loren@dweasel.llnl.gov (Loren Petrich) (12/20/90)
Many years ago, probably over a decade ago, I read Gore Vidal's novel "Kalki". I don't recall very much of the novel, but I do recall that part of it was about a scheme to kill all the people in the world except a tiny group of people which was to repopulate the Earth. And at the end of the novel, one of the characters proclaims "I am Shiva" (Siva in the original). I get the impression that Kalki is an avatar of Shiva who supposedly brings about the end of a world-cycle, thus the title. Is that fair? And of the Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are described as the creator, preserver, and destroyer. Is that a fair comment on them? I don't remember much else, but one of the characters in it revealed a very limited knowledge of Hinduism (I hope none of you are insulted): Believe in reincarnation. Cows are sacred. Gods have many arms. I hate curry. Gore Vidal also wrote another novel featuring Hinduism, and that was "Creation". It described the adventures of a Persian ambassador ca. 500 BC in Greece, the Middle East, India, and China. In it, the character gets to meet the likes of Buddha and Confucius. Has anyone else read that novel? Isn't there also some Buddhist speculation about the end of the world, involving some being named Maitreya? I read this in a recent _Time_(?) article about end-of-the-world speculations. What is the prevailing attitude towards end-of-the-world speculations in Eastern religions? I hope it isn't like those who continually keep on predicting a date for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Loren Petrich, the Master Blaster: loren@sunlight.llnl.gov Since this nodename is not widely known, you may have to try: loren%sunlight.llnl.gov@star.stanford.edu
hughes@copper.ucs.indiana.edu (larry hughes) (12/22/90)
In article <1990Dec20.011706.5978@nas.nasa.gov> loren@dweasel.llnl.gov (Loren Petrich) writes: > What is the prevailing attitude towards end-of-the-world >speculations in Eastern religions? I hope it isn't like those who >continually keep on predicting a date for the Second Coming of Jesus >Christ. My impression of these teachings (which may or may not be Vidal's or your impression) is not a "gloom-and-doom" end-of-the-world prophecy, but instead looking at creation as part of an endless cycle of death and rebirth. (If this sounds like reincarnation, remember the saying "as below, so above"). I can't enumerate the system here (I certainly don't understand it, I've only read about it) but suffice it to say that the physical universe has life and death cycles of billions of years, with many groups of shorter cycles within the larger ones. The most concise work I've read on this was written by Paramahansa Yogananda's guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar (spelling?). Unfortunately I cannot remember the book's title offhand, but I believe it's the only book authored by him that is available via the Self Realization Fellowship. -Larry Hughes
mikeg@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Gallagher) (12/31/90)
loren@dweasel.llnl.gov (Loren Petrich) writes: > Isn't there also some Buddhist speculation about the end of >the world, involving some being named Maitreya? I read this in a >recent _Time_(?) article about end-of-the-world speculations. My understanding is that Buddhism states that there is no beginning or end. There is no creator. Everything is just conditions and arisings. Maitreya is the next Buddha. Shakyamuni was the eighth Buddha in a line into the infinite future. Maitreya is not the end of the world, but a new turning of the Dharma (The Law) and is a cause for great advancement for all. Maitreya was a disciple of the last Buddha and was told by him that he would be the next. If I have this wrong, somebody please correct me.