Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!eagle!data.nas.nasa.gov!news
From: loren@dweasel.llnl.gov (Loren Petrich)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: End-Of-The-World Speculations?
Message-ID: <1990Dec20.011706.5978@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 20 Dec 90 01:17:06 GMT
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov
Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lines: 43
Approved: prabhu@amelia.nas.nasa.gov


	Many years ago, probably over a decade ago, I read Gore
Vidal's novel "Kalki". I don't recall very much of the novel, but I do
recall that part of it was about a scheme to kill all the people in
the world except a tiny group of people which was to repopulate the
Earth. And at the end of the novel, one of the characters proclaims "I
am Shiva" (Siva in the original). I get the impression that Kalki is
an avatar of Shiva who supposedly brings about the end of a
world-cycle, thus the title. Is that fair?

	And of the Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are described
as the creator, preserver, and destroyer. Is that a fair comment on
them?

	I don't remember much else, but one of the characters in it
revealed a very limited knowledge of Hinduism (I hope none of you are
insulted):

	Believe in reincarnation. Cows are sacred. Gods have many
arms. I hate curry.

	Gore Vidal also wrote another novel featuring Hinduism, and
that was "Creation". It described the adventures of a Persian
ambassador ca. 500 BC in Greece, the Middle East, India, and China.
In it, the character gets to meet the likes of Buddha and Confucius.
Has anyone else read that novel?

	Isn't there also some Buddhist speculation about the end of
the world, involving some being named Maitreya? I read this in a
recent _Time_(?) article about end-of-the-world speculations.

	What is the prevailing attitude towards end-of-the-world
speculations in Eastern religions? I hope it isn't like those who
continually keep on predicting a date for the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ.


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Loren Petrich, the Master Blaster: loren@sunlight.llnl.gov

Since this nodename is not widely known, you may have to try:

loren%sunlight.llnl.gov@star.stanford.edu