Zoroastrianism? Buddhism?

DhSunanda · 04 Sep 1999, 21:13 · from urth-v0028.mbox · original

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From: DhSunanda at aol.com
Subject: (urth) Zoroastrianism?  Buddhism?
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999 17:13:46 EDT
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Hi Alex,

> So, then, is Wolfe parodying the Buddhist text, or the Ascian version
>  thereof?  After all, what Loyal-17 says most strongly suggests that the
>  problem is (A) the restrictions imposed on the Ascians are in fact=20
enforcing
>  "real speech" to be translated through a medium that repeats lies (about
>  the wonderfulness of the Ascian way) and (B) it doesn't, in the end,=20
>  prevent much from being said (the anti-Orwell/Whorfian subtext).

Well, Wolfe quotes the Buddhist text pretty straight (if that is what he is=20
doing; he's a tricky writer to pin down), but the Ascians are using the=20
teaching to create a State of mindless conformity. That's the exact opposit=
e=20
of what Buddhism aims at.

In that sense it is a parody of the Buddhist text. Wolfe could be parodying=20
the followers of religions in general, saying '"look at the effects of=20
memorising texts rather than acting on their spirit").

Of course, as you point out reality can always break through cliche. That's=20
true, but difficult. Doesn't Shadow somewhere near the beginning have a=20
remark to the effect that concepts are much weaker than the words we use to=20
bind them? (Sorry for not looking it up. My copy has unaccountably vanished=
).

The theme of innovation and experience versus tradition and ritual runs=20
through all five Urth books.

--Sunanda.

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

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