The Discovery of India

In this classic by Nehru, he's trying to understand the basis for Indian culture. He is amazed by the Indus valley excavations and the revelations that the seeds for the Indian culture were probably sown more than five thousand years ago.

He tries to explain the strength of the culture in various ways. He has interesting insights, nevertheless, paragraphs are littered with "I really don't know what gives the culture its strength to withstand and assimilate so many foreign influxes."

I found one particular insight very interesting. He calls it the "Acceptance and Negation of Life" - complete acceptance and celebration of life in every sphere and every manner while at the same time, possessing this detachment with the material world in a subtle but very predominant way.

I let this thought be with me for a few months, and the idea has only grown on me.