89 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:52.639 by it, with his eyes closed. And when sid Arthur felt silent, 90 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:58.480 and a long silence had occurred, then Vasudeva said, it is as I 91 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:05.000 thought. The river has spoken to you. It is your friend as well. 92 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:11.879 It speaks to you as well. That is good, That is very 93 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:16.559 good. Stay with me, said Arthur, my friend. I used to 94 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:22.440 have a wife. Her bed was next to mine, but she has died 95 00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:28.200 a long time ago. For a long time I have lived alone. Now 96 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:33.840 you shall live with me. There is space and food for both. I 97 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:39.559 thank you, said said Arthur, I thank you and accept and I also 98 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:46.000 thank you for this Vasudeva for listening to me so well. These people are 99 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:50.279 rare who know how to listen. And I did not meet a single one 100 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:54.600 who knew it as well as you did. I will also learn in this 101 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:01.960 respect from you. You will learn it, spoke Vasu Diva, but not 102 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:07.679 from me. The river has taught me to listen. From it, you 103 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:13.399 will learn it as well. It knows everything, the river. Everything can 104 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:18.519 be learned from it. See you've already learned this from the river, to 105 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:24.240 that it is good to strive downwards, to sink, to seek depth. 106 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:31.559 The rich and elegant, Saidhartha. Is becoming an osman servant the learned Brahman, 107 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:37.919 said Arthur, becomes a fairy man. This has also been told to 108 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:41.600 you by the river. You'll learn that other thing from it as well, 109 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:50.600 quoth said Arthur, after a long pause. What other thing, Vasudva Vasu 110 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:56.360 Diva rose, It is late, he said, let's go to sleep. 111 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:01.080 I can't tell you that other thing, O friend. You'll learn it, 112 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:07.159 or perhaps you already know it. See I'm no learned man. I have 113 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:13.960 no special skill in speaking. I also have no special skill in thinking. 114 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:18.919 All I'm able to do is to listen and to be godly. I have 115 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.919 learned nothing else. If I was able to say and to teach it, 116 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:28.639 I might be a wise man. But like this, I am only a 117 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:33.759 ferryman, and it is my task to ferry people across the river. I 118 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:39.200 have transported many thousands, and to all of them, my river has been 119 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:46.679 nothing but an obstacle on their travels. They traveled to seek money and business, 120 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:52.799 and for weddings and on pilgrimages, and the river was obstructing their path, 121 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:58.440 and the ferryman's job was to get them quickly across that obstacle. But 122 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:03.080 for some among the thousand, a few, four or five, the river 123 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:09.279 has stopped being an obstacle. They have heard its voice, they have listened 124 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:15.360 to it, and the river has become sacred to them, as it has 125 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:22.000 become sacred to me. Let's rest now, said Arthur. Said. Arthur 126 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:26.559 stayed with the ferryman and learned to operate the boat, And when there was 127 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:31.039 nothing to do at the ferry, he worked with Vasudeva in the rice field, 128 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:37.559 gathered wood, plucked the fruit off the banana trees. He learned to 129 00:12:37.559 --> 00:12:41.960 build an oar and learn to mend the boat and to weave baskets, and 130 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:48.159 was joyful because of everything he learned, And the days and months passed quickly, 131 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.320 but more than Vasadeva could teach him. He was taught by the river 132 00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:01.159 incessantly. He learned from it. Most of all, he learned from it 133 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:07.200 to listen, to pay close attention, with a quiet heart, with awaiting, 134 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:15.440 opened soul, without passion, without a wish, without judgment, without 135 00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:22.679 an opinion, in a friendly manner. He lived side by side with Vasudeva, 136 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:28.120 and occasionally they exchanged some words few and at length thought about words. 