I'm not doing so well in my first reading challenge in a long time.

But at least I'm kind of enjoying myself.
I have been reading the simply brilliant book of short stories by Yukio Mishima, Death in Midsummer.
But I am only doing one a night, so I am progressing slowly.
Last night I read the fascinating story The Priest of Shiga Temple and His Love.

This is a brilliant story. I was surprised by the depth of knowledge of Pure Land Buddhism - I had no idea that this was an interest of Mishima's. In many ways it really is just a meditation on Buddhist doctrine and the place of desire in that world view. It is provocative, of course - the monk decides that the only way out of his problem is to accept and embrace his desire, and in doing this he causes the concubine to become herself a holy figure, both of them realising a higher spiritual state through the peculiarity of their predicament.
If you are interested in Buddhism and haven't read this story I really recommend it - it will tantalise and intrigue you, and might inspire all kinds of theological wonderings.
Oh, and as to how it fits into the theme of the R.I.P reading challenge - it doesn't really, sorry. But don't despair - other stories in the collection have been quite dark.
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