The Satipatthanasutta with Pemasiri Thera's Commentary
This book is a new contribution on the subject of mindfulness, having at its core the classic Buddhist meditation text, the Satipatthanasutta ("Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness") in the original Pali, translated here into English alongside the comments and explanations of the text by Pemasiri Thera, a contemporary meditation master and scholar from the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka. Pemasiri Thera has richly commented on the ancient text, drawing on the larger Tipi?aka and its commentaries, and provided helpful elucidations of the key concepts from the sutta (awareness, mindfulness, contemplation, etc.) as well as offered new and alternative interpretations and concrete experiential examples from meditation practice. Tamara Ditrich compiled, edited, and translated the Satipatthanasutta with Pemasiri Thera's commentary into English and in turn she also contributed her own comments in extensive notes, linking the Thera's commentary to Therav?da Buddhist sources and highlighting those aspects that enrich or throw new light on the standard approaches. The book presents a comprehensive guide for understanding mindfulness by situating it within the larger Theravada doctrinal framework in a way accessible to contemporary readers. The book will appeal to general and scholarly readers interested in any aspects of the theory and practice of mindfulness, Buddhist teachings or P?li studies.
Readings of the Gateless Barrier
The Gateless Barrier is one of the most cherished yet also one of the most enigmatic Chan or Zen texts of East Asian Buddhism. Compiled by the Chinese Chan master Wumen Huikai in 1228, it contains forty-eight Zen stories of spiritual awakening called "public cases" or gong'ans (known as kōans in Japanese and kongans in Korean). This book presents a new English translation with close readings and creative analyses of the Gateless Barrier from both scholarly and practitioner perspectives, allowing a range of readers to venture into the rich world of Chan and Zen. Specialist contributors offer insights on historical context, literary structure, philosophical implications, and gendered dimensions, as well as the embodied practice and contemporary experience of the stories in the Gateless Barrier. By bringing together academic expertise with experiential insight from Zen teachers, this book provides a grounded and nuanced account of how the Gateless Barrier has been--and continues to be--practiced and lived in China, Korea, Japan, and the West. An innovative and sophisticated study, this book is ideal for university classroom use, and it also makes the Gateless Barrier accessible to other first-time readers, Buddhist practitioners, and scholars.
The Satipaṭṭhanasutta with Pemasiri Thera's Commentary
This book is a new contribution on the subject of mindfulness, having at its core the classic Buddhist meditation text, the Satipatthanasutta ("Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness") in the original Pali, translated here into English alongside the comments and explanations of the text by Pemasiri Thera, a contemporary meditation master and scholar from the Theravada tradition in Sri Lanka. Pemasiri Thera has richly commented on the ancient text, drawing on the larger Tipi?aka and its commentaries, and provided helpful elucidations of the key concepts from the sutta (awareness, mindfulness, contemplation, etc.) as well as offered new and alternative interpretations and concrete experiential examples from meditation practice. Tamara Ditrich compiled, edited, and translated the Satipatthanasutta with Pemasiri Thera's commentary into English and in turn she also contributed her own comments in extensive notes, linking the Thera's commentary to Therav?da Buddhist sources and highlighting those aspects that enrich or throw new light on the standard approaches. The book presents a comprehensive guide for understanding mindfulness by situating it within the larger Theravada doctrinal framework in a way accessible to contemporary readers. The book will appeal to general and scholarly readers interested in any aspects of the theory and practice of mindfulness, Buddhist teachings or P?li studies.
Buddhism and International Humanitarian Law
This volume is part of an ICRC project which explores correspondences between Buddhist and IHL principles, and identifies Buddhist resources to improve compliance with IHL and equivalent Buddhist or humanitarian norms.The chapters were originally published as a special issue of Contemporary Buddhism.
Guru Nanak's Transcendent Aesthetics
One of the foremost exponents of the Sikh religion and of related Punjabi literature offers here a sustained exploration of the aesthetics of Sikhism's founder, understood as 'a symbiosis of his prophetic revelation, his poetic genius, and his pragmatic philosophy - embedded in his visceral expression of the transcendent One.' Drawing on a wide range of sources, Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh examines in full all the beauty, intimacy, and inclusive richness of Guru Nanak's remarkable literary art. Her subject's verses - written in simple vernacular Punjabi - are seen creatively to subvert conventional linguistic models while also inspiring social, psychological, environmental, and political change. These radical lyrics are now brought into fascinating conversation with contemporary artists, poets, and philosophers. Moving beyond conventional religious discourses and spaces of worship in its attempt to sketch a multisensory, publicly oriented reception of Sikh sacred verse, this expansive book opens up striking new imaginaries for 21st-century global society.
Posthuman Buddhism and the Digital Self
Posthuman Buddhism and the Digital Self lays the groundwork for the concept of 'dwellspace' as a means by which to unpick the shifting spatial, temporal and experiential modalities of everyday mediascapes.
Readings of the Gateless Barrier
The Gateless Barrier is one of the most cherished yet also one of the most enigmatic Chan or Zen texts of East Asian Buddhism. Compiled by the Chinese Chan master Wumen Huikai in 1228, it contains forty-eight Zen stories of spiritual awakening called "public cases" or gong'ans (known as kōans in Japanese and kongans in Korean). This book presents a new English translation with close readings and creative analyses of the Gateless Barrier from both scholarly and practitioner perspectives, allowing a range of readers to venture into the rich world of Chan and Zen. Specialist contributors offer insights on historical context, literary structure, philosophical implications, and gendered dimensions, as well as the embodied practice and contemporary experience of the stories in the Gateless Barrier. By bringing together academic expertise with experiential insight from Zen teachers, this book provides a grounded and nuanced account of how the Gateless Barrier has been--and continues to be--practiced and lived in China, Korea, Japan, and the West. An innovative and sophisticated study, this book is ideal for university classroom use, and it also makes the Gateless Barrier accessible to other first-time readers, Buddhist practitioners, and scholars.
