Travelling at the Speed of Mind
'Travelling at the Speed of Mind' explores the teachings illustrated by the Buddhist Wheel of Cyclic Existence. Each chapter is a conversation between Ngakma Nor'dzin, her husband Ngakpa '繹-Dzin, and a student. The cycle of the 12 interdependent links; the qualities of the six realms of rebirth; the result of the recurring patterns of perception and response which are created by attraction, aversion or indifference; are all examined in detail. The text is illustrated with images taken from a commissioned Wheel of Life thangka. Ngakma Nor'dzin, an award winning author, presents a lively and insightful discussion, which leaves the reader in no doubt about the immediate need to address confusion, and the ever-present possibility of liberation.
Early Buddhist Society
A richly scholarly yet accessible and imaginative account of society in the time of the Buddha.
Letters to Women - Nichiren Gosho
Nichiren left behind a large number of letters and treatises for the future propagation of Lotus Sutra Buddhism correctly transmitted and practiced by his scholarship and insights for our modern era. In this regard, the letters Nichiren wrote responding to questions from the women of his day in Medieval Japan are sometimes poetic in their tenderness and delicately supportive of the sometimes unique social constructs around the role and existence of women that in many ways persist to this day. Certainly, no person would argue that childbirth and the reproductive aspects of the female life would present challenges both personal and social today and as it was even more-so in 13th century Japan. I feel these Gosho make for elucidating reading and study for any practitioner of Buddhism regardless of sex. However, due to the segregation that persist to this day in various cultures as regards female inclusion, responsibilities, and especially imposed restrictions, I thought it of particular value to identify Nichiren's communications with the women of Buddhist practice and their value in practice with equal capacity and facility, with sentient minds and determined minds of awakening. With Love and Respect, Sylvain NaMuMyohoRenGeKyo
Correcting Zen
The purpose of this book is to more firmly establish you in the sequence of stages for attaining enlightenment. It is written as if for Buddhist monks and nuns because it can be most useful to this audience, but it can help individuals in all spiritual traditions. By reading this information the members of other religions will be able to realize how their saints are becoming enlightened and this knowledge will help them profoundly in their own spiritual practices and traditions.When Shakyamuni Buddha first taught his students he emphasized the emptiness of our self and phenomena. He clearly taught that all things lack an independent, intrinsic, self-so core nature because they are composite constructions defined by all other things. Therefore they do not inherently exist but only provisionally exist through filial relationships. His entire life he taught the principles of no-self, impermanence, dependent (conditional) arising, and suffering. These basic dharmas have already been sufficiently transmitted to society because now even modern science accepts them. At the end of his life, Shakyamuni surprisingly flipped his teachings because in the Nirvana Sutra he then spoke of True Self, permanence, purity and bliss. Those teachings seemed to be the opposite of his previous lessons on selflessness, impermanence, impurity and suffering but there was a reason for this new approach.The lessons within this book are a form of skillful means because they stipulate the importance of physical cultivation practices rather than just mental cultivation such as meditation practice. During his lifetime, Shakyamuni Buddha emphasized that we must purify our consciousness to achieve the spiritual attainments of dhyana, which are specific stages of Arhatship or Arhat attainment. He rarely emphasized the physical aspects of the stages of spiritual attainment nor that we should engage in acts of service to society to help eliminate the conditions of suffering around us that people commonly experience in life. Nevertheless, "beautifying society" is also a form of physical purification that essentially stands behind the motivations of the Mahayana and Esoteric Buddhist traditions. Because ethics and social morality have advanced since his day and the level of public education and understanding has also advanced, it is beneficial that the dual emphasis on mind and body (mind-body) purification should now be returned to Buddhist practice. In other words, there should be more emphasis placed on body cultivation and inner energy work since this is necessary for enlightenment.In this book you will therefore find an emphasis on these neglected topics in order to correct many of the current deficiencies in Buddhist practice, especially within the Zen tradition, and thus help more individuals attain enlightenment and much more quickly.
Practical Buddhism
A complete guide to the Buddhist practices of meditation, right living, and everything else you need to know Who was the Buddha and why did he become such a significant historical figure? What were his most important insights and teachings? What can he tell us about the universality of suffering and the potential for freedom? How can we live a life with growth and harmony and without emotional pain? What is Buddhist understanding of the greater reality? With clarity and simplicity, wisdom and humour, Paramabandhu Groves takes us on a journey towards some answers to these questions. The Buddha's remarkable passage through his own life showed him that ascetic practice in itself did not bring enlightenment, but a careful attention to internal processes combined with a compassionate attitude to self and others could bring an extraordinary freedom from suffering. The mainstay of Buddhist practice is mindfulness of breath, body and emotions leading to a more profound awareness. The Buddha indicated a bigger picture, beyond words, based on the interconnectedness and impermanence of all things. Practical Buddhism shows us how we can use these practices to lead a moral and ethical life, receiving and giving friendship, not causing harm and achieving happiness while our consciousness becomes, brighter, clearer and more subtle. Paramabandhu weaves examples both from his own experience and other people's to demonstrate the value of Buddhist practice and techniques in managing the multiple demands and challenges of everyday life. Practical Buddhism explores: * Mindfulness practice and misconceptions about meditation * Working with troublesome thoughts and difficult emotions * The practice of compassion and kindness * Guidelines for skilful living * Working through stress, relationship problems and addictive behaviour * The meaning of karma and dharma * Understanding freedom, impermanence and non-selfhood * Buddhism and psychotherapy * How Buddhist practice informs our relationship with sexuality, illness and pain, greed and sustainability.
Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind
K羹ndun Sonam Lodr繹's clear and direct message of wisdom speaks to us from the past, providing guidance on how to live a meaningful human life by developing our spiritual practice. His powerful advice can benefit all meditators. Examples include: "In order to practice the path of liberation at all times during the day and night, you must have the kind of diligent effort that is like trying to extinguish your hair that has caught on fire. Those of you who want to accomplish benefit for migrating beings, generate this kind of diligent effort towards completely pure acts of virtue which are the source of good qualities." "When power over one's mind has not been attained, spirituality and worldly affairs are contradictory. When power over one's mind has been attained, spirituality and worldly affairs are method and wisdom."
Buddhism And Buddhists In China
The Board of Missionary Preparation of the Foreign Missions Conference of North America planned a series on ""The World's Living Religions"" in 1920, and volume three of that series was published. The series aims to familiarise Western readers with the true religious practices of each significant non-Christian nation. The original version of Buddhism, as it was taught by Gautama in India and developed in the years that followed, is not an accurate representation of Buddhism as it is practiced in any country today. Like Christianity, Buddhism has been impacted by national circumstances. It contains at least three distinct kinds, necessitating as many separate volumes in this series to fairly interpret and present it. Buddhism requires that both a missionary and a professional student of the religion approach it with a genuine understanding of what it intends and accomplishes for its adherents. Undoubtedly, many high-minded, pious, and serious people live idealistic lives among the followers of Buddhism in China. Such minds should be strongly attracted to Christianity without losing any of their joy, certainty, or dedication. Instead, it ought to encourage a more nuanced understanding of the working world, a higher view of God, and a more acute awareness of one's own need and sinfulness.
Daily Fragrance of the Lotus Flower, Vol. 11 (2002)
Product Description: 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.
The Swift Path
This collection of guided meditations from eighteenth-century Tibet harnesses elements of tantric visualization to induce realizations while contemplating the steps on the path to buddhahood. The Swift Path by the Second Panchen Lama has long been heralded in the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism as one of the "eight great lamrims," or works presenting the stages of the path to enlightenment, but it is the last to become widely available in English translation. Composed by a preceptor of two Dalai Lamas, this practical and systematic guide to meditating on the lamrim is based on the Easy Path, a more concise work by the First Panchen Lama. In The Swift Path, Panchen Losang Yesh矇 expands on the earlier Panchen Lama's meditation guide with more detailed instructions on how to generate a clear and profound experience of the key recognitions that allow us to advance on our spiritual journey. These include the recognition of the opportunity afforded by our human existence, both its preciousness and its precariousness, and the way to adopt and live out the practices of a bodhisattva. The guided meditations here make use of a visualization of one's teacher in the guise of Sakyamuni Buddha to unlock our own innate potential for buddhahood, complete enlightenment, to best benefit humanity and all living beings.
Further Zen Conversations
Interviews with: Hadrian Abbot / Chris Amirault / Hogen Bays / Sarah Bender / Roger Brennan / Joshin Byrnes / Gyokuko Carlson / Seiso Paul Cooper / James C籀rdova / Erin Joen Dempsey / Jean-Luc Foisy / James Ford / Valerie Forstman / Zenshin Michael Haederle / Kate Hartland / Kokyo Henkel / Cynthia Kear / Karin Kempe / Donna Kowal / Michael Leizerman / Debra Seido Martin / Rafe Martin / Winifred Shokai Martin / Sally Metcalf / Meido Moore / Julie Nelson / Dosho Port / Jissai Prince-Cherry / John Pulleyn / Lila Den矇 Redding / Judy Roitman / Peggy Sheehan / Jeff Shore / Scott Thornton / David WeinsteinOn the scope, practice, and future of North American Zen
The Essential Chogyam Trungpa
Ch繹gyam Trungpa wrote more than two dozen books on Buddhism and the Shambhala path of warriorship. The Essential Ch繹gyam Trungpa blends excerpts from bestsellers like Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Meditation in Action, and other titles into a concise overview of Trungpa's teachings. Forty selections from fourteen different books articulate the secular path of the Shambhala warrior as well as the Buddhist path of meditation and awakening. This "new classic" vividly demonstrates Trungpa's great appreciation of Western culture which, combined with his deep understanding of the Tibetan tradition, makes these teachings uniquely accessible to contemporary readers. It will appeal to beginning students of meditation as well as seasoned readers of Eastern religion.
