--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while…" description: "\"I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while I was writing 'Lord of Light' along with many other things. It seemed a good time to read it so I could see wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/roger-zelazny-1604_battle_i-read-herman-hesse-s-siddhartha-while-i_895183.png" --- # I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while I was writing… ![“I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while I was writing 'Lord of Light' along with many other things. It seemed a good time to read it so I could see what he had to say about Buddha. In my first chapter, I was thinking in terms of the big battle scene in the 'Mahabarata.' It helped me in…” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/roger-zelazny-1604_battle_i-read-herman-hesse-s-siddhartha-while-i_895183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/roger-zelazny-1604_battle_i-read-herman-hesse-s-siddhartha-while-i_895183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cc/roger-zelazny-1604_battle_i-read-herman-hesse-s-siddhartha-while-i_895183.png) > “I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while I was writing 'Lord of Light' along with many other things. It seemed a good time to read it so I could see what he had to say about Buddha. In my first chapter, I was thinking in terms of the big battle scene in the 'Mahabarata.' It helped me in visualizing the battle in my novel.” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading Siddhartha informed Zelazny’s battle scene, linking Buddhist insight to epic storytelling. **In simple terms:** Siddhartha inspired his novel’s battle imagery. Key Takeaway Use literature to enrich creative work. Themes literature creativity spirituality Mood thoughtful inspired Type analytical creative When to use this quote - novel writing - scene planning - character development - research Key Concepts intertextuality mythology Questions to Reflect On - How does spiritual reading affect narrative? - Can cross‑cultural references deepen plot? A Different Perspective Interpretation may differ from original intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Siddhartha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/siddhartha/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go. ~Herman Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-hesse/some-of-us-think-holding-on-makes-us-strong-but-sometimes-it-is-3/) [Herman Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-hesse/) > [“Cruising along once again in this cesspool known as life, I realize that it is too late to make a detour. I will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/cruising-along-once-again-in-this-cesspool-known-as-life-i-realize/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I love to photograph the tools of one's trade: Duncan Grant's paintbrushes, the typewriter of Herman Hesse, or even my own guitar, a 1957…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-love-to-photograph-the-tools-of-one-s-trade-duncan-grant-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Siddhartha considered the ways of the demon, and in that moment he struck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/siddhartha-considered-the-ways-of-the-demon-and-in-that-moment-he/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [One particular aspect of Siddhartha’s revelation of the outside world has always struck me. Quite possibly he lived his first thirty years without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/one-particular-aspect-of-siddhartha-s-revelation-of-the-outside-world/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/do-not-believe-in-anything-simply-because-you-have-heard-it-but-after/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-secret-of-health-for-both-mind-and-body-is-not-to-mourn-for-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Ephemeral, highly ephemeral is the world of formations; ephemeral, highly ephemeral are our clothes and hairstyles, and our hair and our bodies themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/ephemeral-highly-ephemeral-is-the-world-of-formations-ephemeral/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“He sat thus, lost in meditation, thinking Om, his soul as the arrow directed at Brahman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/he-sat-thus-lost-in-meditation-thinking-om-his-soul-as-the-arrow/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Bodh Gaya is a land of enlightenment. Years ago, what Bodh Gaya got was Siddhartha but what Bodh Gaya gave to the world was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/bodh-gaya-is-a-land-of-enlightenment-years-ago-what-bodh-gaya-got-was/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Whether it is good or evil, whether life in itself is pain or pleasure, whether it is uncertain-that it may perhaps be this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/whether-it-is-good-or-evil-whether-life-in-itself-is-pain-or-pleasure/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I want to learn from myself, want to be my student, want to get to know myself, the secret of Siddhartha.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/i-want-to-learn-from-myself-want-to-be-my-student-want-to-get-to-know/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The whole secret of existence is to have no fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-whole-secret-of-existence-is-to-have-no-fear/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“When someone is searching then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-someone-is-searching-then-it-might-easily-happen-that-the-only/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [You will become tired, Siddhartha." "I will become tired." "You will fall asleep, Siddhartha." "I will not fall asleep." "You will die, Siddhartha." "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-become-tired-siddhartha-i-will-become-tired-you-will-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Roger Zelazny > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/time-too-is-a-function-of-shadow-and-even-dworkin-did-not-know-all-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I've always been impulsive. My thinking is usually pretty good, but I always seem to do it after I do my talking — by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-ve-always-been-impulsive-my-thinking-is-usually-pretty-good-but-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“And again, damn. Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/and-again-damn-of-troubles-i-considered-myself-amply-possessed-but/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Far below, the ocean was a bluegray rug being pulled out from beneath us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/far-below-the-ocean-was-a-bluegray-rug-being-pulled-out-from-beneath/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [A powerful flight of the imagination . . . an entirely enjoyable reading experience, wrought by a pair of writers noted for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/a-powerful-flight-of-the-imagination-an-entirely-enjoyable-reading/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The function of criticism should not be confused with the function of reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-function-of-criticism-should-not-be-confused-with-the-function-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. I started writing at the age of 11. All I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-always-wanted-to-write-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-started-writing-at/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [While I had often said that I wanted to die in bed, what I really meant was that in my old age I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/while-i-had-often-said-that-i-wanted-to-die-in-bed-what-i-really/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“That was the first time in my life that I knew the meaning of despair. I read, I worked, I drank, I whored, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/that-was-the-first-time-in-my-life-that-i-knew-the-meaning-of-despair/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“I watched until the sizzlecloud drew its legs up into itself, hung like a burning cocoon, then died like an ember retreating into ash.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-until-the-sizzlecloud-drew-its-legs-up-into-itself-hung/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [To waste! You are unknown and unwanted, save by me. This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I read Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha' while I was writing 'Lord of Light' along with many other things. It seemed a good time to read it so I could see what he had to say about Buddha. In my first chapter, I was thinking in terms of the big battle scene in the 'Mahabarata.' 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