How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph) We used the edition found on Project Gutenberg, translated by Olesch, Dreher, Coulter, Langer, and Chaichenets
Quote #7
In a friendly manner, he lived side by side with Vasudeva, and occasionally they exchanged some words, few and at length thought about words. Vasudeva was no friend of words; rarely, Siddhartha succeeded in persuading him to speak. (9.31)
During the period of Siddhartha’s most profound spiritual awakening, he rarely speaks.
Quote #8
The curious people asked many questions, but they got no answers, and they found neither sorcerers nor wise men, they only found two friendly little old men, who seemed to be mute and to have become a bit strange and gaga. And the curious people laughed and were discussing how foolishly and gullibly the common people were spreading such empty rumors. (9.41)
The spiritual wisdom of Vasudeva and Siddhartha cannot be communicated.
Quote #9
"You've heard it laugh," he said. "But you haven't heard everything. Let's listen, you'll hear more."
They listened. Softly sounded the river, singing in many voices. Siddhartha looked into the water, and images appeared to him in the moving water: his father appeared, lonely, mourning for his son; he himself appeared, lonely, he also being tied with the bondage of yearning to his distant son; his son appeared, lonely as well, the boy, greedily rushing along the burning course of his young wishes, each one heading for his goal, each one obsessed by the goal, each one suffering. The river sang with a voice of suffering, longingly it sang, longingly, it flowed towards its goal, lamentingly its voice sang.
"Do you hear?" Vasudeva's mute gaze asked. Siddhartha nodded.
"Listen better!" Vasudeva whispered. (11.12-15)
The river communicates to Siddhartha and Vasudeva through images, laughter, and voices. We know. It’s a special river.