Sangharakshita
Sangharakshita was a Buddhist monk, a writer, a poet, and the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community - a pioneering worldwide Buddhist movement. He was also an audacious reformer, and for some a deeply controversial figure. In an absorbing narrative, Nagabodhi takes us on a journey through the twists and turns of Sangharakshita's life; the experiences, insights, and reflections that nurtured his approach as a teacher; what it was like to live among his committed followers; and the controversies he left behind.
Teaching Awareness in the Buddhist Tradition
This book provides important contributions to understanding the teaching of awareness or mindfulness (Pali sati, Sanskrit smrti) in Buddhism and in related traditions, examined in original ways in a collection of articles that approach this theme from different perspectives: philosophical, philological, exegetic, anthropological, as an aspect of meditative practice, and so on. The volume is dedicated to Corrado Pensa, a well-known Buddhist scholar and practitioner who has had an important role in spreading Buddhist practice in Italy as well as internationally. The main part of this book is based on the scholarly output of his former students who engage in research on various topics concerning Buddhist awareness and other related topics, whereas the last section consists of essays by contemporary meditation teachers offered as tribute to Corrado Pensa through reflections on practical topics such as developing attention in ordinary life, mindful of breathing, and awareness as wisdom. A valuable feature of this book is thus the integration of two aspects of the Buddhist tradition, i.e., theory and practice, the volume thereby appealing to both academics and practitioners.
Teaching Awareness in the Buddhist Tradition
This book provides important contributions to understanding the teaching of awareness or mindfulness (Pali sati, Sanskrit smrti) in Buddhism and in related traditions, examined in original ways in a collection of articles that approach this theme from different perspectives: philosophical, philological, exegetic, anthropological, as an aspect of meditative practice, and so on. The volume is dedicated to Corrado Pensa, a well-known Buddhist scholar and practitioner who has had an important role in spreading Buddhist practice in Italy as well as internationally. The main part of this book is based on the scholarly output of his former students who engage in research on various topics concerning Buddhist awareness and other related topics, whereas the last section consists of essays by contemporary meditation teachers offered as tribute to Corrado Pensa through reflections on practical topics such as developing attention in ordinary life, mindful of breathing, and awareness as wisdom. A valuable feature of this book is thus the integration of two aspects of the Buddhist tradition, i.e., theory and practice, the volume thereby appealing to both academics and practitioners.
Reflective Meditation
Reflective Meditation: cultivating kindness and curiosity in the Buddha's company welcomes you into a lively, open minded, often humorous, and astoundingly insightful conversation between the founders of reflective meditation.You may find yourself laughing out loud or feeling a great sense of relief as Linda Modaro and Nelly Kaufer lightheartedly articulate a broad, roomy, and inclusive path for turning inward, reflecting, and using the language of experience to cultivate a deeply rewarding and satisfying meditation practice.Amidst the banter, you will receive clear instructions and guidance on how to develop your own reflective meditation practice, as well as a sensitive and intelligent overview of basic early Buddhist teachings.
Reality and Wisdom
A clear and comprehensive guide to practicing the foundational Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths--and how these truths can lead to the liberating insight of the "wisdom gone beyond." Written in a warm and accessible style by one of today's most respected Tibetan Buddhist masters, Reality and Wisdom leads the reader on a journey of discovery beginning with the very first teachings of the Buddha and into the profound experience of emptiness. The first section of the book explores the bedrock Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths--insights into freedom from suffering from craving--which underpin all schools of Buddhism. Lama Migmar presents and explores these foundational Buddhist truths with humor and insight, explaining how, from a Mahayana Buddhist perspective, these truths serve as crucial supports for cultivating the transformative wisdom of emptiness. In the book's second half, Lama Migmar illuminates the terse and enigmatic lines of the Heart Sutra, perhaps the most studied and revered of all Mahayana Buddhist scriptures. The Heart Sutra presents the reader with a vision of reality as it is perceived by a buddha, a vision underpinned by and infused with the radical flexibility and possibility of emptiness and the engagement and responsiveness of profound compassion. The clarity, warmth, and vibrancy of Lama Migmar's writing combined with the comprehensiveness and detail of his presentations of key Buddhist teachings make this book a valuable resource for a range of readers, from beginners to more advanced practitioners seeking to deepen their practice.
