The Doctrine of Awakening: The Attainment of Self-Mastery According to the Earliest Buddhist Texts

The book begins with notes on sources, explaining that the study relies chiefly on the Sutta-piṭaka, especially the Majjhima-nikāya, while also referring to the Dīgha-nikāya, Saṃyutta-nikāya, Aṅguttara-nikāya, Dhammapada, and Vinaya materials. The translator’s foreword presents the work as both an interpretation of early Buddhist doctrine and a guide to practical self-training. The preface situates the book within Evola’s broader interest in Eastern wisdom and spiritual disciplines. The main text is divided into two parts. Part I, “Principles,” discusses varieties of asceticism, the Aryan character of the doctrine of awakening, the historical background of early Buddhism, conditioned genesis, consciousness, and spiritual vocation. Part II, “Practice,” examines the qualities of the practitioner, departure from worldly conditioning, rightness, meditative awareness, the four jhānas, formless states, powers, liberation, the void, Zen, and the continuing relevance of the ariya ideal.