The Great Hum
Dive into an ocean of Buddhist wisdom with this masterful immersion in Shantideva's well-known guide to the boundless spirit of the bodhisattva. Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicaryavatara) is without a doubt one of the greatest masterpieces of Indian Buddhism and the single most influential text on Mahayana ethical theory. Since it was composed in the eighth century, it has continuously animated the living tradition--especially in Tibet, but now in the West as well--as more translations have become available. Its poetic evocations of the spirit of awakening allow readers to enter the mind of the bodhisattva. Nineteenth-century master Minyak Kunzang Sonam composed what came to be the most extensive commentary in any language on Shantideva's masterpiece. This commentary came to be known as the Great Hum because it fills the entirety of the third or hum volume of the author's collected works. Citing hundreds of sutras, he shows how Shantideva's verses are beautifully integrated within, and express, the Buddhist textual universe. In particular he ties Shantideva's verses with the Anthology of Training, the thematic collection of scriptural citations also compiled by Shantideva, creating a detailed tapestry of Mahayana thought and practice. Kunzang Sonam's commentary on the philosophically rich ninth "Wisdom" chapter was published previously as The Profound Reality of Interdependence, and this volume presents his commentary on the first eight chapters, detailing the generation of the spirit of awakening, the cultivation of positive qualities, and the practice of meditation. Embedded in the commentary is a fresh translation of Shantideva's verses, making this an unparalleled guide to appreciating their layers of meaning and applying them in one's practice and life.
Embracing the Sanctity Within
This book is for those who think and feel deeply about the nature of their lives. It is based on a transcendental experience I had whilst reciting a Buddhist Mantra many years ago, for many hours. The experience revealed the elusive, transient and fleeting nature of phenomena and hence our lives, and provided answers to the most deeply entrenched, soul-searching questions. I include scientific and biological enquiry, as well as philosophical contemplation to attest to the profound nature of life which proves to be unchanging and eternal. The depth of insight has implications for everyone, suggesting our lives 'pass on' rather than 'pass away.' I convey the nature of reality as it truly is from the transcendental perspective which inexplicably is inherent in our lives, and centuries-old quotes, images and letters to acclaimed authors are included to show how sublime one's enlightened mind is, the mind that is aroused through the Mantra's recital, free of conditioning, distorted beliefs and transience. This book is not about envisaged transcendental Beings. It is not about 'thinking spiritually.' It is beyond these notions, based on a revelation found in the depths of Mahayana Buddhism, a life philosophy. I support the nature of life as I experienced it with quotes and excerpts from scientists and philosophers, and of course I include profound Mahayana Buddhism proclamations. Even apart from the Mantra's recital, I believe the material in the book will prove to be of an unexpected, compelling significance, revealing a 'hidden nature' of life from a perspective one rarely encounters. I use my transcendental experience to convey life's profundity and grandeur which possess a perceivable quality beyond passive notions. And, if one wishes to recite of the said Mantra, they will adorn their lives with sublime, unknown qualities and reorientate their lives to reflect their true interests, for this life, and beyond. Yes, one's life transcends one's physical demise, yet one maintains their central individuality always. It is through the transience of phenomena that "Life exhibits both the qualities of 'being and non-being, ' yet in essence is neither." In conclusion, I believe the book will give hope and inspiration for anyone wishing to grasp the nature of their life, their existence, whilst providing the means for one to endow their life with qualities never before realized and a degree of insight that perhaps has never been contemplated.
Developing Mindfulness
Embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation with 'Developing Mindfulness' from Bodhi Path Press, a scripture collection that compiles discourses from the Pali Canon on the practice of mindfulness. This illuminating collection offers a profound exploration of mindfulness meditation, a central aspect of Buddhist practice. The selected discourses guide readers through the principles and techniques of developing mindfulness in various aspects of life. From mindful breathing to cultivating awareness in daily activities, these teachings provide practical insights for integrating mindfulness into every moment. An invaluable resource for both beginners and experienced practitioners, 'Developing Mindfulness' stands as a testament to the transformative power of mindfulness meditation as presented in the rich tapestry of the Pali Canon.