Impermanence in Plain English
The bestselling author of Mindfulness in Plain English guides the reader toward a direct and personal realization of one of the foundational tenets of Buddhism: all things that arise must pass away. In Impermanence in Plain English, the beloved author and teacher Bhante Gunaratana, alongside Julia Harris, clearly and masterfully explains the key Buddhist insight of impermanence and invites the reader to personally investigate its truth. Once-youthful bodies grow old and weary. New thoughts, feelings, and sensations arise and fade every second. Impermanence is not some abstract, metaphysical idea. This is the Dhamma, and you can see it for yourself. Drawing from Pali scriptures and writing with fresh, direct language, Bhante Gunaratana and Julia Harris highlight the Buddha's exhortation that we must directly realize for ourselves the liberating insights that free us from suffering and cyclic existence, without relying only on the word of religious authorities or academic or philosophical musings.
The Signless and the Deathless
An insightful examination of the end of suffering that draws much-needed attention to two overlooked factors of Nirvana: signlessness and deathlessness. Nirvana is a critical part of the Buddhist path, though it remains a difficult concept to fully understand for Buddhist practitioners. In The Signless and the Deathless: On the Realization of Nirvana, scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo breaks new ground, or rediscovers old ground, by showing the reader that realizing Nirvana entails "a complete stepping out of the way the mind usually constructs experience." With his extraordinary mastery of canonical Buddhist languages, Venerable Analayo first takes the reader through discussions in early Buddhist suttas on signs (Pali nimitta), the characteristic marks of things that signal to us what they are, and on cultivating concentration on signlessness as a meditative practice. Through practicing bare awareness, we can stop defilements that come from grasping at signs--and stop signs from arising in the first place. He then turns to deathlessness. Deftly avoiding the extremes of nihilism and eternalism that often cloud our understanding of Nirvana, Venerable Analayo shows us that deathless as an epithet of Nirvana "stands for the complete transcendence of mental affliction by mortality"--ours or others'--and that it is achievable while still alive. Advanced practitioners and scholars alike will value the work for its meticulous academic expertise and its novel way of explaining the highest of all Buddhist goals--the final end of suffering.
Writings of Nichiren Shonin Followers II
This volume, the 15th project of the English Translation Committee of the Nichiren Shū Overseas Propagation Promotion Association (NOPPA), concludes the English translation project of Nichiren Shōnin's writings sponsored by NOPPA. It constitutes all 86 writings of Buddhist reformer Nichiren Shōnin (1222-1282) included in the Nichiren Shonin Zenshū, Complete Writings of Nichiren Shonin, Volume 7: Followers II, compiled by Genshō Imanari, Professor Emeritus of Risshō University, and published in Tokyo in 1992. The Nichiren Shonin Zenshu is a modern Japanese version of Nichiren's original writings, translated and edited with annotations by modern scholars of Nichiren Buddhism. Despite its all-inclusive title, the Zenshu is highly selective in that it takes into account only writings considered bibliographically authentic: attested to by original manuscripts. Among such texts, those included in the Showa Teihon Nichiren Shonin Ibun, Writings of Nichiren Shonin Standardized in the Showa Period, complied by the Rissho Daigaku Nichiren Kyogaku Kenkyu-jo, Center for the Study of Nichiren Buddhism, published by Minobusan Kuonji Temple between 1951 and 1959, are considered the most authoritative, and they provide the basic texts for this volume.This is the second of the two "Followers" volumes and presents a vivid picture of life at Mt. Minobu during the last years of Nichiren's life. Those who visit Mt. Minobu today are used to arriving in comfort, seated in cars and buses, staying in welcoming accommodations with delicious food and drink, and visiting beautiful temples and shrines to pay our respects to the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Shonin. In the days Nichiren lived there, the journey to Mt. Minobu was difficult. In good weather roads were steep, narrow and filled with hazards. In winter they were even worse.It was impossible for the community gathered around Nichiren to support itself, so they were entirely dependent on donations brought to Mt. Minobu. While Nichiren was always grateful for any donations he received, his thank-you letters describe how tenuous their survival was in that harsh environment.In one of his replies to Lord Ueno, Nichiren told Ueno how "The two meter deep snow covered mountain path, which normally has no traffic, makes it impossible for anyone to visit me here." His "clothing [was] not thick enough to protect me against the freezing weather," his food supply was gone and he felt like he was at the end of his life. When he received Ueno's donation he "had just made up my mind to die of hunger once and for all," but Ueno's gift "was like adding oil to a light that was about to burn out."Had it not been for those who supported Nichiren's life on Minobu we would not have our practice of the Wonderful Dharma today. We should be inspired by these letters to continue to support Mt. Minobu and everywhere else where people work to spread Nichiren's faith and insight throughout the world.
Voice of the Primordial Buddha
Voice of the Primordial Buddha is Anam Thubten's commentary on the well-known text, The Sharp Vajra of Awareness Tantra, by twentieth-century master Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1903). His text is revered by many people in Tibet as a sacred scripture. This book covers the entire Vajrayana path, especially Dzogchen, with language full of potency. Reading it can shake one's mind from its foundation and transform it to its highest potential.