The Inner Path
This is an introduction to Buddhist practice for those in prison. This book is offered free of charge to all incarcerated people, pre-trial detainees, conditionally released people, and those in all situations between these stages. The author, editors, and publisher have all waived any income from the book. If you would like to purchase a copy, the base price you pay reflects a copy for you and an extra free copy to be donated to a Buddhist prison chaplaincy program. If you purchase directly from the publisher, the price you pay reflects a copy for you and two extra free copies to be donated to a Buddhist prison chaplaincy program. To sponsor additional copies for prisoners as an act of generosity, please contact the publisher directly.CONTENTSIntroductionThe Four Noble TruthsThe Eightfold PathDukkhaKarmaDo Buddhists believe in a god?The Three Marks of ExistenceThe Three JewelsTaking RefugeThe Five PreceptsMettaThe AggregatesThe WaveThe Five ObstaclesHow to Meditate (Beginner)How to Build an Altar in Your CellBuddhist DietSit in the FireEmpty BoatSlow DownThe Opinions of OthersAngulimalaThe Power of PracticeHomage to our AncestorsHow to Meditate (More Experienced)The Practice of MettaWalking MeditationBuddhist FestivalsFurther ReadingSuttas and PrayersAcknowledgments About the AuthorThe BasicsShrine Images
The Teaching and Teachings of Temple Buddhism in Contemporary Japan
How have Buddhist teachings come to be in modern and contemporary Japan and how are they taught? This pioneering work seeks to answer these questions by highlighting the public teachings of Temple Buddhism institutions, in particular Temple Buddhism kindergartens and Buddhist secondary schools and colleges. The community outreach provided by these Buddhist facilities is far greater than any other with the possible exception of funerals yet until now it has received little attention from scholars of Japanese religion. After determining what is taught in Buddhist education and how, Stephen Covell introduces readers to a select group of monks who undergo some of the most grueling practices in Japanese Temple Buddhism to determine if the public-facing teachings of Buddhist education are unique or similar to those of elite Buddhist practitioners. The teachings and sites of teaching examined here include but are not limited to classical doctrinal studies and temples focused on the education of Buddhist clergy. Covell uncovers the arguments made by priests involved in morals education, the dharma talks of famous ascetics, and the ways in which laws and legal codes have changed Buddhist education. He looks at what is taught on the ground, online, and in popular texts to discuss the current teachings embraced as Buddhism within the institutions of Temple Buddhism. Among his numerous findings is such teachings and worldview are remarkably similar to those of New Religions and Buddhist lay movements as outlined by Japan religion scholars and government bodies in charge of education. The Teaching and Teachings of Temple Buddhism in Contemporary Japan will be welcomed by students and scholars in Japanese religious studies and early childhood and higher education as well as those interested in current Buddhist practice and teachings in general.
Monks and Literati
Scholars have long debated the relationship between Buddhist monks and Confucian literati during the late Chosŏn (seventeenth to nineteenth centuries), when the Korean state adopted anti-Buddhist policies. On the one hand, it is understood that literati openly displayed hostility toward monks and engineered their persecution; on the other, they were known to have privately supported Buddhism, helping the religion persevere, even thrive, in the Confucian society. In Monks and Literati, the first book-length study in English to provide a comprehensive survey of Buddhism in late Chosŏn Korea, Seong Uk Kim argues that such opposing views overemphasize the role of literati and depict monks as passive actors. Kim applies sociologist Ann Swidler's concept of repertoire--the social, cultural, and religious inventory of symbols, rules, and skills for constructing strategies of action--as an analytical tool to reconcile the two narratives and offer a more nuanced and comprehensive picture of the complex literati-monk relationship. Kim examines the ways monks initiated and developed relationships with literati using their repertoire of cultural and religious resources. Monks adopted various roles, such as cultural companion, spiritual mentor, and ritual officiant, within and beyond the private realm of Confucian society and, in so doing, reaffirmed what it meant to be a monk and redefined what Buddhism could be at a time when monks' religious identities and activities were constantly being challenged. By avoiding the binary frame describing monks as either victims or beneficiaries of literati, Monks and Literati sheds new light on not only Korean Buddhism in the late Chosŏn but also more generally East Asian Buddhism, where a similar monk-literati paradigm has often been applied.
The Pastor's Public Ministry
Seasoned pastor, Terry L. Johnson, shares practical wisdom for pastors to help them prioritise their public ministry. Includes foreword by Ligon Duncan. Ministers, in our age, are expected to be jacks-of-all-trades. However important administration, committee work, counselling, and relationship building may be, the pastor's public ministry in the preaching of the Word and leading of public worship and prayer are fundamental. The Bible lays out specific qualifications for elders and deacon. The gospel is guarded by requiring those who hold public office to have high standards of knowledge, character, and conduct. Terry Johnson lays out that, if this is true for "lay" leadership, how much more important for those called to ministry. With years of experience, and practical wisdom, Terry L. Johnson guides pastors to think through each of the key aspects of public worship. If you are just starting out in ministry, or have been serving the Lord for many years, a prayerful reading of this book will be of great benefit to your ministry, and your congregation. Contents: Leading in Worship First Priority Principles of Worship Leadership Services of Worship Public Services Well-ordered Reverent Well-paced Clergy-led Simple yet excellent Leading in Praise Is it singable? Is it biblically and theologically sound? Is it biblically and theologically mature? Is it emotionally balanced? Is it demographically comprehensive? Leading in Prayer Background Recent Times Personal Experience Recommendations for Public Prayer Scriptural Planned Brief Undiluted Appropriate Full diet of prayer Clear headings Example Preaching Lectio continua Textual Without Formulas Assume Ignorance Explain Context Review and Repeat Application Brevity Urgency Authentic Exhortation
Untangled
This accessible guide for walking Buddhism's eightfold path is the perfect way to combat loneliness, disconnection, and depression-true happiness is not as unattainable as it may seem. Loneliness is on the rise, with detrimental effects on our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. How do we look past the surface, to discover a life filled with meaningful connection and genuine relationships? Untangled is a welcoming guidebook to finding expansive ease and true joy through the eightfold path-one of Buddhism's foundational teachings. Psychotherapist and Zen teacher Koshin Paley Ellison compassionately walks readers down these eight roads, leading them to discover true joy. Combining teachings from both Eastern and Western traditions, Paley Ellison equips readers with the tools needed to make profound change, inside and out. Infused with Paley Ellison's own anecdotes of his own life, this guide will help you transform your relationships and offers a path for social healing.