Vinaya Pitaka
Discover the ethical foundation of Buddhist monastic life with the 'Vinaya Pitaka' from the Sutta Pitaka, the timeless compendium of monastic rules and guidelines. This sacred scripture provides a comprehensive code of conduct and discipline for those following the Buddhist path, emphasizing the importance of ethical living, restraint, and harmony within the monastic community. Delve into the teachings that guide monastics and lay practitioners in upholding the ethical precepts that underpin the Dharma. The 'Vinaya Pitaka'is an indispensable resource for those seeking to explore the Book of Buddhist Discipline and its role in the preservation of the Buddha's teachings and the cultivation of a virtuous life, making it a valuable addition to the collection of Buddhist scriptures.
A Calm Place in the Storm
Venerable Lama Karma Thinley Rinpoche (the Fourth Karma Thinleypa) is a recognised master in both the Karma Kagyu and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism. he is one of the handful of remarkable teachers who first helped bring these teachings to the West, settling in Toronto, Canada, where he taught for over fifty years. Here, he distills the essence of the precious Buddhist teachings and path to enlightenment, and skillfully addresses some misconceptions. Dense with meaning and practical advice, like a delicious feast, these teachings provide invaluable support and guidance for the development and ripening of compassion and wisdom.Illustrations by Karma Thinley Rinpoche and Christopher Banigan.
Lay Zen in Contemporary Japan
This book explores the emergence and growth of Zen as a non-monastic spiritual practice in modern Japan. Focusing on several prominent lay Zen associations, most notably Ningen Zen, it explores different aspects of lay Zen as a lived religion, such as organization, ideology, and ritual. Through a combined approach utilizing Buddhist text, historical sources, and ethnographic fieldwork, it explains how laypeople have appropriated religious authority and tailored Zen teachings to fit their needs and the zeitgeist.Featuring the findings of three years of fieldwork, interviews, and archival research, the book comprehensively describes various Zen practices and explores their contemporary meaning and functions. It undermines the distinction between traditional or established Buddhism and the so-called New Religions, emphasizing instead the dynamic relations between tradition and interpretation.Written in accessible language and offering insightful analysis, this book brings to light the essential role of lay Zen associations in modernizing Zen within Japan and beyond. It will be of interest to scholars and students of religious studies, particularly those studying Buddhism, Japanese society, and culture.
Decolonising the Study of Religion
Decolonising the Study of Religion analyses historical and contemporary discussions in the study of religion and Buddhism and critically investigates representations, possibilities, and challenges of a decolonial approach, addressing the important question: who owns Buddhism?The monograph offers a case-based perspective with which to examine the general study of religion, where new challenges require reflection and prospects for new directions. It focuses on Buddhism, one religion which has been studied in the West for centuries. Building on postcolonial theories and supplemented with a critical analysis of identity and postsecular engagement, the book offers new possibilities and challenges to the study of religion. It critically investigates decolonisation in the study of religion, subscribing to a third way between 'objectivist' and 'subjectivist' positions.Analysing the postcolonial and decolonial critique of the study of religion, with a particular focus on Buddhist studies in the West and in Japan, this book will be of interest to researchers in the field of Religious Studies, Buddhism, Japanese religions, anthropology, Asian Studies and those interested in religion and decolonisation.
Voices of Siam
A rich compilation of teachings from revered Buddhist masters in Thailand's deep Theravada tradition. Accessible, inspiring, and readily applicable to contemporary life and meditation practice, this collection reveals Thai Buddhism to be a no-nonsense, practical spiritual path with an emphasis on personal experience, mindfulness, ethical conduct, and confronting the roots of one's suffering head-on. Translator Bruce Evans presents timeless Dhamma teachings from six of modern Thailand's great masters, skillfully conveying the unique voices of Chao Khun Upālī, Ajahn Buddhadāsa, Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto, Upāsikā Kee Nanayon, Ajahn Pramote, and Ajahn Paisal. Evans includes recollections of his monastic training as a young man with Ajahn Chah--one of modern Thailand's most renowned Buddhist teachers--and an alternative version of a canonical Buddhist text, the Girimānanda Sutta, that was first circulated in Thailand via palm-leaf manuscript. Spanning the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Voices of Siam takes readers directly into the heart of the Thai Buddhist thought and practice.