Power and Agency in the Lives of Contemporary Tibetan Nuns
This book examines the lived experiences of oppression and opportunities encountered by contemporary Tibetan Buddhist nuns living in the People's Republic of China and the Tibetan exile community in India. It investigates how the intersections of the nuns' female gender, their Buddhist religion and their Tibetan nationality on the one hand produce subordination and an unequal distribution of power but, on the other, provide the nuns with opportunities and agency. Depending on the intersection of her status positions, the Tibetan nun can be either disadvantaged or privileged, and sometimes both at the same time. Power structures and relations that disadvantage nuns as women, as religious practitioners, and as Tibetans, are constructed and maintained in different domains of power. In the structural domain, traditional but still dominant institutions - such as the distribution of work, marriage, educational practices and religious institutions - disadvantage Tibetan nuns. In the disciplinary domain of power, the nuns are monitored by traditional culture and the Chinese authorities. The unequal distribution of power in these domains is justified by hegemonic ideas based on religious and cultural beliefs, ideas of religion and modernity, and religion and gender. These domains of power find their expression in the everyday life in the interpersonal sphere. Analysis also reveals that many nuns were highly active in choosing and determining their life course. Monastic life offers Tibetan women freedom from the suffering faced by laywomen. The juncture of their gender, religion and nationality also provides them with agency in their nationalism, which is both visible and more subtle. Monastic life also offers them religious agency as compassionate bodhisattvas, who aim to not only benefit other living beings but also themselves.
Middle Way Mind Training
BASED ON 2500 YEARS OF BUDDHIST SCIENCE There has never been a better time to reevaluate our understanding of happiness. With epidemic rates of depression and anxiety, traditional methods of dealing with these problems have come under scrutiny. More and more psychologists are retracing back to the teachings of the Buddha, who mapped the workings of the human mind more than anyone in history. Middle Way Mind Training utilizes these profound concepts and places them in the forefront of modern science. Drawing on ancient Buddhist wisdom, Frank Navratil has developed an innovative effective holistic method to reduce unnecessary human suffering and an effective scientific path towards a happy and fulfilling life. This book is for anyone who wishes to understand what happiness really is, why it often evades us, where it is found and a proven practical method of how to uncover it and experience it like never before. It offers practical mind-training exercises that anyone can follow that lead to reducing unnecessary suffering in life, a better ability in dealing with problems, tragedies, conflicts and hardships while maximizing happiness and well being.Dr. Frank Navratil is a Canadian-born naturopathic doctor, wellness coach and lecturer, mindfulness-based cognitive practitioner and meditation instructor. He has spent over 30 years teaching and consulting clients to improve their physical, mental and psychological health and well-being. He offers workshops, courses, lectures and consultations based on his Middle Way Mind Training method, for individuals, groups and companies around the world.
Power and Agency in the Lives of Contemporary Tibetan Nuns
This book examines the lived experiences of oppression and opportunities encountered by contemporary Tibetan Buddhist nuns living in the People's Republic of China and the Tibetan exile community in India. It investigates how the intersections of the nuns' female gender, their Buddhist religion and their Tibetan nationality on the one hand produce subordination and an unequal distribution of power but, on the other, provide the nuns with opportunities and agency. Depending on the intersection of her status positions, the Tibetan nun can be either disadvantaged or privileged, and sometimes both at the same time. Power structures and relations that disadvantage nuns as women, as religious practitioners, and as Tibetans, are constructed and maintained in different domains of power. In the structural domain, traditional but still dominant institutions - such as the distribution of work, marriage, educational practices and religious institutions - disadvantage Tibetan nuns. In the disciplinary domain of power, the nuns are monitored by traditional culture and the Chinese authorities. The unequal distribution of power in these domains is justified by hegemonic ideas based on religious and cultural beliefs, ideas of religion and modernity, and religion and gender. These domains of power find their expression in the everyday life in the interpersonal sphere. Analysis also reveals that many nuns were highly active in choosing and determining their life course. Monastic life offers Tibetan women freedom from the suffering faced by laywomen. The juncture of their gender, religion and nationality also provides them with agency in their nationalism, which is both visible and more subtle. Monastic life also offers them religious agency as compassionate bodhisattvas, who aim to not only benefit other living beings but also themselves.