Ritual Performance in Early Chinese Thought
Examining early Chinese ritual discourse during the Warring States and early Western Han Periods, this book reveals how performance became a fundamental feature of ritual and politics in early China. Through a dramaturgical lens, Thomas Radice explores the extent to which performer/spectator relationships influenced all aspects of early Chinese religious, ethical, and political discourse. Arguing that the Confucians conceived ritual as primarily a dramaturgical matter, this book demonstrates not only that theatricality was necessary for expression and deception in a community of spectators, but also how a theatrical 'presence' ultimately became essential to all forms of public life in early China. Thomas Radice illuminates previously unexplored connections between early Chinese texts, aesthetics, and traditions.
Prophetic Wisdom
Shows how Engaged Buddhists can expand their understanding of the causes of collective suffering and develop nonviolent means for social transformation through a dialectic of love, power, and justice.Classical Buddhism lacked an understanding of systemic injustice and its contribution to collective suffering. Despite the teaching of impermanence, classical Buddhist schools viewed social institutions as given and offered no path to social transformation. Today, Buddhists are shaped by multiple religious and secular traditions, including those stemming from the Hebrew prophets. The prophetic tradition offers a socially and religiously powerful concept-the concept of justice-that reconfigures the Buddhist dharma.In a time of unparalleled peril, Buddhists are challenged as never before to turn wisdom into strategic action to foster systemic social change. Compassion is not enough. Prophetic Wisdom shows how Engaged Buddhists can expand their understanding of the causes of collective suffering and develop nonviolent means for social transformation through a dialectic of love, power, and justice. It concludes by confronting the poison of racism in the American body politic.
A Heart as Wide as the World
The beloved Buddhist meditation teacher and New York Times-bestselling author of Real Happiness offers encouragement and inspiration for anyone on the spiritual pathBuddhist teachings have the power to transform our lives for the better, says Sharon Salzberg, and all we need to bring about this transformation can be found in the ordinary events of our everyday experiences. In A Heart as Wide as the World, Salzberg distills more than twenty-five years of teaching and practicing meditation into a series of short essays, rich with anecdotes and personal revelations, that offer genuine aid and comfort for anyone on the spiritual path. Many chance moments, both small and profound, serve as the basis for Salzberg's teachings: hearing a market stall hawker calling, "I have what you need!"; noting hotel guests' reactions to a midnight fire alarm; watching her teacher, Dipa Ma, bless a belligerent dog; seeing the Dalai Lama laughing uproariously at his own mistake. Each passing moment, Salzberg shows, can help us down the path toward "a seamlessness of connection and an unbounded heart."
The Doctrine of the Buddha
No detailed description available for "The doctrine of the Buddha".
The Nature and Rationale of Zen/Chan and Enlightenment
This book initiates a paradigm shift away from Zen/Chan as quintessentially Buddhist and examines what makes Chan thought and practice unique and original through an interdisciplinary investigation of the nature and rationale of Chan and its enlightenment.
Buddhist Mahayana Texts
This collection of Buddhist Mahayana texts, translated by renowned scholars E.B. Cowell, F. Max Muller, and K. Takakusu, presents a profound exploration of the Mahayana tradition. Key scriptures, such as the Diamond Sutra, unfold the essential teachings of compassion, emptiness, and enlightenment. Through these texts, readers encounter transformative insights that delve into the nature of reality and the path to spiritual awakening. By highlighting the philosophical and ethical principles central to Mahayana Buddhism, this compilation offers an invaluable resource for both scholars and practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of Buddhist thought. Engaging and enlightening, this volume encapsulates the timeless wisdom of the Mahayana tradition, offering readers an opportunity to explore the depth and beauty of these revered teachings.
![New Human Revolution, vol. 1 [LP 16 Pt Edition]](https://cdn.kingstone.com.tw/english/images/product/4279/9781038774279m.webp "New Human Revolution, vol. 1 [LP 16 Pt Edition]")
New Human Revolution, vol. 1 [LP 16 Pt Edition]
Through this novelized history of the Soka Gakkai-one of the most dynamic, diverse, and empowering Buddhist movements in the world today-readers will discover the organization's goals and achievements even as they find inspiring and practical Buddhist wisdom for living happily and compassionately in today's world. The book recounts the stories of ordinary individuals who faced tremendous odds in transforming their lives through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism and in bringing Buddhism's humanistic teachings to the world. This 1st volume looks at events that occurred in 1960 when Soka Gakkai was first brought to North and South America from Japan. This inspiring narrative provides readers with the principles with which they can positively transform their own lives for the better and realize enduring happiness for themselves and others.
