Buddhist Cosmology: Philosophy and Origins, from Akira Sadakata (1997). This did take a while: a detailed description of Mahāyāna and pre-Mahāyāna cosmology, with many diagrams. Why did I own this? I only own one other book about Buddhism, which is a bit fringey. It’s not like I was learning any basic tenets or principles from this book, not as though I was trying to learn more about the religion and/or practice or Buddhist for whatever reason.
I think I was lured. I think the title tempted me, and the strange diagrams sealed the deal. I am addicted to esoteric books, and this must have seemed like my sort of jam: full of information I would never see anywhere else. And if I happened to be in a good new Age bookstore, wanting to buy something with more meat on its bones than a bright trade paperback about using crystals for job success, this would have called to me. Fifteen years ago; and then it sat on my shelves.
So it’s not a keeper, though it’s quite interesting, and well worth the time I spent on it. But there is simply no way that I will return to it. There are so many books in the world that fill this particular niche for me; I’m sure I’ll be buying some of them.
Next book? The very short Ladies’ Floral Calendar and Household Receipt Book, a reprint of a 1868 book published in Lawrence — which is a certifiable hoot.
