Column Recommends Buddhist Book 'Can't Escape' for Mindful Living
A local column reviews the Buddhist book 'Can't Escape' by Paiyan Kasi, which reflects on life's impermanence and the search for true happiness through self-understanding. The article also recommends two other Dhamma books: 'Ask the World, Answer with Dhamma' by Phra Paisal Visalo and a historical account of the Buddha's journeys after enlightenment by Sranyu Nokkaew.
Book: 'Can't Escape' Author: Paiyan Kasi Publisher: Leang Chiang Publishing, Dedicated to Buddhism Price: 16 baht
When we look back on life, many things come and go. Some memories remain vivid while others fade with time. We have laughed, cried, hoped, and been disappointed. Companions who once walked beside us may now exist only in memory. Opportunities that once lay before us may never return. People spend most of their time pursuing what they think is important, often forgetting the ordinary things nearby that hold the greatest value. We accumulate possessions until overflowing, race against time to grasp success, and grow weary under life's expectations.
But when one finally stops, many discover that what the heart truly seeks is not having more than others, but simply living with understanding — understanding oneself, understanding others, and understanding life's truth. Amid constant change, life keeps teaching us: time waits for no one, nothing in life is certain, some chances never return, and no one can escape life's reality. Sometimes we spend a lifetime searching for happiness, yet forget to notice the small joys right beside us.
Sometimes we worry so much about tomorrow that we lose the value of 'today.' And sometimes we wait for the 'right time' to say certain words, do certain things, or give good feelings to someone, but life never promises that 'that day' will always arrive.
This book 'Can't Escape' may not contain flowery language or profound teachings beyond comprehension. It is merely a small reflection inviting readers to gently pause and look at their own lives again — to see time before it's too late, to see love before there's no chance to express it, to see life's value before everything fades. Because ultimately, what's most valuable in life may not be how much we possess, but how we use our remaining time with greater understanding of life, ourselves, and the world's truth. And when we understand life's truth more deeply, we may live every remaining breath more meaningfully.
•• 'Ask the World, Answer with Dhamma' — Questions with Answers •• •• Explaining the Nature of the Mind 'Sankhara' •• "... One should censure those who deserve censure, and praise those who deserve praise ..." — Dhammapada, Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (P.A. Payutto), Wat Yanvesakavan
Starting this week's column, I recommend a good book from Petchprakai Publishing presenting 'Ask the World, Answer with Dhamma' by Phra Paisal Visalo. It contains questions with answers, and answers that will touch many hearts, helping you understand and adjust to life's meaning from angles you may not yet grasp. It can be a way to seek happiness and peace from the book's small Q&A exchanges. If you are someone seeking a good starting point to break free from confusion and dissatisfaction in life, this book has answers so we can all find simple happiness together. Price: 155 baht.
•• 'The Buddha's Journeys After Enlightenment' •• Author: Sranyu Nokkaew In the Buddhist era, counting from his enlightenment, the Buddha traveled to teach Buddhism to disciples across important sites in India, including various monasteries and significant Buddhist sites that still bear historical traces proving their existence for over 2,600 years. This book is a Dhamma...