Tibetan Wisdom
���� **Discover the Wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism: Karma, Meditation, and Sacred Symbols** ����Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey into the heart of Tibetan Buddhism? Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just starting to explore Buddhist teachings, this comprehensive book bundle is the perfect guide to deepen your understanding of karma, meditation, and the sacred symbols that define this rich spiritual tradition. Dive into the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism with *Karma, Meditation, and Sacred Symbols*, a four-book collection designed to offer insight, practice, and spiritual growth. ����✨���� **Book 1: The Path of Compassion: Teachings on Bodhisattva Practice** Compassion lies at the heart of Tibetan Buddhism, and in *The Path of Compassion*, you'll discover the profound teachings of the Bodhisattva path-a life dedicated to the service of all beings. Learn how to cultivate compassion in your daily life, develop patience, and nurture a heart that seeks to alleviate suffering wherever it is found. ���� This book will guide you in living with kindness, transforming your relationships with others, and embodying the virtues of a Bodhisattva.���� **Book 2: The Wheel of Life: Understanding Karma and Rebirth** Unlock the mysteries of karma and samsara with *The Wheel of Life*. ���� This book offers a clear and accessible explanation of how our actions shape our lives, future rebirths, and the cycles of existence. Dive into the wisdom of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, learning how to break free from the cycles of suffering and live a more meaningful, intentional life. Whether you're curious about the deeper aspects of karma or want to understand how your actions today affect your future, this book has the answers.���� **Book 3: The Art of Meditation: Tibetan Techniques for Inner Peace** Discover the ancient meditative practices that bring calm, clarity, and spiritual awakening. ����♀️ In *The Art of Meditation*, you'll explore Tibetan techniques such as *shamatha* (calm abiding) and *vipassana* (insight meditation), designed to quiet the mind and open the heart. Whether you are seeking inner peace or deep spiritual insight, this book provides a practical guide to meditation that is rooted in centuries of tradition but relevant for today's world. ����♂️ Learn how to build a lasting meditation practice that can transform your daily life.���� **Book 4: Deities and Symbols: The Mystical World of Tibetan Buddhism** Step into the mystical and symbolic world of Tibetan Buddhism with *Deities and Symbols*. This book unveils the deeper meanings behind the deities, rituals, and sacred objects that play a central role in Tibetan Buddhist practice. From the compassionate Avalokiteshvara to the fierce protector Mahakala, you'll gain insight into how these sacred figures guide practitioners on the path to enlightenment. ���� With this guide, explore the rich symbolism of mandalas, mudras, and other sacred objects, learning how these tools are used to focus the mind and deepen spiritual practice. ����✨���� **Order Now and Begin Your Journey** ���� This bundle is a perfect companion for anyone seeking spiritual growth, deeper understanding, and personal transformation through the timeless wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism. Start your journey today, and discover the path to inner peace, wisdom, and compassion. ��������
Postponement in Perpetuality: The Buddha’s Prophecy of the End of Buddhism and Its Transmission in East Asia
The Buddha prophesied that his teachings would vanish a few hundred years after his passing, creating an existential dilemma for Chinese Buddhists on the brink of Buddhism's disappearance. This book examines the origins of this prophecy and the famie 法灭 ('end of Buddhism') belief in Indian and Central Asian Buddhism, and the centuries-long struggle of Chinese Buddhists to interpret and adapt this prophecy. This resulted in the unique East Asian Buddhist belief of mofa 末法 ('the final age of Buddhism'), which profoundly influenced medieval China and Japan.
Approaching Enlightenment
Ritual is the area of Buddhist practice that receives the least amount of attention. This book is for both sceptical and enquiring practitioners. Combining research in psychology and cultural studies and the author's own practice, Bodhidasa draws out the liberatory potential of Buddhist ritual. More than a book 'about' Buddhist ritual, this is a personal guide to assist the reader to move more deeply 'into' its practice and benefit from its fruits. 'Bodhidasa invites us to awaken our imaginations and to see the world as a magician might in this delightfully unpretentious book. He skilfully shows us how, far from being extraneous to the Buddhist path, ritual lies at its heart - because it lies at the heart of human life itself.' - Subhadramati, a member of the ordination team at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre and author of Not About Being Good'I can't think of anyone more on fire with the magic of ritual than Bodhidasa. Bodhidasa's own devotion shows in this always surprising, wonderful book. It will lead anyone who's curious, sceptical, or passionate about ritual to a better understanding of what it's really all about - in heart and in mind.'Candradasa, author of Buddhism for Teens and founder of Free Buddhist Audio and The Buddhist Centre Online'Do devotional practice and ritual have any place in the life of a modern Buddhist? Straight from the heart, Bodhidasa offers an overview of the territory and, above all, the challenge all Buddhists face: to find emotional equivalents for their intellectual understanding.'Nagabodhi, author of Sangharakshita: The Boy, the Monk, the Man'Bodhidasa succeeds in writing both for the newcomer to ritual as well as the old hand: responding to the questions we inevitably ask ourselves - but are sometimes afraid to ask aloud - and offering fresh insights in equal measure. With wit, intimate knowledge of the terrain, and a vivid imagination, he makes a compelling case for ritual as a path to Enlightenment.'Prajnaketu, author of Cyberloka: A Buddhist Guide to Digital Life
Hard Zen, Soft Heart
Most of us live our whole lives either in the past or in the world of future expectations. We become the puppets of automatic reactions created by past experience, and while we continue to hope and dream of a better future, somehow we end up in the same old muddle.Yet life becomes an endless meditation when we make a conscious decision to live in the present. Every act becomes a reality."Hard Zen, Soft Heart" teaches you how to acknowledge and change styles of reactive behavior which are no longer useful so you can live in the endless meditation of the present.This Is The Afterlife. So What Are You Waiting For?
