The Mandukya Upanishad and Siddhartha: OM as the Path to the Self

Abstract

The influence of Indian philosophy on Hermann Hesse and his writings has been extensively studied and discussed. Most critics view Siddhartha’s enlightenment in Hesse’s eponymous novel as synthesizing his wisdom and selecting Eastern philosophical ideas. However, the profound significance of OM in this enlightenment remains underexplored. This paper investigates the role of OM in Siddhartha’s spiritual journey with the help of Mandukya Upanishad, contending that his enlightenment aligns with the non-dual tradition of Vedanta. The realization of the Absolute—referred to here as Brahman, Atman, or the Self—is understood as Panentheistic rather than Pantheistic. This perspective affirms Siddhartha’s existential concerns, demonstrating that his quest for self-realization is deeply embedded in the Upanishadic vision of the Highest Reality.