Pathway to Buddhism and beyond

How and when did your reading habit begin?

As a child, I wasn’t good at reading and spelling. As someone from the Newa community, I had limited access to Nepali books, which made it hard for me to pick up the language. Naturally, I was better at the Newa language. But everything at my school was taught in Nepali, making it difficult for me to understand what was being taught.


Luckily, my older brother knew Nepali well and helped me. He often read to me and translated the words into Newa, allowing me to understand and appreciate what I was learning. His efforts sparked my love for reading early in life, a love that has stayed with me.


From fourth grade onwards, my brother saved his lunch money to buy comic books, which I read too. Meanwhile, my friends started reading novels in seventh grade. We shared our novels, reading both Nepali and Hindi ones. This is how I began reading.


Which genres do you particularly enjoy reading?

I remember reading a lot of Yudhir Thapa early on. Soon after that, I came upon Diamond Shumsher Rana’s ‘Basanti’. This sparked a newfound interest in historical fiction literature. Although Shumsher only put out a few books, I was enamoured with the genre and actively looked for similar books. During this search, I discovered my literary hero, Rahul Sankrityayan. His texts in Hindi charmed me and influenced me to explore Buddhist writing further. Since then, I’ve found joy in reading historical fiction and non-fiction books on Buddhism and history.


What sparked your interest in Buddhism?

Philosophy has long been a passion of mine. I have explored various philosophies, including Hinduism, Christianity, and modern philosophy. My exploration was enriched by friends who shared my curiosity, introducing me to Jay Krishna Murti’s works, which also greatly influenced me. However, in order to fully understand his ideas, I realised that I needed to learn more about Buddhism. This realisation ignited a fresh fascination, prompting me to pursue a master’s degree in the field. My studies deepened my respect for Buddhist thought, further enhancing my understanding of philosophy as a whole.

Buddhism’s connection to history and archaeology intrigued me further. Just as we examine facts in history and archaeology, Buddhism offers valuable insights. This alignment supported my research, as Buddhist influence in Asia is profound. The entirety of Buddhism fascinated me.

Following that, my academic journey revolved around Buddhism, while I maintained an interest in other philosophies, too. Nevertheless, Buddhism remains my primary focus.


Do you like to finish a book all at once or in parts?

In the past, I used to read books in one sitting. But now, my reading style has changed. With more books catching my interest, I focus only on specific chapters that contain information I want to study. This way, I can absorb key information and make the most of my time and energy.


What are the things you look for in a book?

Books hold treasures of expertise and knowledge. They offer more than just enjoyment—they’re wellsprings of information, shedding light on different life facets. I’m drawn to books that offer real-world insights; non-fiction works that allow me to learn about places and experiences from others’ perspectives are my favourite.


What inspired you to start writing books?

Before joining the master’s programme in Nepali History, Culture, and Archaeology, I planned to write my thesis on Lumbini and turn it into a book. I gathered a lot of information from my fieldwork and published ‘Lumbini’, which contains a wealth of Buddhist knowledge. Additionally, I researched Buddhism in the Karnali zone and wrote about it, which I published as a book titled ‘Khash Samrajyama Bauddha Dharmako Utthan ra Patan’.