He told me that he was advised to read this book, and he told me that I might be interrested in this as well.
He wanted me to review this book for him and I'll gladly do this for him, for myself, and for others. I hope that I'll find time for that soon.
As a buddhist, I work with my friends, my connections. if this book is of interrest for them, it's important for me too, afterall.
I've found a fairly cheap seller, so I've ordered this book. It has arrived and I've started reading.
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Summary & Comments/Review (by chapters):
PART I: PRINCIPLES
1. Varieties of Ascesis.
In the first chapter, author explains that in various religions and views (book's author - as well as many others - say that buddhism is NOT a religion), there are different types of ascesis. From self-punishment to absolve from sins - as is done in Religions of Faith, to disciplined training and practice for Mind's development, as the ascetism is explained in Buddhism.
In Buddhism, ascetic practices are like a science, are means to perfect the Mind, to reach Calmness and Liberation (from suffering). In Religions of Faith, ascetics are often mixed with feelings to extreme, and are often too sentimental, often not-so logical and not very scientific.
Blog author's notes:
- In Buddhism, feelings also have their very important place, but should be controlled to not cause harm to oneself and/or to others,
- The early Buddhism teaches the simplest, the most basic lessons, and leads to Liberation. Later lessons that came from Buddha were more advanced, dedicated for the people with better karma, and lead to Liberation & Enlightenment.
2. The Aryan-ness of the Doctrine of Awakening.
The book's author explains that in modern days, the typical translations of the word: 'Aryan' are: 'Noble', 'Sublime', 'Saint', etc... In the Early Pāli Canon, however, the word: 'Aryan' meant: 'Awakened', 'Liberated'.
Author explores 'spirit of common origins' between Western and Eastern Aryans, considers not only the intermarriages, but also spiritual excellence, worldly greatness and worldly nobility of certain famous individuals / Philosophers included / both in the East and in the West. He points out to the supposed Aryan origins of many of these famous people.
Book's author says that it was generally held that the bodhisatta, those who may one day be awakened, are never born into a peasant or servile caste, but into warrior or brahman (priesthood) caste, into the two purest and highest of Aryan castes. Analogies between the Buddhist ascesis and war, between the qualities of an ascetic and the virtues of warrior and of a hero recur frequently in the canonical texts, as well as themes of nobility, liberty, and 'spiritual conquest' (of one's own weaknesses).
According to Buddhist texts, Buddha himself said: 'I serve no man, I have no need to serve any man'. Buddha - being himself kingly - was also kingless. Book author also mentions about Buddha's 'spiritual race', the 'autonomous and immaterial race'.
Buddha had too much respect for himself to allow himself to impose his ideas on others, even that he knew that these ideas are true. He did not convert people, he just allowed people to come to him of their own will, and instructed those who were ready for the lessons, and let them see results of following his doctrine. Having then recognized the existence of a few individual of a nobler nature, with clearer vision, he expounded the doctrine with compassion, maitaining, however, his distance, his detachment, his dignity.
Blog author's notes:
- The book was released in 1943 in Italy, during the World War 2nd. It's when the Hitler Nazis used so-called 'Scientific Occult' to justify the superiority of Ayran people. Perhaps this book would never been printed, if it did not refer to the superiority of the so called Ayrans, Ayran Race,
- The Pāḷi Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist Tradition (Theravada Buddhism is Early Buddhism), as preserved in the Pāli language,
- Despite above claims, the Buddhist Path to Liberation & Enlightenment is open to any caste/occupation, not only to warriors and priests - at least in the modern times,
- Buddha was born as a Prince (Prince Siddhartha Gautama), then left the palace and became ascetic because of his Spiritual Aspirations.
3. The Historical Context of the Doctrine of Awakening.
In this chapter, book's author explains that - like other religions or views - Buddhism was shaped by the historical, spiritual context in which it emerged.
Buddhism was influenced by other religions & views of the east, but also - criticized these, introducing new explainations for ideas that were popular and strong in Buddhism's early age.
Many of the ideas from that period / like the belief in reincarnation, or study of ego, 'I' * / are present in today's, modern Buddhism. These ideas include beliefs and thoughts of other religions and views that were popular in Buddhism's early days. Would these ideas be present now, in our modern world, if not the Buddhism?
Julius Evola, book's author, also mentions that Buddha criticized not so much the ancient spiritual wisdom, but more the priests who were often too decadent in his time. Buddha also said that spirituality is not tied to the caste in which one was born, the spiritual greatness results from one's actions, not from one's birth-karma. Buddha did not tell that one should escape his or her responsibilities, men and women should still perform services required by their caste, told that they should still serve their superiors.
Buddha's said that one's karma is like a river that loses it's name and qualities once reaching the ocean, that one's karma and whole life changes greatly when one meets and experiences the great spiritual lessons. Despite saying that, Buddhism succesfully coexisted and coexists with cultures in which castes and traditions are the cornerstones.
Blog author's notes:
- As I understood / going beyond the reviewed book /, the ideas and questions about ego, popular
in Buddhism's early days in that part of the world, included:
- Does ego go to heaven or hell after death?
- Does ego merge with deity after death?
- Is ego permanent?
- Does ego exist eternally in heaven by God's side?
- Can ego be conquered?
TO BE DONE:
4. Destruction of the Demon of Dialectics.
5. The Flame and Samsaric Consciousness.
6. Conditioned Genesis.
7. Determination of the Vocations.
PART II: PRACTICE
8. The Qualities of the Combatant and the 'Departure'.
9. Defense and Consolidation.
10. Rightness.
11. Sidereal Awareness: The Wounds Close.
12. The Four Jhana: The 'Irradiant Contemplations'.
13. The States Free from Form and the Extrinction.
14. Discrimination Between the 'Powers'.
15. Phenomenology of the Great Liberation.
16. Signs of the Nonpareil.
17. The Void: 'If the Mind Does Not Break'.
18. Up to Zen.
19. The Ariya Are Still Gathered on the Vulture's Peak.
