Ever wondered who exactly was the Buddha, also known by his birth name – Siddhartha Gauthama? Was he in reality a charming prince named Siddhartha; destined to become the greatest monarch of all time? Or was there truth in the tales of a wandering ascetic called Gauthama who was in pursuit of the ultimate truth? Was he the most recent incarnation of the great Hindu god Vishnu? Or as legends state, was he the Enlightened One, and one of the greatest teachers of all time? If you are looking for answers to the questions above, or are simply curious to discover more about the Buddha, look no further. This book will address all these questions, and more. To make this journey of discovery even more interesting, follow the author on his very own journey to explore the most significant of Buddhism sites in existence today, including the likes of Lumbini, Bodhgaya and Sarnath. Enjoy the story of the Buddha of our age within an engaging, excitement-filled adventure as we also attempt to understand why even more than 2 millenniums later, his life story and teachings continue to intrigue not just followers of Buddhism but generally almost everyone in existence.
This is brief story of Siddhartha Gautama’s Journey in seeking enlightenment. It’s written in a simple and enticing way, I personally love it. It sparked my curiosity to learn and explore more about Buddha’s teaching. The book itself is equipped by writer’s notes for us to contemplate and some Buddhist’s landmarks for us to travel too.
Been waiting for the second book from the same author and just like his first book (which is a masterpiece) , this second book definitely didn't disappoint. It was such a breeze to read and very interesting POV of the author. Loved that he had decided to include the beautiful pictures of significant places of the Buddha from his extensive travels. A beautiful book. Definitely.
Where do I begin with this book? I was hooked from the get-go!
It almost felt as if the Buddha himself was speaking to me. The author employed an inverted syntax style of writing which added to the Buddha-like experience, besides appealing to many ESL readers. Despite a few negligible typos in the print, the essence of the story of the Buddha was not diminished or compromised in any way.
The experience rendered by this book is unlike any other, as it brought me a certain sense of calmness and assurance that there’s more to life as I know it. Let’s continue to seek.
Looking forward to the next book (hopefully on the relationship between Rahula and his father).
This book is definitely a page-turner. Beautifully worded to take us on the journey of Prince Siddhartha becoming The Enlightened One, Buddha. Also, the inclusion of pictures and notes of Buddhism sites from author’s own journey is the icing on the cake :)
Love the style of writing. Simple and direct which attracts all age group. Added in are the writers personal travel snippets which makes it more interesting. An absolutely excellent read about Buddha.
Simply love Vignes' charming way of weaving words, I enjoyed his work before and enjoyed this one too. This book is a fab page turner, the story and the photographs of the temples was truly intriguing. Looking forward to read more of his work in the future!
This is one of the finest mythological novels ever written.
Author Vignes Chandran is kept well informed about ancient civilisation, spirituality, Buddhist traditions and mythological literature intimately as he creates a beautiful simplified story that is entertaining and captivating. The tale describes Buddha and his upbringing from the early days and and how other beings have tried to stop Gauthama from attaining self realisation.
What Vignes does thematically is nothing short of amazing, as imagery of the writer's personal experience and narrative structure from the early tale are cleverly reflected to capture crucial information about the Awakened One.
Most fiction in the mythology or history genre is indifferently written, including too many characters and details which complicates and makes it difficult for readers to comprehend.
If you are inquisitive and would like to learn about Buddha's experience and journey, you'll be as captivated with "Siddhartha Gauthama" as I was. I look forward to reading Vignes Chandran's third novel - Shiva: The Unborn Eternal
I don't think i have read enough in this lifetime to know the right vocabulary to describe my reading experience here succinctly. Let alone one word to describe it. I'll try with more words then.
I've to admit that i dont know everything about Buddha but i have always found joy in reading about him since i can remember.
For me, the story telling was 50% of the experience; a heartwarming feeling as i flipped through the pages on Buddha's journey.
Then the other 50% was from the author's notes/thoughts within/after every chapter. Though that varied in length, it left a bigger impact as i reflected on myself.. and had me nodding (more like head bangin') to the truth and wisdom in his words. So well written that it hits the right spots, throughout the chapter..
I thought I'd be left feeling more love for Buddha (I do!) but im more impressed at how this is such a beautifully written book, an "ode" to Siddhartha Gauthama.
Simple writing, along with a simple choice of word made this book an exceptional page-turner. Managed to read the it within a day and the time traded is definitely worth every page turned. Vignes was able to keep the connectivity throughout with his personal journey that was captured in pictures along with descriptions. Indeed, a journey with the Enlightened One.
I was always fascinated by Buddha’s teachings because it is simply divine.but i never really learned his path to greatness.this book was such an eye-opener as you turn the pages, you would actually feel like you are going on a journey with Buddha himself.a must read.highly recommended.kudos to the writer 🤩👏👏👏 his first book on Mahabharata is also an excellent read.waiting for the next book 👍☺️
I was so happy to pick this up as I have also read the author's first book. It was such an uplifting read as it gave me a very detailed understanding of the Buddha's life. It was just so difficult to put down and I managed to read it in one sitting. It's such a good read👍
A journey with Buddha was a beautiful journey indeed! The author walked us through a timeline of 2000 years ago of Siddhartha’s life of becoming Buddha himself . It’s a simple yet comprehensive narration. Highly recommended to everyone who loves Books 😍