Decontextualizing Buddha

Western Appropriations of Eastern Spirituality in Hesse’s Siddhartha

Abstract

Most postcolonial writers agree that colonizers have historically mistreated the colonized and often distort facts to favor themselves. However, some writers, like Herman Hesse in his novel Siddhartha, view the colonized differently. Published a decade after Hesse’s visit to India, the book depicts Indians as audiences of blind faith, with Siddhartha—representing Buddha—criticizing unquestioning adherence to religion. Hesse suggests many Indians follow faiths without reason, stuck in superstition, though critics argue his portrayal decontextualizes Buddha’s life, emphasizing spiritual over cultural aspects. The novel’s subtitle, “Ein Indische Dichtung,” underscores its poetic, Indian inspiration, but its Western interpretation remains debated.