In Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, the protagonist Siddhartha tries and eventually leaves behind a variety of methods in his quest for enlightenment and peace. One path Siddhartha followed on his journey was that of the ascetic group the Samanas. The focus of the Samanas was to leave behind the world of desire and strip life down to its most simple form. Siddhartha spent almost three years living in this meager state. He ate scant meals of rice, wore minimal clothing, and meditated for hours each day. Though this set of practices brought him a sense of fulfillment and peace, he found that it was a state that he could not sustain. He compared this practice with that of a drunkard who when intoxicated could forget his problem. Siddhartha sought