Unravel the Veil
Unravel the VeilMay the poetry in this book serve as a reminder to listen to the subtle voice of your Intuition.Trust your inner guidance so it may lead you to your life's purpose.Embrace the light within you and shine brightly, especially during the darkest times.Allow your inner knowing to speak in the clearest way by being present in each moment.Always have the courage to follow its wise advice.Focus on the all-knowing wisdom within you in order to answer the necessary questions: Who am I?What is the meaning of life?Why am I here?Let the answers which arise manifest as your legacy to this world.Unravel the Veil is the second in a series of seven poetry books. It is composed of poems associated with topics of the third eye chakra. The third eye chakra is the sixth chakra. It is the center of our intuition, vision, and inner knowing.The Chakra SystemAccording to the Vedas (ancient Indian sacred texts), the physical body is composed of seven primary energy or vortex centers called chakras. Chakra is the Sanskrit word for wheel. The seven main chakras run along the spine-beginning with the root chakra and ending with the crown chakra. The main chakras are: 1 Root2 Sacral3 Solar plexus4 Heart5 Throat6 Third eye7 CrownEach chakra has a different color, element, sound, mantra, function, location, major organ, and association. The flow or blockage/imbalance of subtle energy in each chakra determines the health or disease of the individual body.Third Eye Chakra information: Sanskrit name: AjnaColor: IndigoElement: LightSound: OmMantra: "I See"Practice: Visualization meditationFunction: Knowing, intuition and insight, inner visionLocation: Between the eyebrows slightly above eye levelOrgan: Pineal gland, eyes, nose, ears, brain, nervous systemAssociations: Emotional intelligence, Truth, openness to new ideas, psychic abilitiesDysfunctions when imbalanced: Nightmares, blurred vision, deafness, headaches, seizures, learning disabilities, and doubting your inner wisdom.
The Extensive Guru Yoga of Vajrayogini
The Extensive Guru Yoga of Vajrayogini is arranged in Tibetan, phonetics, and English translation by Khenpo Migmar Tseten from original sources. It is our hope that these pages offer a window into the awakened state and inspire you in your own practice. May all sentient beings everywhere experience peace. Important requirement: It is very important to receive the empowerment, transmission, and instruction from a Master who holds the Vajrayogini lineage to do these practices.
In the Land of Tigers and Snakes
Animals play crucial roles in Buddhist thought and practice. However, many symbolically or culturally significant animals found in India, where Buddhism originated, do not inhabit China, to which Buddhism spread in the medieval period. In order to adapt Buddhist ideas and imagery to the Chinese context, writers reinterpreted and modified the meanings different creatures possessed. Medieval sources tell stories of monks taming wild tigers, detail rituals for killing snakes, and even address the question of whether a parrot could achieve enlightenment. Huaiyu Chen examines how Buddhist ideas about animals changed and were changed by medieval Chinese culture. He explores the entangled relations among animals, religions, the state, and local communities, considering both the multivalent meanings associated with animals and the daily experience of living with the natural world. Chen illustrates how Buddhism influenced Chinese knowledge and experience of animals as well as how Chinese state ideology, Daoism, and local cultic practices reshaped Buddhism. He shows how Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism developed doctrines, rituals, discourses, and practices to manage power relations between animals and humans. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including traditional texts, stone inscriptions, manuscripts, and visual culture, this interdisciplinary book bridges history, religious studies, animal studies, and environmental studies. In examining how Buddhist depictions of the natural world and Chinese taxonomies of animals mutually enriched each other, In the Land of Tigers and Snakes offers a new perspective on how Buddhism took root in Chinese society.
Complete Enlightenment
Complete Enlightenment is the first authoritative translation and commentary on The Sutra of Complete Enlightenment, a central text that shaped the development of East Asian Buddhism and Ch'an (Chinese Zen). The text is set in the form of a transcription of discussions between the Buddha and the twelve enlightened beings(bodhisattvas), who question him on all aspects of spiritual practice. This new translation preserves all the liveliness and nuance of the text in the original Chinese. The sutra's ancient wisdom is brought to life by the commentaries of Master Sheng-yen, one of the most revered living Buddhist masters in the Ch'an lineage. This is truly a manual for the spiritual journey toward complete enlightenment, providing the key to the deep, poetic, and practical meanings of the scripture.
Tranquillity Leading to Insight
This book explores the theme of meditation practices. This subject is approached in a realistic manner whilst using historical settings to emphasise the power of the mind and the importance of training the mind to stay in the present moment. To find true happiness one needs to find the path leading to it. The principal aim of this book is to explain the practical application of Mindfulness to achieving spiritual awakening and ending suffering. This book also demonstrates the continued relevance of Buddhist teachings with regard to overcoming the psychological ramifications that obstruct the way to happiness. Distilled into twenty two chapters using readily accessible language this is a concise and comprehensive guide. With reference to a range of similar texts this book reveals how to extract the pure gold of consciousnesses as was taught by the enlightened Buddha. Grounded in profound scholarship and Buddhist philosophical psychology the book brings these ancient teachings to the modern world. This book also explores the historical times of the Buddha and shares the story of the cultural awakening that took place across South and South East Asia after his enlightenment.
