On The Way To The Far Shore
Book Five of the Suttanipāta is entitled Pārāyanavagga, which can be translated as the "Way to the Far Shore". There are 16 suttas in this collection. All of them are questions posed to the Buddha and his answers. The nature of all of the questions is, in general, "How can I awaken?" or "How can I escape dukkha?" What's so remarkable about this collection is the Buddha's explicit instructions on what must be done to find liberation.
The Story of Lokesvara
Written for mainstream Cambodians, and English readers interested in the fascinating spiritual concept of the purpose of life, and universal enlightenment; this little book is presented both in Khmer and English language. The Story of Lokesvara the Saviour of the World, takes readers on a 1st century journey where the spiritual realm (heaven) interacts with humans on Earth.To the rational mind it may sound like myth or superstition, but this event was huge-it changed the world. It is the story of how the human path to enlightenment changed forever, and how it was embraced by Hinduism, Daoism and Buddhism--and now Christianity.The event starts in the 1st century, shortly before the incarnation of the Great Avatar, whom we came to know as Jesus (Iesous). We follow the traditional tales of the Lord's ministry as he travels from Egypt to South East Asia, then to the Mid-East where his human body was tortured to death by a cruel and violent religious group.Iesous returns to Earth again in the year 78CE, exactly as he had promised. This time, He comes as the glorious Lord Avalokiteshvara (his Sanskrit title). He is venerated and worshipped by millions of people all over the world as the World Saviour, known as the Guanyin in Chinese Buddhism. We end our journey in Cambodia. In the 12th century, the great Wayist-Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, who constructed the Bayon Temple and others around Angkor Wat, instituted the Lord's Wayist worldview in the Angkor Empire.
Minding the Buddha’s Business
Colleagues and former students of Gregory Schopen honor his path-breaking contributions to Buddhist studies with these articles on the early Mahayana, the monastic codes, and Buddhism's art-historical and epigraphical remains. This volume honors the profoundly transformative influence of Gregory Schopen's many contributions to Buddhist studies. Eighteen articles by former students and colleagues focus on the areas of Schopen's most noteworthy influence: the study of the Mahayana, particularly of its early sutra literature; the study of Vinaya, especially the narratives accompanying the rules for monks and nuns; and the study of Buddhist epigraphy and art history. Contributors demonstrate the ongoing significance of Schopen's scholarship, including his very first article, on the cult of the book in the early Mahayana, published fifty years ago. Schopen has repeatedly shown how the study of Buddhism has too often focused on scriptures and normative doctrines and not enough on the practical ideas and contexts that significantly impacted the lives of actual Buddhists. He sought to reveal these lived concerns in the massive trove of Buddhist inscriptions, which often expose the habits and ideas of the tradition's most prominent donors (many of whom were monastics), as well as the everyday concerns of monks and nuns, whose views did not always dovetail with canonical sources. Even in his treatment of canonical sources, Schopen has shown that the standard portrait of a Buddhist monk or nun fails to match a careful reading of their law codes--his work on the Mulasarvastivada-vinaya has required scholars to substantially reimagine the legal and ritual obligations, as well as the economic concerns, that preoccupied the minds of Buddhist jurists. Schopen has, in essence, brought the Buddha down to earth, revealing that this is precisely where most Indian Buddhists encountered him. The contributions in this celebratory volume reflect this legacy and Schopen's considerable impact on our understanding of Buddhists in India.
How Not to Miss the Point
Cut through the noise and explore mind-changing Buddhist teachings from one of the clearest voices from the Tibetan tradition. Written in her direct and personal style, it's the perfect "first book" for anyone curious about Buddhism, as well as those with experience who will benefit from her powerful message. We're bombarded with advice about how to live--how to find happiness, how to maintain relationships, how to help the world--and yet has this advice brought us peace? In How Not to Miss the Point, beloved Buddhist teacher Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche focuses on the Buddha's core teachings, basic principles that are universally true, whether we are Buddhist or not, as a way to cultivate our inner light and work for good, no matter how the world unfolds around us. Because the simplicity of the Buddha's fundamental teachings can often get lost in complexity, Rinpoche goes straight to their heart to convey the Buddha's core message: If we want this life--our own life, the lives of others, and the life of our planet--to be fulfilling and good, we must accept responsibility for cultivating the best qualities of our human mind. To put the how-and-why into practice, Rinpoche guides us through the steps of the Buddha's path.
Buddhism for Beginners
How To Easily Reclaim Your Natural Joy & HappinessDo you often feel stressed, overwhelmed or anxious?Would you like to increase your wellbeing and happiness?If so, then Buddhism could be the answer. Even if you've tried meditation or mindfulness before only to find you just cannot do it. In fact, it's easier than you think. The Department of Psychology at California University has concluded that Buddhism is a powerful way to deal with life events. Research over the past two decades broadly supports the claim that Buddhism practiced widely exerts beneficial effects on physical and mental health.Which means you can increase your wellbeing and happiness without having to wear robes or live in a distant monastery.Here's just a tiny fraction of what you'll discover in this book: What is Buddhism? What do Buddhists Believe? The Four Noble Truths and How They Can End Suffering Buddha's Guide to a Simple Life and Why It Will Make You Happier How to Find Balance Through Cultivating Enthusiasm The Cycle of Death & Rebirth Explained The Fastest Way to Start Your Spiritual Path Dealing with Stress Scientifically Proven Methods To Increase Positive Feelings Develop Sharper Senses And Freedom From Negatiity Achieve Calmness and Enlightenment Through Yoga & Healing ...and much, much more! Take a second to imagine how you'll feel once you become stress & anxiety free. Even if you're a complete beginner or your not religious, you too can increase your wellbeing and happiness with Buddhism. Ignite your desire to be fully alive and joyous, Read This Book
What Makes You Not a Buddhist
An innovative meditation master cuts through common misconceptions about Buddhism, revealing what it truly means to walk the path of the Buddha So you think you're a Buddhist? Think again. Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, one of the most creative and innovative lamas teaching today, throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With humor and irony, Dzongsar Khyentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism--beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes--straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught. Packed with new material, this second edition of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse's classic now features an incisive critique of contemporary Western approaches to Buddhism that lead to some fundamental misunderstandings, paired with a heartfelt encouragement of the power of the teachings to transform us if we approach them with the right intention and view. This edition also includes an all-new discussion of what does make you a Buddhist as well as updated material throughout.
