Events Portrayed by the Inner Self of a Lifer

Author: P. B. Jayasekera

Publisher: Keheli Publishers 2024

This is a tragic story of a family of four. They are all hardworking, decent, law-abiding citizens, but there seems to be no break or luck for any of them in this world. They are very strong people, but they also have a few vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities drive their lives on a downhill slope from which none of them seem able to recover.

As the title suggests, one of the family members is in jail for murder, and the author reveals the story through his memories. The story spans from the mid-eighties to the late nineties, covering the JVP season of terror, the equally cruel response of the government, and the atrocities committed by the LTTE against villages in the border areas of the civil war. I remembered some of these incidents, while others were new to me.

I felt uncomfortable with the gruesome details of some incidents and wondered if those details were necessary. On the other hand, the author may have felt that those details were crucial to convey the tragic nature of the story. It is a very interesting and engaging story. 

The inclusion of Vajrayana Buddhist ideas about the afterlife was intriguing. I was unfamiliar with these concepts, but reading additional articles helped me gain a better understanding. I have never fully grasped the Theravada Buddhist concept of 'transferring from one life to another.' To be honest, I have not dedicated enough time to studying this concept, and none of the Bhikkhus I have listened to were able to explain it clearly. I believe the author is a Theravada Buddhist, which makes me curious about why he used Vajrayana Buddhist ideas to describe transmigration.

It is a very interesting and engaging book, and I recommend readers to read it.

This is the second English novel by the author, and both of his English novels are now available on Amazon as Kindle editions.