Balangoda Ananda Maitreya (1896–1998)

It was a beautiful book. It is said to consist of the discourses of Buddha, and it truly tries to remind one of what is right. If we were to distill the book into its main themes and ask what it aims to convey at several points, we could definitely say it emphasizes the importance of controlling the mind. All desires, cravings, and everything that traps us in a vicious cycle in this world, I believe, can come to a better place with the control of the mind. Yes, indeed, that’s the essence. The point I pondered upon until the end of the book was ‘why does it praise solitude?’ but it concluded with ‘make friends with better people!’ I think it’s a book from which lessons can be drawn both materially and spiritually.… (mais)