Psalms of the Sisters
Psalms of the Sisters delves into the voices of early Buddhist nuns through translated verses that capture their spiritual journeys, struggles, and triumphs. This work shines a light on the Therigatha, an ancient Buddhist text, revealing the profound insights and personal reflections of women who sought enlightenment over two millennia ago. Caroline A. F. Rhys Davids expertly presents these poems, highlighting themes of liberation, resilience, and the pursuit of wisdom. By exploring the inner lives of these remarkable women, the book offers a rare glimpse into the early Buddhist world and its transformative impact on female spirituality. Psalms of the Sisters is a compelling exploration of faith, freedom, and the enduring strength of women on the path to spiritual awakening.
Is Reality Beyond Good and Evil?
Illuminates the debate on the nature of virtue and ultimate reality Tibetan Buddhist thinkers agree that, on the most fundamental level, our nature is pure. What exactly that ultimate nature is, however, remains the subject of debate. Yaroslav Komarovski's new book appraises how divergent understandings of the ultimate nature by Tibetan thinkers, including ideas informed by two conflicting yet complementary systems of Buddhist thought--Yogācāra and Madhyamaka--affect their diverse approaches to understanding virtue, and how their understandings of virtue in turn relate to their approaches to the Buddhist thought and practice. Tracing the origins of the polemics on ultimate virtue back to the Indian texts and writings of early Tibetan thinkers, Komarovski focuses chiefly on the works of the two seminal thinkers of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Serdok Penchen Shakya Chokden (1428-1507) and Gowo Rapjampa S繹nam Sengg矇 (1429-1489), and offers both a learned summary of a historical controversy and a modern commentary on this vital debate.
Discerning Buddhas
In Song-period China (960-1279 CE), masters in the Chan (Japanese Zen) school of Buddhism were presented as sources of religious authority on par with the Buddha, an almost unthinkably lofty status before the rise of Chan. This claim carried great rhetorical power, facilitating Chan's appeal to Buddhist monastics and powerful patrons alike. But it also raised a challenging question for Chan Buddhists, who insisted that buddhahood properly transcends all worldly marks: By what signs could one recognize a Chan master as a buddha? Discerning Buddhas argues that Chan Buddhists wove together tropes of sovereignty, hospitality, and martial heroism drawn from both Buddhist tradition and China's cultural heritage to develop a distinctive vision of what it meant for a Chan master to be a buddha in Song-period China. Kevin Buckelew analyzes the ways Chan Buddhists deployed such tropes in ritual, literature, and visual culture in order to stage the comparison of Chan mastery with buddhahood. He examines how they used the concept of buddhahood to work through questions about the ideal Chan master's authority, agency, and masculinity, in the process rendering buddhahood in terms highly legible to elite Chinese society. Chan Buddhists, Buckelew shows, developed their own "signature" of buddhahood, according to which enlightened Chan masters who truly deserved comparison to the Buddha were supposed to be distinguished from everyone else. By exploring the resulting Chan culture of discernment, which raised fundamental questions about Buddhist authority at a pivotal inflection point in Chinese history, this book offers fresh insight into the place of Buddhism in Chinese society.
Discerning Buddhas
In Song-period China (960-1279 CE), masters in the Chan (Japanese Zen) school of Buddhism were presented as sources of religious authority on par with the Buddha, an almost unthinkably lofty status before the rise of Chan. This claim carried great rhetorical power, facilitating Chan's appeal to Buddhist monastics and powerful patrons alike. But it also raised a challenging question for Chan Buddhists, who insisted that buddhahood properly transcends all worldly marks: By what signs could one recognize a Chan master as a buddha? Discerning Buddhas argues that Chan Buddhists wove together tropes of sovereignty, hospitality, and martial heroism drawn from both Buddhist tradition and China's cultural heritage to develop a distinctive vision of what it meant for a Chan master to be a buddha in Song-period China. Kevin Buckelew analyzes the ways Chan Buddhists deployed such tropes in ritual, literature, and visual culture in order to stage the comparison of Chan mastery with buddhahood. He examines how they used the concept of buddhahood to work through questions about the ideal Chan master's authority, agency, and masculinity, in the process rendering buddhahood in terms highly legible to elite Chinese society. Chan Buddhists, Buckelew shows, developed their own "signature" of buddhahood, according to which enlightened Chan masters who truly deserved comparison to the Buddha were supposed to be distinguished from everyone else. By exploring the resulting Chan culture of discernment, which raised fundamental questions about Buddhist authority at a pivotal inflection point in Chinese history, this book offers fresh insight into the place of Buddhism in Chinese society.
Feminine Ground
Six Western women scholars and practitioners explore issues of women and the feminine in Tibet. These critical and provocative essays discuss female role models, the nun's life, and gender and role identity as these manifested in Tibet. Contributors include Jan Willis, Rita Gross, Janet Gyatso, Miranda Shaw, Barbara Aziz, and Karma Lekshe Tsomo.
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms
Embark on an extraordinary journey with Faxian, a Chinese Buddhist monk whose pilgrimage in search of sacred Buddhist scriptures took him across Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka between 399 and 412 AD.In A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms, Faxian meticulously documents his travels, offering a rare glimpse into early Buddhism, and the geographical and cultural landscapes of numerous regions along the Silk Roads at the dawn of the 5th century. His narrative is a treasure trove of historical insights and a testament to the spiritual fervor and scholarly dedication that drove him.Through his vivid descriptions and keen observations, readers gain an unparalleled understanding of the religious, cultural, and social milieus of ancient Buddhist kingdoms. This work stands as one of the world's greatest travelogues, enriching our knowledge of Buddhism's early development and the interconnectedness of ancient civilizations.