A Calm Place in the Storm
Venerable Lama Karma Thinley Rinpoche (the Fourth Karma Thinleypa) is a recognised master in both the Karma Kagyu and Sakya schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He is one of the handful of remarkable teachers who first helped bring these teachings to the West, settling in Toronto, Canada, where he taught for over fifty years. Here, he distills the essence of the precious Buddhist teachings and path to enlightenment, and skillfully addresses some misconceptions. Dense with meaning and practical advice, like a delicious feast, these teachings provide invaluable support and guidance for the development and ripening of compassion and wisdom.Illustrations by Karma Thinley Rinpoche and Christopher Banigan.
Sakya Pandita
A set of classic biographies of Sakya Pandita--one of Tibet's greatest scholars and religious masters. Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251) was a renowned Tibetan polymath, scholar, statesman, and religious master, and remains one of the most famous and consequential figures in the history of Tibet. The three biographies included here contain fascinating firsthand accounts of key events in Sakya Pandita's life, covering his family ancestry, early education, interactions and ddebates with other sects, and travels to Mongolia and his diplomacy at the Mongol court, as well as a detailed account of the miraculous events that occurred in the last weeks of his life. These were written by three central figures of the Sakya tradition: Drogon Chogyal Phakpa (Lodro Gyaltsen) (1235-80), who was Sakya Pandita's nephew and religious successor; Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-89), a renowned Sakya scholar and prolific author who served as the sixth abbot of Ngor Monastery; and Jamgon Ameshab (Ngawang Kunga Sonam) (1597-1659), who was the twenty-seventh throne holder of the Sakya order and one of the foremost Tibetan literary and historical scholars of his time. The translations demonstrate the unique compositional style of traditional Tibetan religious biography and contain many fascinating first-person accounts of what it was like to spend time in the presence of a great Buddhist master and statesman who lived one thousand years ago in the midst of one of Asia's most tumultuous periods.
Kalyāṇamitra, volume II
Kalyāṇamitra: A Model for Buddhist Spiritual Care presents research and analysis into the professional practice of Buddhist spiritual care based on the work of actual chaplains. Kalyāṇamitra is one of less than a dozen books about this young but growing profession, and the first to present a -comprehensive theory for Buddhist spiritual care.Kalyāṇamitra, Volume I, presents an overview of Buddhist chaplaincy with a comprehensive theoretical framework and model for Buddhist spiritual care. Together, the framework and model outline the stages of formation of a Buddhist chaplain, provide a heuristic for the praxis of spiritual care, and a guide to grounding Buddhist chaplaincy in the Dharma.Kalyāṇamitra, Volume II, focuses on the development of pragmatic skills through-out the education, training and internship of new Buddhist chaplains, as well as an overview of professional issues facing Buddhist chaplains in North America. Volume II builds on the theoretical framework and model presented in Volume I by placing the skills within their context and advancing a plan for the integration of the framework and model in Buddhist chaplaincy pedagogy.
Refuge
Though books on Buddhism may touch on the topic of refuge, they may not do so exclusively or in a broad way. In this book, the reader will find an elaborated discussion on refuge beginning with the foundation-what refuge really is and the purpose of taking refuge-and culminating in how to become a Buddhist through taking refuge ordination.We all seek happiness and wish to avoid suffering. But do we have a reliable guide who can show us the way to do this? Geshe Topgyal leads us to delve into three essential factors. The Dharma is the one that brings inner transformation through which we attain long-lasting joy and happiness. For this to happen is dependent on taking refuge in the Buddha as the supreme teacher of the unfailing Dharma, and the Sangha provides strong support for the inner strength needed to undertake this journey. The Buddha encouraged his students to investigate for themselves whether his teachings are reliable and true. Whether one is preparing to become a Buddhist, seeking to refresh and deepen one's refuge, or is simply interested in exploring the topic further, this book will serve as a valuable resource.
