Clearing the Path

by Nanavira Thera, Samanera Bodhesako (Editor)

Clearing the Path is the first volume of the collected writings of Ñanavira Thera. It contains his most important those that originated after he attained sotapatti (Stream-entry) on 27.06.1959. Clearing the Path is supplemented by Seeking the Path , a second volume consisting of his early writings (1954-1960) and marginalia. In March 1963 Ñanavira Thera wrote to one of his 'With regard to any of my past writings that you may come across [...] I would ask you to treat with great reserve anything dated before 1960, about which time certain of my views underwent a modification. If this is forgotten you may be puzzled by inconsistencies between earlier and later writings'. (L. 49) Clearing the Path consists of the final version of the author's principal work, Notes on Dhamma (1960-1965) , faithfully restored from the original manuscript, followed by the letters he exchanged with several interested individuals during the last five years of his life. Part of the correspondence started after Notes on Dhamma was first published and carefully distributed as a private edition of 250 cyclostyled copies, and can be regarded as something of a commentary on the Notes . Notes on Dhamma has been variously described as 'arrogant, scathing, and condescending', as 'a fantastic system', and as 'the best and most important book on Buddhism ever written by a Westerner'. Ñanavira Thera himself remarked of the book that 'it is vain to hope that it is going to win general approval [...] but I do allow myself to hope that a few individuals [...] will have private transformations of their way of thinking as a result of reading [the Notes ]'.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Religion

640 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Florian Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that really explains the Buddhas core paradigms logically and free from contradiction. This might be the one book that revived true Dhamma.

[Rabib · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume consists primarily of Notes on Dhamma and a collection of letters. The latter serves as a commentary to the former.

The book is not an easy read (philosophical and literary material come up quite a bit) but to someone who is not unaccustomed to reading sophisticated English, this work may serve as a much appreciated guide in confronting and overcoming one’s existential situation once and for all.

Care should be taken not to treat everything here as gospel — I noted a spurious interpretation of citt’ekaggatā in L. 63, where it is thought of as relating to the focusing of attention rather than the natural result of the repeated application of mindfulness. Even if everything here were correct, the only appropriate approach for readers interested in understanding the Dhamma would be to experientially validate the contents of the book for themselves.

[Deicoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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