Confucian Feminism
In Confucian Feminism Li-Hsiang Lisa Rosenlee expands the theoretical horizons of feminism by using characteristic Confucian terms, methods, and concerns to interrogate the issue of gender oppression and liberation. With its theoretical roots in the Confucian textual tradition, this is the first re-imagining of Confucianism that enriches, and is enriched by, feminism. Incorporating distinctive Confucian conceptual tools such as ren (benevolent governance), xiao (filial care), you (friendship), li (ritual), and datong (great community), Rosenlee creates an ethic of care that is feminist and Confucian. At the same time she confronts the issue of gender inequity in Confucian thought. Her hybrid feminist theory not only broadens the range of feminist understandings of the roots of gender oppression, but opens up what we believe constitutes gender liberation for women transnationally and transculturally. Here is a practical ethic that uses Confucianism to navigate the contours of inequality in everyday life.
Daily Fragrance of the Lotus Flower, Vol. 15 (2006)
Daily Fragrance of the Lotus Flower is a multi-volume collection of teachings by Buddhist master Ji Kwang, the Supreme Matriarch of the Lotus Sangha of World Social Buddhism. Since 1992, these teachings have been offered daily as "Dharma food," or spiritual sustenance, for anyone striving to attain peace of mind in their families and workplaces. Deftly integrating personal concerns with social issues, Great Dharma Master Ji Kwang's teachings simply and yet powerfully express both the meaning of and the means to realizing enlightening relationships in the midst of the complex and challenging world of the 21st century. Each annual volume is a luminous treasury of daily guidance from a spiritual master to her students and to all who would work out from within their present situation to bring about world peace. About the Author: Ji Kwang, Dae Poep Sa Nim ("Great Dharma Master"), is the Chung Chong or Supreme Matriarch of the Yun Hwa Denomination/Lotus Sangha of World Social Buddhism, which has centers in the United States and Europe. Born in Korea in 1946, she has been training in Buddhism since she was twelve, and is one of the very few women to be recognized as an enlightened master in Korean Buddhist history. She now resides at the Lotus Buddhist Monastery in Hawaii.
Selected Sutras from Sutta Pitaka
This book presents a new translation of seven sutras from Sutta Pitaka, including the first three discourses of Buddha, with emphasis on practices outlined in them. A vocabulary of technical terms included.
A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism
Amid stress, anxiety, and life's challenges, Buddhism offers a path that can meet them fearlessly with awareness, compassion, and wisdom. This core resource for Buddhist practice offers accessible teachings for beginners or for anyone ready to explore meditation more deeply. Buddhism is rooted in the simple idea that you can train your mind to suffer less and flourish more. In this experiential guide, Cortland Dahl will take you on a journey through the core principles and meditation practices of the Buddhist tradition. The journey begins with teachings on the Four Noble Truths, practical observations that will help you understand the causes of unhappiness, and how you can access inner calm and deep insight through meditation. The journey continues with teachings on compassion, buddha nature, and the profound principle of emptiness, before culminating in a discussion of meditation practices that use common experiences like dreams and strong emotions to awaken. Through accessible teachings and relatable stories, you will learn simple methods to transform your mind and embrace true, unshakeable happiness.
Paranormal States
A number of converts to Buddhism report paranormal experiences. Their accounts describe psychic abilities like clairvoyance and precognition, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, and encounters with other beings such as ghosts and deities, and they often interpret these events through a specifically Buddhist lens. This book is a groundbreaking exploration of these phenomena and their implications for both humanistic and scientific study of the paranormal. D. E. Osto examines accounts of paranormal phenomena experienced by convert Buddhists from around the world collected through an online survey and interviews, placing them in the context of Indian Buddhist sources and recent scientific research. They focus in detail on the life stories of two interviewees and the important role the paranormal has played in their lives. These contemporary first-person narratives demonstrate the continued importance of the psychic and paranormal within the Buddhist tradition, and they can be interpreted as a living Buddhist folklore. Osto considers the limitations of both traditional religious views and Western scientific studies of the paranormal and proposes instead a new Buddhist phenomenological approach. Ultimately, Paranormal States contends, these deeply mysterious and extraordinary experiences exceed current understandings--and they can help bridge the gap between religious and scientific worldviews.
Of Ancestors and Ghosts
In Buddhist cosmology, pretas make up one of several categories of rebirth. They are best known as "hungry ghosts," pitiful beings with miniscule mouths and bloated stomachs whose state of extreme starvation is a result of stinginess and immorality in a former life. But they were not always portrayed in this way. Of Ancestors and Ghosts traces the construction of the Buddhist realm of the pretas through narrative literature composed in Pali and Sanskrit in the first millennium of Buddhism's development in South Asia. By exploring issues such as where the departed go after they die, how the living can assist the dead in the next world, and how the departed fits into a karmic cosmology, Buddhist monks used these stories to construct the preta realm and, with it, Buddhist cosmology as we know it today. In the process they established themselves as religious experts concerning the dead. Of Ancestors and Ghosts illustrates the importance of narrative for the construction of religious cosmologies, showing that cosmologies come into formation over a long, cumulative process. Far from being simple morality tales, preta literature helped develop and articulate Buddhist understandings of actions and their fruits. In the process, these narratives portray ethical cultivation as inherently connected to the cultivation of bodies. As a result, stories about pretas speak to the vast range of embodied experiences in the Buddhist cosmos, including the intersection of human/non-human identity and class, caste, gender, and sexuality. These stories help model and elicit aesthetically informed embodied experiences that are themselves ethically formative. As a result, preta literature highlights the enduring importance of emotions and embodiment on the Buddhist path to awakening.