137 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:35.279 Vasudeva was no friend to words. Rarely said Arthur, succeeded in persuading him 138 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:41.440 to speak. Did you so, He asked him, what one time did 139 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:46.399 you too learn that secret from the river, that there is no time? 140 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:54.600 Vasudeva's face was filled with a bright smile. Yes, said Arthur. He 141 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:58.919 spoke, It is this what you mean, isn't it? That the river 142 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:05.000 is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the 143 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:09.000 waterfall, at the fairy, at the rapids, in the sea, in 144 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:16.480 the mountains, everywhere at once, And that there is only the present for 145 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.399 it not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future. 146 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:26.279 This it is, said sid Arthur. And when I had learned it, 147 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:31.759 I looked at my life, and it was also a river. And the 148 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.679 boy, said Arthur, was only separated from the man, said Arthur, 149 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:39.919 and from the old man, said Arthur, by a shadow, not something 150 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:48.360 real. Also said Arthur's previous births were no past, and his death and 151 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:54.919 his return to Brahma was no future. Nothing was, nothing will be. 152 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:03.480 Everything is, everything has existence and is present, said Arthur, spoke with 153 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:13.639 ecstasy deeply. This enlightenment had delighted him. Oh, was not all suffering. 154 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:20.279 Time were not all forms of tormenting oneself and being afraid. Time was 155 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:28.039 not everything hard, everything hostile in the world gone and overcome as soon as 156 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:33.440 one had overcome time, as soon as time would have been put out of 157 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:41.759 existence by one's thoughts. In ecstatic delight, he had spoken, but Vasudeva 158 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:48.879 smiled at him brightly and nodded in confirmation. Silently, he nodded, brushed 159 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:56.080 his hand over Sir Arthur's shoulder, turned back to his work, and once 160 00:15:56.120 --> 00:16:00.559 again, when the river had just increased its flow in the rainy season and 161 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:06.519 made a powerful noise, then, said said Arthur, isn't it so, 162 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:12.600 oh, friend? The river has many voices, many many voices. Hasn't 163 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:18.039 it the voice of a king, and of a warrior, and of a 164 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:22.600 bull, and of a bird of the night, and a woman giving birth, 165 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:30.320 and of a sighing man, and a thousand other voices? More so 166 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:37.279 it is, Vasudeva nodded, all voices of the creature are in its voice. 167 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:44.000 And do you know, said Arthur, continued, what word it speaks 168 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:51.200 when you succeed in hearing all of its ten thousand voices at once? Happily, 169 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:57.279 Vasudeva's face was smiling. He bent over to sad Arthur and spoke the 170 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:03.880 holy om in his ear. And this had been the very thing which Siddhartha 171 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:11.960 had also been hearing. And time after time his smile became more similar to 172 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:18.680 the ferryman's, became almost just as bright, almost just as thoughtfully glowing with 173 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:26.680 bliss, just as shining out of thousand small wrinkles, just as alike to 174 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:34.720 a child's, just as alike to an old man's. Many travelers seeing the 175 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:41.839 two ferrymen, thought they were brothers. Often they sat in the evening together 176 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:47.319 by the bank on the log said nothing, and both listened to the water, 177 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:52.720 which was no water to them, but the voice of life, the 178 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:59.400 voice of what exists, of what is eternally taking shape. And it happened 179 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:03.400 from time to time that both, when listening to the water, thought of 180 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:08.680 the same things, of a conversation from the day before, yesterday, of 181 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:15.880 one of their travelers, the face and fate of whom had occupied their thoughts, 182 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:19.759 of death, of their childhood, And that they both, in the 183 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:25.400 same moment, when the wiver had been saying something good to them, looked 184 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:32.160 at each other, both thinking precisely the same thing, both delighted about the 185 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:37.400 same answer to the same question. There was something about this fairy and the 186 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:42.720 two ferrymen which was transmitted to others, which many of the travelers felt. 187 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:49.079 It happened occasionally that a traveler, after having looked at the face of one 188 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:55.480 of the ferrymen, started to tell the story of his life, told about 189 00:18:55.559 --> 00:19:03.839 pains, confessed evil things, asked for comfort and advice. It happened occasionally 190 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.599 that someone asked for permission to stay for a night with them to listen to 191 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:14.039 the river. It also happened that curious people came who had been told that 192 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:18.759 there were two wise men, or sorcerers or holy men living by that fairy. 