The Roots of Goodness
Learn to nurture the eight qualities of an extraordinary person within yourself through the wisdom of Zen master Dōgen. The Buddha taught that every person is capable of greatness by practicing eight key qualities in their life, from having few desires and not engaging in useless arguments to knowing what is enough. These timeless teachings were later expanded upon by the prolific thirteenth-century Zen master Eihei Dōgen in his final teaching before his death--values that, despite their age, perennially ring true. In The Roots of Goodness, the late Japanese Zen teacher Kōshō Uchiyama R繹shi bridges the gap between the eras of these ancient masters and today, delivering insightful, relatable, and rich commentary that brings these eight qualities into focus and directly applies them to the complexities of modern life. Translator Daitsū Tom Wright, a longtime student of Uchiyama, provides a full translation of Dōgen's original work as well as a faithful translation of Uchiyama's commentary, supplemented with a historical background of Dōgen, an exploration of how the teaching of the eight qualities impacted Uchiyama's life and work, and a personal introduction that grounds the importance of this teaching in modernity. This book seamlessly weaves together ancient wisdom with Uchiyama's beloved humor and style, offering a path for using these qualities to more fully embrace Buddhist practice and answer the age-old question: How does one become a truly good person?
Secrets of the Kuji
This is a reprint and translation of Secrets of Kuji, an illustrated guide to the magic known also known as the Nine Seals. This book was published in 1787 and begins by discussing the origins of the Kuji and then proceeds to describe how it can be used to banish evil, cure illnesses and beset your enemies.The author studied Kaga-Iga Ryu Ninpo 加賀伊賀流忍法 a school of Ninjutsu that was a combination of Iga School combined with martial arts of Kaga Domain.The book is reprinted in its entirety with an English translation.
A New Buddhist Movement I
The first of two volumes entitled A New Buddhist Movement, this collection chronicles Sangharakshita's unfolding vision of the Dharma between 1965 and 2009. Underlying all these writings is what Sangharakshita calls 'the essence' of his teaching, the necessity of human spiritual development, and its process through a series of stages drawn from the Buddhist tradition. Part 2 of the volume continues this theme in articles and interviews first published in The Buddhist, the FWBO Newsletter, and other publications, as the movement he founded grew steadily from its first stirrings in a tiny London basement to embrace five continents of the globe. More recent teachings include four previously unpublished talks given between 2007 and 2009.
See the Divine Light
The writer of this publication is born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1962. He gives a firsthand personal insight of his conscious direct realization of his nature of mind achieved under meditation "seeing the divine light". He considers himself as a layman yogi practitioner within the Vajrayana Buddhism. It's a testimony published for inspiration.
How Joyous Effort Works
Troy, a young man in his early twenties who has struggled with substance abuse and a quick-fisted temper, seeks to extinguish his habits of the past under the guidance of a Buddhist sage. Continuing his journey with the theme of the previous three books: "When the student is ready the master appears," it's in the thick of a New England summer when Troy meets Jules, a wise teacher and a master luthier (builder of string instruments). Using the luthiers' skills as metaphor and meditative support, Jules guides Troy as he takes on the challenge of integrating the deeper points of the Buddhist view with every aspect of his own life. This includes navigating the death of his uncle, and balancing his spiritual practice with his relationship with Maggie, a young art student who works with him at the local diner. As Troy strives to truly comprehend what it means to develop wisdom, equanimity, and compassion, will he be able to gain mastery over his inner demons when things go dreadfully wrong? This touching story of Troy's journey presents one of the world's most profound teachings on compassion and wisdom. Set in present day New England where the characters' ordinary lives and challenges are recognizable as being similar to our own, we find that it is not necessary to be Buddhist to benefit from the teachings in this story.
