Meeting the buddha: on pilgrimage in buddhist india edited b [Paperback]

Molly Emma Aitkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1995

From E.M. Forster to Peter Matthiessen to Allen Ginsberg, many of the world's most acclaimed writers have traveled to the holy lands of India seeking spiritual enlightenment. Their lyrical and highly personal recollections are compiled here for the first time in one volume, taking readers on a colorful journey to each of the eight Buddhist pilgrimage sites of India.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Aitken has edited a marvelous work on pilgrimage to the seven most important places in India for Buddhists, including the place where the Buddha was born, where he attained enlightenment, and the site of his first teaching. Though there have been other recent Buddhist pilgrimage books (Holy Places of the Buddha, LJ 6/1/94), what makes this one special are the accounts from sacred Buddhist texts and writings of Buddhist pilgrims throughout the ages describing the site, indicating its importance for the Buddha, and each pilgrim's description of his/her thoughts and feelings when at the site. Selections include writings by John Blofeld, Sandy Boucher, Allen Ginsburg, and Gary Snyder. The contrast between the flowery, idealized presentation of the sites in some Buddhist sacred texts and the accounts of the difficulties of traveling in India in modern times is especially interesting. Andrew Schelling's introductory essay captures the romance and hardship of pilgrimage as religious journey. The work includes notes about the contributors and a very useful list of sources from which the selections have been taken. Highly recommended for religion collections.?David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The earliest Buddhists were wanderers or "spiritual goers-forth," as Andrew Schelling writes in his engaging introduction to this unique collection of Buddhist pilgrimage literature. India is inlaid with holy places, from mountains, caves, and rivers to gardens, temples, and monasteries, and has long been a mecca for spiritual seekers of many persuasions. Buddhists and kindred spirits attracted to Buddhist teachings and practice find that traveling, especially walking, is a form of knowing, so journeying to such sacred sites as Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace; Bodh Gaya, where he attained enlightenment; Sarnath, where he first taught; and Sravasti and Sankasya, places of miracles and the commitment to spreading the dharma, are invaluable steps along the path to wisdom. Vivid and revelatory writings of pilgrims both historic and modern are gathered together in this handsomely designed and quite engrossing volume. This blend of the past with the present, the outer with the inner, reflects Buddhism's vitality. Modern writers include the Dalai Lama, Walter del Mare, Allen Ginsberg, Peter Matthiessen, Gary Snyder, Anne Waldman, and Kate Wheeler. Donna Seaman

Product Details

• Paperback: 370 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1st edition (November 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573225061
• ISBN-13: 978-1573225069
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,609,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lively account of the Buddhist holy places, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Meeting the buddha: on pilgrimage in buddhist india edited b (Paperback)

I really love this book. Having been to Bodh Gaya and Sarnath myself, I find that these accounts by generations of pilgrims really bring the images and feelings back to me. And the descriptions of the other places (Lumbini, Kapilavastu, Rajagriha, Shravasti, Sankasya, Vaisali and Kushinagara) are so vivid and alive that I now almost feel like I've been to all of them too. I'm sure that anyone with an interest in Buddhism, India, pilgrimage or travel will appreciate this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction to the main Buddhist sites, December 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Meeting the buddha: on pilgrimage in buddhist india edited b (Paperback)

This books paints a moving picture of the main Buddhist holy sites in India through the accounts of many centuries of pilgrims and travellers down to the present time. For anyone interested in learning more details of the history and background of these and other Buddhist holy sites, I'd also recommend "Holy Places of the Buddha," by Dharma Publishing (also available from Amazon.com). Both of these books are wonderful guides to the Buddhist holy places, and complement each other very nicely.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Compilation, July 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Meeting the buddha: on pilgrimage in buddhist india edited b (Paperback)

Thought this might be something new so I ordered the book. Turns out though to just be a compilation of stories and essays by other authors about their experiences at Buddhist sites in India. Having been to "Buddhist India" myself I was able to compare my actual experiences with those presented in the book.

I can't say there's much useful information here. Just the musings, often misguided, of British dignitaries, Indian Princes and other non-pilgrims, about their trips to Bodh Gaya and similar places. Outsiders looking in and faithfully reporting their misunderstandings of what they saw. Many of these diary-style stories date back to earlier centuries and contain largely yawn-inducing hyperbole. No self-respecting Buddhist would put forth such drivel. And many of the contemporary writings I've read elsewhere (Matthiessen, Hahn, Dalai Lama).

The excerpted writings of Thich Naht Hanh presented in "Meeting the Buddha" are wonderful but you're better off buying "Old Path White Clouds" to get the full version.

"Meeting the Buddha" will be of more interest to a historical researcher or academic Buddhist than to an actual spiritual "pilgrim." If the author had written her own account of modern-day travels in India I might've been more impressed.