The review for this book would
be a short one as the short book is a basic guide about the religion of
Buddhism. Monika Seth tells about Gautam Buddha, the principles, noble truths, eight-fold
path, objectives, classification of Karma, character of Karma and the teachings
of Buddhism.
Buddhism originated about 2500
years ago when Siddhartha Gautma (known as Gautam) at the age of 35 got
enlightened. Many people consider Buddhism more than a religion, more as a philosophy
or way of life. Born to a wealthy family in Lumbini (now located in Nepal in
563 BC), Gautma realized at the age of 29 that wealth and luxury did not ensure
happiness. As a result, he started exploring different teachings, religions and
philosophies. After enlightment Buddha
spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism till his death
at the age of 80.
The author writes that
Buddhism depends more on understanding than faith. The Buddhist path requires
courage, patience, flexibility an intelligence. Buddhism teaches that the
solutions to your problems are within you and not outside. Furthermore, the author
says that wants should be modified as wants deprive you of contentment and
happiness.
Everything that Buddha taught
was based on his own observations of the way things were. The Eight-fold path
of Buddhism starts with view, intention, speech, discipline, livelihood,
effort, mindfulness, concentration and absorption. In chapter seven, the twelve
links of Buddhism are covered.
Karma is different from fate.
Fate is the notion that man’s life is preplanned for him, by some external
power and that he has no control over his destiny. ‘Karma’, on the other hand,
can be changed. Karma is the law of moral causation and is a fundamental
doctrine in Buddhism. This belief was common in India, even before the arrival
of Buddha.
The last chapter of this book is
on the teachings of Buddhism, which gives simple and clear messages to the
reader. The author states that a man may emerge victorious in a thousand
battles…. “yet he is, as nothing before,
the man who has conquered himself. That is the greatest victory of all.” In
addition to that the author mentions: “A
spoon may spend its life in a bowl of soups, but does it ever get to know the taste
of soup?” Last but not least, another one which I find worth quoting is: “Never covet what others have. It is a
deadly sin which grows away at all happiness. Learn to share the joys of
others. This is the secret of much happiness.”
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