Machiavelli's "The Theory of the Monarchs" is a rather gruesome treatise on power and intrigue, but this "Theory of Pragmatism" is also quite gruesome.

The commentary also states, "The author of this book describes every possible tactic a monarch should employ in order to protect his own security, increase his national power, and acquire the territory of others. The examples of espionage activities that are developed throughout the book are among the most noteworthy. In the Indian classics, espionage is given great importance, and even in later works of literature, kings who fail to make proper use of spies are condemned. The use of spies is especially carefully explained, as stated in the following passage.

Reading this book, I do not envy you at all for being born in royalty. No matter how extravagant I may be, I would respectfully give back that right. Maybe Buddha felt that way too.

The Code of Manu is more than just a law book. The first thing that surprises you when you start reading "The Code of Manu" is that the scripture suddenly begins with the story of creation. It begins with a magnificent cosmology and worldview centering on the Creator, Brahman, and from there, it tells us how we should live and what should be the norms and rules for our lives.

In reading the Code of Manu, I strongly feel that Hindu practices and ideas are incorporated into every aspect of life. Furthermore, I found that not only that, but also detailed regulations are set forth in the rites of passage from birth to death. I strongly felt that the Hindu view of the world is carried through from birth to death, and even to the afterlife.

The Code of Manu is a very significant scripture in the study of Buddhism.

When we Japanese try to study Buddhism in India, we tend to see the Indian world only from the Buddhist side. In India, however, Buddhism was more of an outsider's existence. The mainstream is still Hinduism.

Moreover, Buddhism adopted a policy of not intervening too much in the daily lives of its lay believers. In other words, the daily life and rites of passage of Buddhists remained within the framework of the Hindu world.

This book is very valuable to know the norms of life and worldview of the Hindu world, which has also coexisted with such Indian Buddhists. I think it is a very significant work for thinking about Indian Buddhism.

Dr. Gen Nakamura does not look at religion merely as an idea or theory, but considers it in conjunction with the social conditions of the time. To understand religion in India, one must also consider India itself in perspective.

Why did Hinduism flourish and Buddhism decline in India? This is what this book looks at. It is not only the ideological aspect, but also a larger social factor that is involved.

The book also provides a detailed look at India's two greatest epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as the book title suggests. It was very interesting to listen to the lectures on Indian mythology as expounded from the unique perspective of Buddhist scholar Dr. Gen Nakamura.

In this book, you can learn about such Indian deities with a lot of iconography. It is very easy to understand and appreciate that you can learn the characteristics of the gods and how to recognize them by actually seeing them.

As foreigners, it is difficult for us to distinguish between Indian deities at a glance, but there are certain points that can be used to identify them. Each deity has its own unique appearance and possessions. Once you know how to recognize them, you will feel more familiar with Indian deities.

I have studied India mainly through the text of books, but it was refreshing and fun to actually take a closer look at the deities in this way. These days, I pick up this book every now and then and review the characteristics of each of the deities, saying, "Oh, this was Shiva's characteristic. This is a useful book.

The Iliad and Mahabharata, which are set in huge battlefields, whereas The Odyssey and Ramayana are based on the adventures of the heroes. The parallels were very interesting to me. Moreover, the similarity is that the story itself is more interesting in "The Odyssey," which is full of strange and adventurous tales.

I have read the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, two great Indian epics in a row, and this was a wonderful experience. I was completely blown away by the depth and interest of India. I highly recommend this work.

The Mahabharata is one of India's two major epics (the other being the Ramayana).

This great epic is also popular in modern India, and many movies have been made based on the heroes and deities mentioned here. The Indian movie "RRR," which recently became an explosive hit, is just one such example.

As a story in itself, the Mahabharata is very interesting. The story itself originates from a struggle for the succession to the throne, which leads to a variety of human dramas. The story is even more dramatic and highly readable when it involves curses and causal relationships from a previous life.

There is still a reason why many people are familiar with it even today. It was a very interesting work to learn about the origins of Indian thought.