193 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:26.480 The curious people asked many questions, but they got no answers, and 194 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:32.400 they found neither sorcerers nor wise men. They only found two friendly, little 195 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:37.359 old men who seemed to be mute and to have become a bit strange and 196 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:45.240 Gaga, and the curious people laughed and were discussing how foolishly and gullibly the 197 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:52.279 common people were spreading such empty rumors. The years passed by and nobody counted 198 00:19:52.319 --> 00:20:00.680 them. Then at one time monks came by on a pilgrimage followers of Gautama 199 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:04.400 the Buddha, who were asking to be ferried across the river, and by 200 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:10.599 then the ferrymen were told that they were most hurriedly walking back to their great 201 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:17.359 teacher, for the news had spread the Exalted One was deadly sick and would 202 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:22.200 soon die his last human death in order to become one with the salvation. 203 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:30.799 It was not long until a new flock of monks came along on their pilgrimage, 204 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:34.240 and another one, and the monks, as well as most of the 205 00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:41.200 other travelers and people walking through the land, spoke of nothing else than of 206 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:48.200 Gautama and his impending death. And as people are flocking from everywhere and from 207 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.599 all sides, when they are going to war or to the coronation of a 208 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:59.160 king, and are gathering like ants in droves. Thus they flocked, like 209 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:03.359 being drawn on by a magic spell, to where the great Buddha was awaiting 210 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:08.599 his death, where the huge event was to take place, and the great 211 00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:17.160 perfected one of an era was to become one with the glory. Often said 212 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:22.400 Arthur thought in those days of the dying wise man, the great teacher, 213 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:29.640 whose voice had admonished nations and had awoken hundreds of thousands, whose voice he 214 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:36.440 had also once heard, whose holy face he had also once seen with respect. 215 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:41.440 Kindly he thought of him, saw his path to perfection before his eyes, 216 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:47.480 and remembered with a smile those words which he had once as a young 217 00:21:47.559 --> 00:21:52.920 man said to him the exalted one. They had been so it seemed to 218 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:59.519 him, proud and precocious words. With a smile, he remembered them for 219 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:03.799 a long time. He knew that there was nothing standing between Gautama and him 220 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:11.680 anymore, though he was still unable to accept his teachings. No, there 221 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:17.839 was no teaching a truly searching person, someone who truly wanted to find could 222 00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:23.240 accept. But he who had found, he could approve of any teachings, 223 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:30.960 every path, every goal. There was nothing standing between him, meant all 224 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:36.480 the other thousand any more, who lived in that what is eternal, who 225 00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:42.000 breathed what is divine? On one of these days when so many went on 226 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:48.160 a pilgrimage to the dying Buddha, Kamala also went to him, who used 227 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:53.240 to be one of the most beautiful of the courtesans. A long time ago, 228 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:59.200 she had retired from her previous life, had given her garden to the 229 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:03.480 monks of Tarma as a gift, had taken her refuge in the teachings, 230 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:11.440 was among the friends and benefactors of the pilgrims. Together with Saddartha, the 231 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:15.240 boy, her son. She had gone on her way due to the news 232 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:22.160 of the near death of Gautama. In simple clothes on foot with her little 233 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:27.119 son, she was traveling by the river. But the boy had soon grown 234 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:33.160 tired, desired to go back home, desired to rest, desired to eat, 235 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:41.640 became disobedient and started whining. Kamala often had to take a rest with 236 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:48.039 him. He was accustomed to having his way against her. She had to 237 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:52.720 feed him, had to comfort