Little Pilgrim Book

A bestseller in South Korea in 1991, where it was serialized in that country's largest newspaper, Little Pilgrim is a tale of adventure and self-discovery in the tradition of Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. Based on the Gandavyuha, Buddhism's deepest and most challenging scripture, Ko Un's Little Pilgrim relates the heroic journey of Sudhana, who sets out to discover what truth is. Throughout 20 years of fantastic travels, Sudhana encounters teachers that are human, animal, and spirit as he navigates mountain vistas, lush valleys, and remote villages.

Drawing from his own 20-year journey, as well as first-hand experiences with wars and monastic life, Un infuses his book with reflections and memories, creating fascinating characters and a vibrant story. The pinnacle of Un's career as a writer and as a man in search of truth, Little Pilgrim is a poignant voyage that resonates on many levels.

Publishers Weekly

Un, a former monk, admits he had no interest when, years ago, a senior monk suggested he compose an epic poem on the endless wanderings of the child Sudhana in his quest for truth as portrayed in the last book of the Avatamsaka (Garland) Sutra. Later, after leaving the monastic life, Un identified with Sudhana's quest and in 1969 began publishing regular newspaper installments (in prose) of The Little Pilgrim (which have since become the first 30 chapters of this book). The story, completed here, is a series of 53 encounters between a young orphan boy "whose heart is awakened" and various teachers (some in the guise of animals and supernatural creatures). Sudhana makes his spiritual journey throughout India. The prose-translated from the Korean by An Sonjae and Young-Moo Kim-varies, with some beautiful descriptions ("The sunlight poured down, turning the innumerable crests of the indigo waves into flashing blades and splintered mirrors") and some improbable ones ("The fleshy bulge on the crown of his head was like nothing so much as an altar-covering"). Un, Korea's foremost contemporary poet, was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2002 and 2004. Despite the author's impressive credentials, though, this may be a difficult story for all but the most ardent Buddhist readers. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.