6 Myths We Live by
Buddhist wisdom for everyday problems rooted in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, 6 Myths We Live By shows us how to uncover our misperceptions and leads us on a path to self-development. The truth is you probably believe all sorts of myths, but you don't even know it. To escape any hardship, any suffering or discomfort, we all believe myths about how the world works and how we live in that world. In 6 Myths We Live By, therapist and longtime Buddhist practitioner Karuna Cayton guides us through six common myths that may give us comfort, but actually only perpetuate our problems: the myth of reality; the myth of identity; the myth of permanence; the myth of randomness; the myth of happiness; the myth of only living once. Cayton takes us through each of these myths using real-world examples and draws upon Buddhist principles, philosophy, psychology, and meditation practices to show how we can wake up to reality. By planting a seed of doubt about the beliefs that we've always thought were true, we can open our eyes and deepen our relationship with the way we see our life, our potential, and the nature of our struggles and achievements.
Full Circle
Full Circle is a selection of spiritual talks on collective awakening from a Zen perspective. The talks were given by Anne Seisen Saunders, Roshi at Sweetwater Zen Center over a period of five years until 2024.
The Perfection of Wisdom Tradition
The foremost translator of Perfection of Wisdom literature from Tibetan today presents three foundational works that formed the basis for the Tibetans' study of Mahayana scripture and the bodhisattva path. The perfection of wisdom (prajnaparamita) is a key element of the path in Mahayana Buddhism. Wisdom here is the transcendent wisdom of a bodhisattva who has penetrated the nature of reality, the emptiness (shunyata) of all things. Sutras that take the Perfection of Wisdom as their name emerged in the centuries before and after the start of the Common Era and became foundational for the nascent Mahayana. These include the well-known Heart Sutra and Diamond Cutter Sutra as well as the Perfection of Wisdom sutras in eight thousand and a hundred thousand lines. Study of the Perfection of Wisdom sutras in Tibet has historically been through commentaries on the Ornament for the Clear Realizations (Abhisamayalamkara), a short verse distillation in eight chapters attributed to Maitreya that was expanded in India by such figures as Asanga, Haribhadra, and Arya-Vimuktisena. The three works in the present volume reflect the diversity of the Tibetan commentarial tradition on these Indian works. Ngok Loden Sherab's (1057-1109) Topical Summary marks the beginning in Sangphu Monastery of the most influential Perfection of Wisdom commentarial tradition. Ngok's short work leads the reader briskly through the Abhisamayalamkara's seventy topics, presenting what would become the standard framework for explaining the Perfection of Wisdom in Tibet. The entirety of Haribhadra's Vivrti commentary has been embedded in Ngok's text. Gyaltsab Darma Rinchen's (1364-1432) Way to Practice the Sequence of Clear Realizations, structured as a defense of the meditation system set forth by his guru Tsongkhapa in the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, links the stages of the path expanded into the seventy topics with the actual practices of an accomplished yogi. Working outward from the middle of the Abhisamayalamkara's fourth chapter, it explains how the Perfection of Wisdom is integrated into a total and complete meditational practice for the attainment of buddhahood. The great Drukpa Kagyu scholar Kunkhyen Pema Karpo's (1527-92) Sacred Words of Lord Maitreya is the most detailed and systematic of the three works, supplementing explanations of the Perfection of Wisdom based on the Abhisamayalamkara with verses from the Mahayanasutralamkara (Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras) and the Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum). This work as presented here includes within it a complete translation of the Abhisamayalamkara's eight chapters.
