The Library of the Uncommons

Sasu quoted In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi (duplicate) (Teachings of the Buddha)

Bhikkhu Bodhi (duplicate): In the Buddha's Words (EBook, 2005, Wisdom Publications)

This landmark collection is the definitive introduction to the Buddha’s teachings—in his own words. The …

The fact that such texts as this sutta and the Kālāma Sutta do not dwell on the doctrines of kamma and rebirth does not mean, as is sometimes assumed, that such teachings are mere cultural accretions to the Dhamma that can be deleted or explained away without losing anything essential. It means only that, at the outset, the Dhamma can be approached in ways that do not require reference to past and future lives. The Buddha’s teaching has many sides, and thus, from certain angles, it can be directly evaluated against our concern for our present well-being and happiness. Once we see that the practice of the teaching does indeed bring peace, joy, and inner security in this very life, this will inspire our trust and confidence in the Dhamma as a whole, including those aspects that lie beyond our present capacity for personal verification. If we were to undertake certain practices—practices that require highly refined skills and determined effort—we would be able to acquire the faculties needed to validate those other aspects

— In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi (duplicate) (Teachings of the Buddha)

One of the best explanations for how to approach the notions of #kamma and #rebirth I've seen. And also one of the readings of the Kālāma #Sutta which is well-integrated into the context of the rest of the #Nikāyas.

#karma #reincarnation #Buddhism #Buddha #KalamaSutta #suttas #EarlyBuddhism #Dhamma #Dharma

Sasu reviewed Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

Roger Zelazny: Lord of Light (AudiobookFormat, 2025, W. F. Howes Ltd., Recorded Books)

The boundaries between gods and mortals blur in a futuristic world where ancient Hindu deities …

Intrigue at the Edge of the Mortal

4 stars

Hands down the most striking thing about Lord of Light is how well Zelazny captured the tone of the source material and translated it into a form that works well within the context of a novel of speculative fiction. This is the first and only work of Zelazny's I have read thus far, so I might just be impressed by what qualifies for his usual style, but it feels much too intentional to me for it not to have been done on purpose. Despite the excellent voice and tonal execution which permeate the book, I had the sense that there was more of an effort to bend the source material to the story Zelazny wanted to tell rather than the story which the combination of the source material and the other ideas in the book might have been naturally most suited to tell. Maybe it's not a masterpiece, but it's …

Putting whatever timeless merits the book may or may not have aside, it operates on many levels and does a lot really well. The most valuable to me was how the gods and Sam occupied and moved through the space between the mundane mortal, the legendary, and the divine. The drama and political intrigue were interesting, and so was the exploration of the ramifications of the particular kind of #reincarnation which featured in the story. There were also some interesting bits about how #legends develop over time which tied nicely into the other themes of the book.

The last thing I want to mention is that I had this recommended to me as a #Buddhist novel, which I think is a bit of an oversimplification; it contains some Buddhist ideas, but I think the underlying message is more the common science fiction refrain of scientific progress than it is about liberation. That said, I thought the presentation of the concepts of #impermanence and especially of #selflessness were really well done.

#anicca #anitya #anatta #anatman