In the Land of Tigers and Snakes
Animals play crucial roles in Buddhist thought and practice. However, many symbolically or culturally significant animals found in India, where Buddhism originated, do not inhabit China, to which Buddhism spread in the medieval period. In order to adapt Buddhist ideas and imagery to the Chinese context, writers reinterpreted and modified the meanings different creatures possessed. Medieval sources tell stories of monks taming wild tigers, detail rituals for killing snakes, and even address the question of whether a parrot could achieve enlightenment. Huaiyu Chen examines how Buddhist ideas about animals changed and were changed by medieval Chinese culture. He explores the entangled relations among animals, religions, the state, and local communities, considering both the multivalent meanings associated with animals and the daily experience of living with the natural world. Chen illustrates how Buddhism influenced Chinese knowledge and experience of animals as well as how Chinese state ideology, Daoism, and local cultic practices reshaped Buddhism. He shows how Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism developed doctrines, rituals, discourses, and practices to manage power relations between animals and humans. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including traditional texts, stone inscriptions, manuscripts, and visual culture, this interdisciplinary book bridges history, religious studies, animal studies, and environmental studies. In examining how Buddhist depictions of the natural world and Chinese taxonomies of animals mutually enriched each other, In the Land of Tigers and Snakes offers a new perspective on how Buddhism took root in Chinese society.
Meeting the Buddhas
Meeting the Buddhas is a modern classic, giving a vivid and accessible introduction to all the main figures meditated on in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. First published in 1993, this new edition incorporates a section on Vajrakīla, as well as new images, and hundreds of small changes that nuance and deepen earlier editions. It is a mine of information for those who want to learn about buddhas, bodhisattvas and tantric deities, and of inspiration for those who are already doing the practices. Vessantara powerfully evokes the figures, giving the reader a real feeling for what it's like to meditate on them, and how they can transform us on a deep level. It gives detailed descriptions of the figures, including their mudras and symbolic emblems, so it can be used as a handy reference to identify and learn about particular images.
Fusang, Or, The Discovery of America by Chinese Buddhist Priests in the Fifth Century
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Fusang, Or, The Discovery of America by Chinese Buddhist Priests in the Fifth Century
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
The Gospel of Buddha
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Esoteric Buddhism
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Si-yu-ki, Buddhist Records of the Western World;
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Buddha
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Buddhist Monasteries of Nepal
A definitive survey of the rich legacy of some 360 Buddhist architectural structures and remains in and around the Kathmandu Valley, including both the urban centers of Kathmandu, Patan and Baktapur, as well as surrounding villages. The study examines, for each site, its history, extant sacred images, details of toraṇa, caitya and other architectural features, as well as the overall maṇḍala represented in the monastery structure. The author also records a myriad of ethnographic details of Nepalese monastic life, such as daily and annual rituals, initiations, lineage deities, monastic governing structure and economics. First published in 1985 in a local Nepalese imprint, this newly edited volume, including some additional illustrations, benefits from modern scanning technology, revealing for the first time the high quality of the historic photographs.
Esoteric Buddhism
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple Chant Book
2022 Chant Book for Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple. Trout Lake, WA USA https: //mtadamsbuddhisttemple.org/
The Enlightenment Trap
"A powerful investigation into the appeal - and the danger - of enlightenment" The Pacific StandardIn 2012, 38-year-old Ian Thorson's search for spiritual transcendence ended in tragedy on a remote Arizona mountaintop. His wife, a woman anointed as a goddess by an eccentric Buddhist community, held him in her arms as he slowly died from dehydration and dysentery. For Scott Carney, a journalist and anthropologist who lived in India for six years, Thorson's death was just the most recent iteration of an unspoken epidemic that connected intensive meditation and mental instability.The Enlightenment Trap explores how Tibetan Buddhism in the West morphed from its roots in the Himalayan foothills into a fundamentally new American religion. For Thorson, the entry point into this new faith was Geshe Michael Roach, the supreme spiritual leader of Diamond Mountain University.Carney unravels the cult-like practices of Diamond Mountain to illuminate the uniquely American tendency to mix and match Eastern religious traditions like LEGO pieces. The result is that for some, enlightenment is a synonym for almost god-like powers, and achieving it can become more important than life itself.Aided by Thorson's private papers and cutting-edge neurological research, the book reveals the profound impact of intensive meditation on the brain. Carney exposes stories of miracles and black magic, sexualized rituals and tantric rites from former Diamond Mountain acolytes. The Enlightenment Trap is a gripping work of investigative journalism that reveals how the path to enlightenment can be riddled with danger. This revised 2023 edition includes two previously-unreleased chapters, an author's note and new updates to the story.