Elucidating the Intent
The Buddha's final pronouncement on how to understand precisely the entirety of his teachings on key elements of meditative practice, the role of language in metaphysical insight, and the nature of enlightenment itself. Elucidating the Intent (Arya-samdhinirmocana-nama-mahayana-sutra) is a foundational text in the East Asian and Indo-Tibetan Buddhist canons that reveals vitally important points of practice and philosophy. Over eight chapters of deepening profundity, the Buddha dispels the confusion of his interlocutors on the fundamental aspects of meditation and liberation, making this a text treasured across these Buddhist traditions. With perfect precision, the Buddha clarifies his teachings, particularly those related to the nature of existence that he had propounded in the Perfection of Wisdom literature. Whereas in other teachings the Buddha elaborated extensive ethical principles for both monastics and laypersons, therein he declared all existent things to lack any essential nature or characteristic, which seemed to undermine these very principles. So, these interlocutors plead, elucidate the intent of these teachings. In so doing, the Buddha explains exactly how to balance the twin elements of Buddhist concern over the millennia: how to maintain intense meditative practice, disposition of universal compassion, and infallible ethics while simultaneously unraveling self-grasping habit patterns. Perfectly balanced, the Buddha explains, these two constitute the path to enlightenment. This text, then, could not be more critical to all Buddhist traditions, which is why it has remained a jewel for scholars and practitioners. Combining philological and philosophical accuracy in light of recent international scholarship, Gregory Forgues's rendering marks a significant advance over prior translations. This new rendering, with a brief introduction and extensive glossary, introduces a new generation of scholars and practitioners to its rich offerings.
Yoga of the Natural State
Experience for the first time in English the aural lineage of the Great Perfection Dzogchen tradition, expertly brought to life by the practitioner and translator Acarya Malcolm Smith. Longchen Rabjam, or Longchenpa as he is popularly known, stands as one of the great Nyingma masters of Tibetan Buddhism, producing a wealth of texts in the Dzogchen, or Great Perfection, tradition. This volume presents eight texts found in two collections of Longchenpa's writings--the Lama Yangtig and the Zabmo Yangtig. These texts record a special experiential tradition of Great Perfection teachings by Chetsun Seng矇 Wangchuk transmitted to a single student in the eleventh century, a tradition passed down mouth-to-ear, one student at a time, until it was set down in writing by Longchenpa in the mid-fourteenth century. While Longchenpa's writings on the Seventeen Tantras are widely known, his writings on the Dzogchen aural lineage have received little attention, even though Tibetan histories show that it is the aural lineage that ensured the survival of the Great Perfection lineage. With this book of translations, we now have for the first time in English these records of the most important aural lineage in the Great Perfection tradition. Unlike the arcane and difficult textual tradition associated with the Seventeen Tantras, the aural lineage teachings are experiential, easy to understand and practice, straightforward, and written in relatively simple language rich with similes and metaphors. The eight texts included in Yoga of the Natural State concern all aspects of the Great Perfection teaching, ranging from how to practice the preliminary practices, how the Great Perfection is introduced to qualified students, how to correctly practice view, meditation, and conduct, how to attain the state of liberation in this life, and how to recognize and attain liberation in the bardos. Yoga of the Natural State: The Dzogchen Aural Lineage is an invaluable addition to the library of anyone interested in Great Perfection theory and practice.
Just Awakening
Just Awakening uncovers a forgotten philosophy of social democracy inspired by Yogācāra, an ancient, nondualistic Buddhist philosophy that claims everything in the perceptible cosmos is mere consciousness and consists of multiple karmically connected yet bounded lifeworlds. This Yogācāra social philosophy emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries among Chinese intellectuals who struggled against the violent Social Darwinist logic of the survival of the fittest. Its proponents were convinced that the root cause of crisis in both China and the West was epistemic--an unexamined faith in one common, objective world and a subject-object divide. This dualistic paradigm, in their view, had dire consequences, including moral egoism, competition for material wealth, and racial war. Yogācāra insights about plurality, interdependence, and intersubjectivity, however, had the capacity to awaken the world from these deadly dreams. Jessica X. Zu reconstructs this account of modern Yogācāra philosophy, arguing that it offers new vocabularies with which to reconceptualize equality and freedom. Yogācāra thinking, she shows, diffracts the illusions of individual identity, social categories, and material wealth into aggregated, recurring karmic processes. It then guides the reassembly of a complex society through nonhierarchical, noncoercive, and collaborative actions, sustained by new behavior patterns and modes of thought. Demonstrating why Chinese Buddhist social philosophy offers powerful resources for social justice and liberation today, Just Awakening invites readers to think with modern Yogācāra philosophers about other ways of building egalitarian futures.