The Buddha in You
Explore core Buddhist teachings, as well as practice through reflections and meditations, in this concise and inviting introduction. Ideal for anyone who is Buddhism-curious, The Buddha in You offers an accessible introduction to the key teachings of Buddhism. But Buddhism is so much more than its teachings--it's also a lived experience. Through simple reflections, practices, or meditations in every short chapter, The Buddha in You invites you to begin to try the teachings in your own life, whether you want to be Buddhist or not. These teachings can help cultivate more calm, joy, and gratitude even amid life's challenges. Authors Lama Lhanang Rinpoche, born and raised in Tibet and now teaching in the United States and internationally, and meditation teacher Mordy Levine have introduced countless people to Buddhism and meditation. This book answers the key questions people ask them, including: - What really is karma?- How do I meditate?- Is reincarnation real?- Do I have to believe everything the Buddha taught?- What are the differences among the various schools of Buddhism?- Do Buddhists have to be vegetarian?- And many more The Buddha in You invites you to explore both Buddhist teachings and your own inner landscape. As Lama Lhanang writes, "Enjoy this moment with wisdom, compassion, and kindness... We all have the chance to be a Buddha one day."
Paranormal States
A number of converts to Buddhism report paranormal experiences. Their accounts describe psychic abilities like clairvoyance and precognition, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, and encounters with other beings such as ghosts and deities, and they often interpret these events through a specifically Buddhist lens. This book is a groundbreaking exploration of these phenomena and their implications for both humanistic and scientific study of the paranormal. D. E. Osto examines accounts of paranormal phenomena experienced by convert Buddhists from around the world collected through an online survey and interviews, placing them in the context of Indian Buddhist sources and recent scientific research. They focus in detail on the life stories of two interviewees and the important role the paranormal has played in their lives. These contemporary first-person narratives demonstrate the continued importance of the psychic and paranormal within the Buddhist tradition, and they can be interpreted as a living Buddhist folklore. Osto considers the limitations of both traditional religious views and Western scientific studies of the paranormal and proposes instead a new Buddhist phenomenological approach. Ultimately, Paranormal States contends, these deeply mysterious and extraordinary experiences exceed current understandings--and they can help bridge the gap between religious and scientific worldviews.
Minor Majesties
Minor Majesties studies the small ancient kingdom of Paluvūr, a town located on the northern bank of the Kāvēri river, about 30 kilometers north of Tanjavur. Between the ninth and the eleventh centuries C.E., Paluvūr was the capital of the dynasty of the Paluvēṭṭaraiyars, a minor dynasty of "little kings" who swore allegiance to the Cōla dynasty. Today, Paluvūr is divided in two distinct villages, Kīlappaluvūr and Mēlappaluvūr, and four temples dedicated to the god Śiva built during the reign of the little kings remain standing. In Minor Majesties, author Val矇rie Gillet surveys, translates, and analyzes 136 Tamil transcriptions spread across these temples, scrutinizing in depth each one's materiality, location, and epigraphy for the first time. Through these analyses, Gillet brings forth a better understanding of the functioning of the minor dynasty of the Paluvēṭṭaraiyars whose little kings often appear in the inscriptions of the temples, as well as the interactions between the temples and their patronizing communities. The small size of Paluvūr with its hub of still-standing monuments permits an exceptionally clear overview of the possible relations between distinct temples, allowing readers to unpick complexities related to temple sponsorship, organisation, and functioning. The study of Paluvūr also reveals how these religious monuments-accruing wealth but, in exchange, enabling donors to accrue merit and power-became a place for the fabrication of political discourses and powers, specific social configurations, and religious practices.?
Selected Sutras from Sutta Pitaka
This book presents a new translation of seven sutras from Sutta Pitaka, including the first three discources of Buddha, with emphasis on practices outlined in them. A vocabulary of technical terms included.
Working with Anger
A Tibetan Buddhist nun offers her insights on anger, the ways that it manifests in our lives, and the ways that we can skillfully work to transform it, in this inspiring and humble guidebook. Anger plagues all of us on many levels and can be a formidable emotion to overcome. Yet, we see people, such as the Dalai Lama, who have faced circumstances far worse than many of us have faced--including exile, persecution, and the loss of many loved ones--but do not burn with rage or seek revenge. Using the teachings and advice presented by beloved Buddhist teacher Thubten Chodron, anyone can learn to calm their emotions, sit with and understand their anger, and peacefully move toward resolution and peace. Working with Anger presents a variety of Buddhist methods for subduing and preventing anger--not by changing what is happening but by framing our feelings and circumstances anew. As Chodron writes, we each long for harmony--in our hearts, relationships, and societies--and this book can help all of us to accomplish just that.
The Essential Guide to Buddhism
Beginning with an overview of Buddhism, this book explores the religion's origins in northern India and Nepal, through to its development and spread across Asia, to its vibrant and sometimes contradictory present. The book covers key topics in the study of Buddhism, including its rituals and its scriptures, meditation and monasticism, and death and afterlife. The book also includes contemporary issues such as Buddhism and economics and socially engaged Buddhism. Over 70 illustrations are included throughout, and each chapter contains suggested further reading and a glossary of key terms and concepts. The chapters in this book were first published in the digital collection Bloomsbury Religion in North America. Covering North America's diverse religious traditions, this digital collection provides reliable and peer-reviewed articles and ebooks for students and instructors. Learn more and get access for your library at www.theologyandreligiononline.com/bloomsbury-religion-in-north-america
The Bodhisattva's Practice of Moral Virtue
"The Bodhisattva's Practice of Moral Virtue" consists of Bhikshu Dharmamitra's translation from Sino-Buddhist Classical Chinese of "The Brahmā's Net Bodhisattva Precepts," "The Semi-monthly Bodhisattva Precepts Recitation Ceremony," and a selection from Ārya Nāgārjuna's "Exegesis on the Mahāpraj簽ā-pāramitā Sutra" called "The Perfection of Moral Virtue." These translations are presented with facing-page Chinese text on the verso page. The two main works contained in this book were originally translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva between 402 and 406 ce.
