Written in a prose of almost biblical simplicity and beauty, Hesse's classic work tells the story of a soul's long quest for the answer to the enigma of man's role on Earth.

The name "Siddhartha" is often given to the Buddha himself--perhaps a clue to Hesse's aims contrasting the traditional legendary figure with his own conception.

This new edition of the classic Siddhartha includes The Dhammapada ("Path of Virtue"), the 423 verses attributed to the Buddha himself, which forms the essence of the ethics of Buddhist philosophy.