him, had to scold him. He did 238 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:59.400 not comprehend why he had to go on this exhausting and sad pilgrimage with his 239 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:03.960 mother to an unknown place, to a stranger who was holly and about to 240 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:10.000 die. So what if he died? How did this concern the boy? 241 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:17.480 The pilgrims were getting close to Vasudeva's ferry when little Sadhartha once again forced his 242 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:23.559 mother to rest. She Kamala herself had also become tired, and while the 243 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:29.480 boy was chewing a banana, she crouched down on the ground, closed her 244 00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:34.319 eyes a bit, and rested, But suddenly she uttered a wailing scream. 245 00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:41.200 The boy looked at her in fear and saw her face having grown pale from 246 00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:48.279 horror, and from under her dress a small black snake fled by which Kamala 247 00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:55.920 had been bitten. Hurriedly, they now both ran along the path in order 248 00:24:55.960 --> 00:25:00.680 to reach people, and got near the ferry. There, Kamala collapsed and 249 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:07.400 was not able to go any further, but the boy started crying miserably, 250 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:12.279 only interrupting it to kiss and hug his mother, and she also joined his 251 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:19.000 loud screams for help, until the sound reached Vasudeva's ears, who stood at 252 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:25.920 the ferry. Quickly he came walking, took the woman on his arms, 253 00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:32.079 carried her into the boat. The boy ran along, and soon they all 254 00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:37.039 reached the hut, where Siddhartha stood by the stove and was just lighting the 255 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:42.200 fire. He looked up and first saw the boy's face, which wondrously reminded 256 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:48.160 him of something like a warning to remember something he had forgotten. Then he 257 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:55.960 saw Kamala, whom he instantly recognized, though she lay unconscious in the ferryman's 258 00:25:56.119 --> 00:26:00.599 arms. And now he knew that it was his own son whose face had 259 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:04.960 been such a warning reminder to him, and the heart stirred in his chest. 260 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:12.480 Kamala's wound was washed, but had already turned black, and her body 261 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:19.960 was swollen. She was made to drink a healing potion. Her consciousness returned. 262 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:26.519 She lay on Sir d'arthur's bed in the hut and bent over her stood, 263 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:32.039 said Arthur, who used to love her so much it seemed like a 264 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:36.640 dream to her, with a smile. She looked at her friend's face. 265 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:45.640 Just slowly she realized her situation remembered the bite, called timidly for the boy. 266 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:52.400 He's with you. Don't worry, said Sir Arthur. Kamala looked into 267 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:57.920 his eyes. She spoke with a heavy tongue, paralyzed by the poison. 268 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:06.400 You've become old, my dear, she said, You've become gray. But 269 00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:11.880 you are like the young Samana who at one time came without clothes with dusty 270 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:18.920 feet to me into the garden. You are much more like him than you 271 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.920 were like him at the time when you had left me and come a swami 272 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:29.720 in the eyes. You'll like him, said Arthur. Alas I have also 273 00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:37.000 grown old. Old, could you still recognize me, said Arthur, smiled 274 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:42.640 instantly, I recognized you, Kamala, my dear. Kamala pointed to her 275 00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:48.680 boy and said, did you recognize him as well? He is your son. 276 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:56.400 Her eyes became confused and fell shut. The boy wept, said Arthur. 277 00:27:56.480 --> 00:28:02.119 Took him on his knees, let him weep, petted his hair, 278 00:28:02.680 --> 00:28:07.440 and at the sight of the child's face, a Brahman prayer came to his 279 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:11.480 mind, which he had learned a long time ago when he had been a 280 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:18.640 little boy himself. Slowly, with a singing voice, he started to speak 281 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:25.079 from his past and childhood. The words came flowing to him, and with 282 00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:30.359 that sing song, the boy became calm, was only now and then uttering 283 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:41.400 a sob and fell asleep. Sadartha placed him on Vasadeva's bed. Vasudeva stood 284 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:47.319 by the stove and cooked rice. Sidartha gave him a look, which he 285 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:56.200 returned with a smile. She'll die, Sadartha said quietly. Thasudiva nodded over 286 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:03.359 his friendly face ran the light of the stove's fire. Once again, Kamala 287 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:10.559 