Buddhism
One of the world's leading scholars of Buddhism presents the story of its dramatic journey across the globe, from 2,500 years ago to the present day Over the course of twenty-five centuries, Buddhism spread from its place of origin in northern India to become a global tradition of remarkable breadth, depth, and richness. In this ambitious book, Donald S. Lopez Jr. draws on the latest scholarship to construct a detailed and innovative history of Buddhism--not just as a chronology through the centuries or as geographic movement across a map, but as a dense matrix of interconnections. Beginning with the life and teachings of the Buddha, Lopez shows how a set of evolving ideas and practices traveled north and east to China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and Tibet, south and southeast to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and finally westward to Europe and the Americas. He provides insights on questions that Buddhism has asked and answered in different times and different places--about apocalypse, art, identity, immortality, law, nation, persecution, philosophy, science, sex, war, and writing. Vast in its erudition and expansive in its vision, this is the most complete single-volume history of Buddhism in its full historical and geographical range.
Routledge Handbook of Theravāda Buddhism
Among one of the older subfields in Buddhist Studies, the study of Theravāda Buddhism is undergoing a revival by contemporary scholars who are revising long-held conventional views of the tradition while undertaking new approaches and engaging new subject matter. The term Theravāda has been refined, and research has expanded beyond the analysis of canonical texts to examine contemporary cultural forms, social movements linked with meditation practices, material culture, and vernacular language texts. The Routledge Handbook of Theravāda Buddhism illustrates the growth and new directions of scholarship in the study of Theravāda Buddhism and is structured in four parts: Ideas/Ideals Practices/Persons Texts/Teachings Images/Imaginations Owing largely to the continued vitality of Theravāda Buddhist communities in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, as well as in diaspora communities across the globe, traditions associated with what is commonly (and fairly recently) called Theravāda attract considerable attention from scholars and practitioners around the world. An in-depth guide to the distinctive features of Theravāda, the Handbook will be an invaluable resource for providing structure and guidance for scholars and students of Asian Religion, Buddhism and, in particular, Theravāda Buddhism. The introduction and chapter 20 of this book are available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.routledge.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.
The 88 Temples of Shikoku
This guidebook has been written for travelers and pilgrims who intend to visit some of the the 88 temples of Shikoku, or maybe even plan to walk the entire pilgrimage. In addition to the history of the temples, it covers in detail the routes between the temples and provides additional information on how to organize the pilgrimage and adds cultural and historic background. In addition to this guidebook, there are also supplements available for easier planning of the pilgrimage on foot, by bicycle or by public transportation.
AHIMSA, Buddhism and the Vegetarian Ideal
Ahiṃsā means 'harmlessness' - carried out in thought, word or deed. A major precept of Buddhists of all denominations is to practise harmlessness. Such activity is not supposed to be theory, but a practical fact - a sacred pledge (samaya) - integrated into the fibre of one's every mode of conduct on the path to enlightenment and liberation from saṃsāra.This text elaborates that all good intent along this line falls flat in the light of the practise condoned by many Buddhists of meat consumption. Harm is caused to the animal butchered, to the consumers of the flesh, and to the environment we live in. It is also a decidedly gross act of adharma (not-dharma) to all in the society wherein the Buddhist practitioner that consumes animal products resides.It is time that Buddhists heartily spurn all considerations of meat toxins in their bodily environments, to actively espouse the cause of true harmlessness in all that they do; and to act as Bodhisattvas by teaching all how to be compassionate through not killing or harming their animal brethren.The reasons are clear of the way to be truly compassionate, as all Buddhists should be. Read, learn, and observe your true motives in everything you do. Desist from harmful actions, and thereby grow and become Bodhisattvas and Buddas at the end of it all.
Quantum Life Buddhism - Threefold Lotus Dharma Sutra
A fully annotated and revised translation of the Three Sutras comprising the Prologue, the Lotus Dharma Sutra, and the Epilogue of the Threefold Lotus Sutra. Annotated in order to fuse and represent the scholarship of Bodhisattva Nichiren's elucidations, insights, and doctrines as well as the removal of centuries of personal and organizational bias from translators' cultures, religions, and misinterpretations of Buddhism's tenets.
The Essential Buddhadhamma
An abridged translation of one of the most important books on Theravada Buddhism in recent history--authored by the esteemed Thai monk P. A. Payutto. First published in Thailand in 1971 and since then expanded and revised multiple times, Bhikkhu P. A. Payutto's Buddhadhamma is widely considered to be one of the most significant scholarly works on the Buddhism of the Pali canon produced in the last century. In this abridged translation, Bruce Evans presents the core of Ven. Payutto's monumental scholarship, creating an ideal manual for anyone walking or studying the Theravada Buddhist path. Within are discussions of unparalleled sophistication on such foundational Buddhist teachings as the five khandhas, dependent arising, kamma, the noble eightfold path, spiritual friendship, wise attention, the four noble truths, the nature of enlightenment, and more. Replete with passages from the ancient Pali suttas, Payutto frames Buddhist teachings in terms of broad existential questions that all of us face, such as "What is life?" and "How should life be lived?" Payutto's illuminating expertise shows Theravada Buddhism to be a thorough explication of how reality unfolds according to natural processes--as well as a way of life that can yield the highest form of happiness.
