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Book Review
Lessons from an expert
Title: Enrich Your Inner Life
Author: Dr Susunaga Weeraperuma
Page Count: 248
Enrich Your Inner Life is a very attractively designed and lucidly
written book that should be read and re-read not only by the Buddhists
but also by all those who are genuinely interested in leading an
enlightened life in any part of the world. It would be of great appeal
to a wide cross-section of the English reading public not only in the
Asian region but also in the West. A special feature to be reckoned with
in Enrich Your Inner Life is that it is appealing to readers of any age
group.
The writer of this book, Dr. Susunaga Weeraperuma, is an experienced
writer on Buddhism in English and has already published about 30 widely
read books on a variety of subjects including the deeper aspects of the
philosophy of Buddhism which is so near and dear to his heart. One of
his books, Krishnamurti as I Knew Him, has been translated into several
languages.
Born in Sri Lanka Dr. Susunaga Weeraperuma has spent a major part of
his life in England, Australia, Switzerland and France, where he is
living now. His numerous writings show his erudite understanding of
Buddhism and Indian Philosophy. After taking a Master's Degree in
Economics and Political Science at the London University, he qualified
as a Librarian and later he became a senior of the staff of the London
based British Library and the South Australian Parliamentary Library in
Adelaide. Besides being a prolific writer he is also an ecologist who
respects Mother Nature and admires her manifold beauty.
Enrich Your Inner Life is a meticulously brought out book that should
find a special place in all libraries. Its value is enhanced appreciably
by the simple and effective style of language the author uses throughout
the book to put across his profound thoughts.
This book should be of interest to both the general readers as well
as scholars. The unique advantage of living a religious life following
Buddhism is cleverly brought out in most of these essays written in a
very captivating language.
Enrich Your Inner Life abounds with hints and practical suggestions
for spiritual growth within oneself.
The author draws heavily on what he has discovered from his own
personal experiences during his lifelong study.
The result is this book that informs, instructs, delights and even
entertains every spiritual aspirant.
Some of the chapters in this book are about listening to the inner
sound, unwinding the mind and relaxing it, uncovering your past, reading
religious writings, going on pilgrimages, drawing inspiration from the
lives of saints, praying, selfless service to those in need and the
benefits of fasting.
It is interesting to note that the silver thread of meditation runs
through the whole book.
The Preface written by the author is both educative and instructive
and it gives a bird's eye view of enrich Your Inner Life. At the
beginning of the Preface he writes: “All the religious traditions and
scriptures of the world have been a rich source of inspiration
throughout my lifelong spiritual quest.
The search entailed a lot of hard work. I travelled extensively, read
widely and gained much knowledge.
I also had the chance to get to know quite a number of gurus, yogis,
sages, mystics, Sufi saints and philosophers.
I have drawn heavily on what I had found out first-hand from these
remarkable personalities. These essays are peppered with descriptions of
spiritual practices and my personal observations on them.”
The essays in this book fall into two broad categories. The writings
concerned with the theistic ways of moral self-purification and the
writings that deal with the non-theistic means to reach the supreme
state.
Spiritual aspirants can make a choice between the former and the
latter, or they can try a combination of methods, depending on their
inclinations and interests. Throughout this book the author's most
favoured method for spiritual transformation, meditation, runs through
binding together the noble ideas contained in these essays.
To the spiritually inclined readers this book contains chapters on
spiritual practices.
It comprises of about 33 chapters written on an array of religious
and philosophic themes all of which are of paramount importance to all
those living in the modern world sundered by various socio-economic
problems. Some chapters are about listening to the inner soul, the
appreciation of sacred music, the importance of devotion, going on
pilgrimages to sacred sites, selfless service to those in need and the
benefits of fasting. The first chapter 'Why Be possessed by Possessions’
should be of special significance to all readers.
It clearly analyses the evils of the great greed for possessions and
what simple and effective spiritual steps a person can take to counter
these evils that have seeped into the minds of some individuals.
- Andrew Scott
A book of thoughts
 Vade Mecum is, of course, not a recipe for lentil snacks (vadai) but
something which also can be chewed on and digested. It is a book
recently published by Neptune Publishers under that title which is a
Latin expression that has found its way into the Oxford English
Dictionary. Literal meaning they say is ‘Come/go with me’ Vade (vah-day)
is a shade from “Quo vadis, Domine?” The author’s translation is ‘Be my
companion’.
The author belongs to the final generation of local classical
scholars tutored once upon a time by the irrepressible don, Prof J L C
Rodrigo (aka Adonis). Vade Mecum is an anthology of thoughts captured
over a lifetime of readings and listening - ‘what oft was thought but
never so well expressed’ – at times verging on the sublime (humility is
the crown which makes a man a King) through the irreverent (Is a
plunging neckline a booby trap?) to the ridiculous (How can a dark man
get yellow fever?). Indeed, Vade Mecum is not a book to be put away on a
shelf but should be kept handy on the bedside table to the dipped into
at leisured intervals.
The 230 page hard cover book is presented in a rather uncommon manner
where excerpts are printed zigzag in two colours on the cover. At the
end of the book provision is made for the reader to make out his own
index. -
H L D M W Nawala
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