Summary
Title: Ultimate Journey: Retracing the Path of an Ancient Buddhist Monk Who Crossed Asia in Search of Enlightenment
Author: Richard Bernstein
Publisher: Knopf
ISBN: 0679781579
Pro:
• Interesting perspective on religion and culture in Asia
Con:
• None
Description:
• Describes the journey of Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang from China to India
• Describes the attempt of Richard Bernstein to retrace this journey
• Creates a unique account of the customs of the people he meets
Book Review
Fortunately for us, Richard Bernstein, a former New York Times correspondent in China, followed Hsuan’s trail and has written his own narrative of the journey through the heart of Central Asia. Although he had legitimate fears for his own safety, he discussed his plans with people along the way, finding a number of people who had heard of Tsang’s travels and the records he left behind.
Bernstein describes himself as an atheist, but as a “strangely religious atheist” who is drawn to religious history, ritual and music. Although he does not believe in the literal content of supernatural religion, he does believe in the power and beauty of religious forms.
This, then, was what drew him to Tsang’s story — combined with his interest in China itself, following Tsang’s journey seemed like a natural thing to do. Although he is sympathetic to Buddhism and certainly does a fine job of presenting it, he can certainly also be critical:
- “Perhaps it is my grounding in the this-worldliness of Judaism that makes me wonder sometimes if the mysterious verbiage of Buddhism is not a sign of the brilliance of the Buddhist scheme of things but rather an indication that the premises are untenable.”
- “I’m not speaking of the commonsensical and appealing notion that happiness lies in something other than the pursuit of selfish pleasures. I’m talking about other things — the denial of the self, for example, or the idea of emptiness...”
Why had Tsang made that original journey? China at the time was sinking into political disorder which was also mirrored in the state of religion. Buddhism not only conflicted with local religions, but Buddhism itself had fractured into competing schools of thought. Tsang was distressed by this and had the idea that if he traveled to the birthplace of Buddhism, he might be able to discover what the “original” and “true” Buddhism had been and bring it back to restore unity and peace.
Tsang’s motivation was, thus, not at all unlike that of many modern day fundamentalists — although there is no evidence that he had anything like their political views. Nevertheless, modern day fundamentalism is usually fueled by the growth of disunity and problems in society, causing people to seek out a “purer” and more original form of their religion which, they hope, will restore society and religion to its proper place.
At the time, however, the emperor had issued a decree against travel to foreign lands, forcing Tsang to disobey the political authorities and sneak out via a dangerous route. Except for a few monks like him, the Chinese never really traveled to foreign lands in search of wisdom. Thus, his record is virtually the only full-scale, systematic study done by a Chinese during that era.
Along the way, he produced a unique and remarkable account of the many things he encountered: landscapes, customs, and even the great variety of religious beliefs of the people he met. Bernstein attempts to produce much the same thing, contrasting what Tsang encountered with the new political, religious and social realities now in place. Like Tsang, Bernstein also meets some extraordinary figures, including a German monk in Bodhgaya, a down-and-out maharaja, and a supposed reincarnation of Shiva.
Anyone interested in Buddhist history or philosophy, Asian, history, or Chinese society is likely to find something in this book to enjoy. It should certainly be appealing to people who enjoy travelogues, and even though I rarely read such books, I did enjoy this one.
