Rev. Walpola Rahula has done a great piece of work in this book. Its so short and simple that one can finished reading it in a single sitting during a weekend day. But, the depth of the ideas of the book, keeps you thinking about this great philosophy during many years to come.

First I read the translation of this books to the Sinhala Language (native language of Rev. Rahula) about eight years back. I was so fascinated by the ideas presented in the book that during various stages of my life I read the book (both Sinhala translation and the original English version) again and again, perhaps six or seven times. Each reading gave me much material to think!

One problem I see with the design of the book (cover of the English paper back edition and the cover and the plates in the Sinhala translation) is that the dark gloomy pictures used give an impression quite to the contrary of what one gets by actually reading it. Perhaps the idea of the publisher was to give a glimpse on the Buddhist culture and art in south and far-east Asia. However, the content of this book is not about the Buddhist culture but about the philosophy in the Buddhism. A future publisher should seriously consider in redesigning the cover and the inner plates.