Buddhism in Translations
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Zen and the Beat Way
"Everything disappears into nothing at all, but out of that same nothing at all come all the new things, forever and ever." --Alan Watts When Jack Kerouac wrote his novel Dharma Bums, his views on Zen Buddhism echoed the sentiments of the Beat Generation, who found in Zen a way of life unencumbered by the limits of "square" society. And it was the philosopher Alan Watts who first wrote and spoke about Zen and Eastern culture in terms accessible to mainstream Western audiences. Watts was an engaging speaker and an icon of America's Beat and Counterculture movements who named among his friends Aldous Huxley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, John Cage, and Joseph Campbell. Through his popular radio series Way Beyond the West, Alan Watts presented the practical side of Zen, which he described as "a cure for education and culture." By the early sixties, his radio programs were renowned for their synthesis of Eastern wisdom and everyday life. Watts' teachings during an era of turmoil and political strife are as timely today as they were over 50 years ago. The fascinating essays in this collection include: "The Beat Way of Life" How the Beats lived an uncomplicated Zen life and despite being denigrated as worthless slackers, like Eastern thinkers, they actively pursued "an arduous course of spiritual and psychological discipline""Return to the Forest" How the popular works of the writer Joseph Campbell influenced the earliest Beat traditions by advocating the internal search for individual truth over learned schools of thought "The Democratization of Buddhism" How Buddhism is actually a "religion of no-religion," that conveys the spiritual through the everyday and the ordinary and recognizes no division between the twoThis book is an engaging introduction to Watts' fascinating and enduring Zen teachings.
Si-yu-ki, Buddhist Records of the Western World;
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Journal of the Pali Text Society
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
The Ng繹ndro
The Heart Wisdom series aims to make the teachings of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche available to a wider audience, by bringing his oral teachings to the written page. This volume comprises a set of teachings on the Ng繹ndro contemplations and practices, which are foundational to the experience of Mahamudra.
Like Dreams & Clouds
The Heart Wisdom series aims to make the teachings of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche available to a wider audience, by bringing his oral teachings to the written page. This volume looks, in a simple way, at the fundamental Buddhist view called Emptiness or Interdependence: how things really exist. It includes a short teaching on Mahamudra and Dzogchen, approaches that bring us to experience this view directly.
Luminous Awareness
"I am confident readers will find this book, Luminous Awareness: A Guidebook to Natural Awakening in Life and in Death, interesting and useful in understanding the way it explains the Buddhist approach to the end of life." His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from the foreword "Luminous Awareness asks "What does the Buddha mean by rouse and correct ourselves? And how exactly do we look to our true nature?" This book is about providing the answers and offering a variety of practices to bring us closer to our true selves. Written with clarity and dedication to the dharma, Pema Duddul embraces the possibilities of an awakened life." Sharon Salzberg, author of the books Loving Kindness and Real Happiness "That no one is exempt from death and the dying process is a central truth to the Buddhist tradition. Luminous Awareness offers a clear and approachable path to better understand the transformational power created in developing an engaged, contemplative relationship to the dying process. Pema D羹ddul skilfully distils this wisdom in a way that makes this rich work accessible, relatable and applicable to a varied readership." Lama Justin von Bujdoss, author of Modern Tantric Buddhism: Embodiment and Authenticity in Dharma Practice. "Luminous Awareness holds within it everything one needs to awaken in this lifetime, or at the time of death. Full of essential practice instructions, inspiring words from great masters and clear explanations of the fundamentals of the Buddha-Dharma, I could not recommend this book more highly. It is a joy to read. Dudjom Pema D羹ddul is an exceptional Dharma teacher." Jamyang Tenphel, author of Resting in Stillness and The Awakening Heart: 108 Pith Instructions for Buddhist Practice. A guidebook to natural awakening or enlightenment, this book lays out a path of simple, unrestricted practices leading to the exact same result as the revered tradition of Tibetan Dzogchen - total awakening. Luminous Awareness translates the mystical and complex rituals and practices of The Tibetan Book of the Dead into a path of simple daily actions we can all apply right now. Luminous Awareness is about life and death, but it is also about much more. Its true focus is how we can all awaken to our true or enlightened nature, which is the ultimate nature of all. This single, easy to read book contains everything you might need on the Buddhist path. Inspired by the spirit of simplicity and openness of the Tibetan Dzogchen or Great Perfection tradition, Luminous Awareness is a comprehensive guide to living and dying with purpose and heart. The book contains easy to apply guidance on the practices related to The Tibetan Book of the Dead that lead to complete liberation in our own lifetimes. In this book you will find simple meditations and contemplations to transform your experience of daily life into one of awakening, as well as lucid descriptions of the processes of dying, the after-death states (or bardos) and rebirth or reincarnation. Pema D羹ddul, a Buddhist chaplain, poet and scholar, is a student of Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (1938 - 2018), Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Lama Karma Lhundup Rinpoche and Dungse Namgyal Dawa Rinpoche. He has decades of experience teaching the Dharma in the modern world and teaches with great clarity and simplicity. With Luminous Awareness he shows how to apply the mystical bardo teachings to our everyday experience and bring purpose and joy to both living and dying.
Ancestor-worship and Japanese Law
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