returned to consciousness. Pain distorted her face. Siddartha's eyes read the suffering on 288 00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:17.119 her mouth, on her pale cheeks. Quietly, he read it attentively, 289 00:29:17.319 --> 00:29:23.119 waiting, his mind, becoming one with her suffering. Kamala felt it. 290 00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:30.599 Her gaze sought his eyes, looking at him, She said, now I 291 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:36.440 see that your eyes have changed as well. They've become completely different. But 292 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:42.839 what do I still recognize that you're Siddartha. It's you and it's not you. 293 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:51.960 Sidartha said nothing. Quietly, his eyes looked at hers. You have 294 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:57.519 achieved it, she asked, You have found peace. He smiled and placed 295 00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:03.480 his hand on hers I'm seeing it, she said, I'm seeing it. 296 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:10.759 I too will find peace. You have found it, said Arthur, spoke 297 00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:17.680 in a whisper. Kamala never stopped looking into his eyes. She thought about 298 00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:22.599 her pilgrimage to Gautama, which wanted to take in order to see the face 299 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:26.279 of the perfected One, to breathe his peace. And she thought that she 300 00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:32.000 had now found him in his place, and that it was good, just 301 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:37.359 as good as if she had seen the other one. She wanted to tell 302 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:42.880 this to him, but the tongue no longer obeyed her will. Without speaking, 303 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:48.400 she looked at him, and he saw the life fading from her eyes 304 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:55.079 when the final pain filled her eyes and made them grow dim, when the 305 00:30:55.240 --> 00:31:03.759 final shiver ran through her limbs, his finger closed her eyelids. For a 306 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:08.319 long time, he sat and looked at her peacefully dead face. For a 307 00:31:08.359 --> 00:31:15.119 long time, he observed her mouth, her old tired mouth, with those 308 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:19.480 lips which had become thin, and he remembered that he used to, in 309 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:25.640 the spring of his years, compare this mouth with a freshly cracked fig. 310 00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:30.720 For a long time, he sat red in the pale face, in the 311 00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:38.000 tired wrinkles, filled himself with this sight saw his own face lying in the 312 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:45.559 same manner, just as white, just as quenched out, and saw at 313 00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:51.759 the same time his face and hers being young, with red lips, with 314 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:56.119 fiery eyes, and the feeling of this both being present and at the time 315 00:31:56.279 --> 00:32:06.319 real. The feeling of eternity completely filled every aspect of his being deeply. 316 00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:12.640 He felt, more deeply than ever before, in this hour, the indestructibility 317 00:32:12.920 --> 00:32:20.799 of every life, the eternity of every moment. When he rose, Vasudva 318 00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:27.160 had prepared rice for him, but Siddartha did not eat. In the stable 319 00:32:27.240 --> 00:32:31.920 where their goats stood, the two old men prepared beds of straw for themselves, 320 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:38.960 and Vasudeva lay himself down to sleep. But Sidartha went outside and sat 321 00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:45.920 this night before the hut, listening to the river, surrounded by the past, 322 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:51.920 touched and encircled by all times of his life at the same time. 323 00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:59.200 But occasionally he rose, stepped to the door of the hut and listened whether 324 00:32:59.240 --> 00:33:04.960 the boy was leaping. Early in the morning, even before the sun could 325 00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:09.960 be seen, Vasudeva came out of the stable and walked over to his friend. 326 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:17.680 You haven't slept, he said, no, Vasadiva, I sat here 327 00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:23.599 I was listening to the river a lot. It has told me deeply. 328 00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:29.279 It has filled me with the healing thought, with the thought of oneness. 329 00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:36.759 You've experienced suffering, said Arthur. But I see no sadness has entered your 330 00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:43.079 heart. No, my dear, how should I be sad? I who 331 00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:49.400 have been rich and happy, have become even richer and happier. Now my 332 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:54.200 son has been given to me. Your son shall be welcome to me as 333 00:33:54.279 --> 00:34:00.279 well. But now, said Arthur, let's get to work. There is 334 00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:05.640 much to be done. Kamala has died on the same bed on which my 335 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:13.039 wife had died a long time ago. Let us also build Kamala's funeral pile 336 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:19.119 on the same hill on which I had then built my wife's funeral pile. 337 00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:27.440 While the boy was still asleep, they built the funeral pile. End of 338 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:28.960 Chapter nine.