Heidegger and DAO
In this innovative contribution, Eric S. Nelson offers a contextualized and systematic exploration of the Chinese sources and German language interpretations that shaped Heidegger's engagement with Daoism and his thinking of the thing, nothingness, and the freedom of releasement (Gelassenheit). Encompassing forgotten and recently published historical sources, including Heidegger's Daoist and Buddhist-related reflections in his lectures and notebooks, Nelson presents a critical intercultural reinterpretation of Heidegger's philosophical journey. Nelson analyzes the intersections and differences between the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi, and Heidegger's philosophy and the linguistic and conceptual shifts in Heidegger's thinking that correlate with his encounters and interactions with Daoist, Buddhist, and East Asian texts and interlocutors. He thereby traces hints for encountering things and environments anew, models for intercultural hermeneutics, and ways of reimagining the thing, nothingness, and freedom with and beyond Heidegger's thought. This work elucidates the thing, the mystery, and freedom in Heidegger and Daoism in Part I and Heidegger's thinking of nothingness, emptiness, and the clearing in relation to Daoist and Buddhist philosophy in Part II. In each part, Nelson unfolds a fresh perspective for thinking further with Heidegger and East Asian philosophies in relation to the contemporary existential and environmental situation for the sake of nourishing life amidst damaged life.
Hidden Treasure of the Profound Path
Even though hundreds of thousands of people have attended a Kalachakra empowerment, very few actually know how to put the Kalachakra teachings into practice. In this direct and clear commentary on Jetsun Taranatha's classic text "The Divine Ladder", Khentrul Rinpoch矇 reveals the profound methods which have been used by Kalachakra masters for hundreds of years to achieve extraordinary realisations. Through these practices, you will be guided in a step-by-step manner through a process of transformation that allows you to gradually experience your greatest potential in this very lifetime. Drawing on the unbiased wisdom of the lineage masters from the Jonang-Shambhala Tradition, this book provides everything that you will need in order to authentically prepare yourself for entering the completion stage practices of the Six Vajra Yogas.
Ocean of Diversity
In a time of particularly strong violence and conflict, whole regions of the globe are engaged in ideological struggles, rooted in widespread ignorance and fear. How do we free ourselves from this situation? How can we learn to heal our wounds and to live in harmony with our neighbors? How can we truly achieve lasting peace and happiness? It is exactly these questions that have been asked for thousands of years by many of the world's great sages. Their profound wisdom has made its way from generation to generation in the form of a diverse range of spiritual traditions that provide ongoing support and inspiration to millions of people.In this book, Khentrul Rinpoche presents a unique set of practical tools that we can all use to tap into the great diversity of wisdom and methods that this world has to offer. Through the development of a broad view that encompasses all of this diversity, we can each find a path that is capable of leading us forward towards the peace that we seek. Then by probing deeper and deeper into that path, we are able to uncover our most profound inner truth. In this process, we learn that diversity does not have to divide us. Instead, it can be a powerful force to bring us together.
Waking Up and Growing Up
​​A fresh, nuanced view of Zen integrates relational and emotional skill-building with traditional practices in a spiritual "cross-training" approach suited for the unique demands of modern life.​ This compelling and innovative view of Zen practice gives people in their 20s and 30s a contemporary approach to spiritual development that is meaningful and actionable within the complexities of modern life. Grounded deeply in the tradition of Soto Zen, professional mediators and Zen practitioners Diane Hamilton and Gabriel Wilson extol the virtues of sitting meditation, dharma study, and the student-teacher relationship. At the same time, they offer insight into the importance of emotional development and the maturation of relationship skills. This approach draws on insights from Integral psychology as taught by philosopher Ken Wilber, neurophysiology, trauma work, adult development, and teachings of the Zen masters to: develop interpersonal communication skills; blend the spiritual path with the realities of contemporary life; learn how to navigate issues of inclusivity and diversity; explore issues of identity; train our power of attention rather than get caught up in social media, division, and crisis; mature our emotional and relational skills; and much more. Complete with practices, exercises, and reflections in each chapter, this book offers an accessible, insightful approach to becoming more personally effective, compassionate, and spiritually awake.
Protestant Relics in Early America
In Protestant Relics in Early America, Jamie L. Brummitt upends long-held assumptions about religion and material culture in the early United States. Brummitt chronicles how American Protestants cultivated a lively relic culture centered around collecting supernatural memory objects associated with dead Christian leaders, family members, and friends. These objects materialized the real physical presences of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and souls of the dead on earth. As Brummitt demonstrates, people of nearly all Protestant denominations and walks of life--including members of Congress, college presidents, ministers, mothers, free Black activists, schoolchildren, and enslaved people--sought embodied and supernatural sense experiences with relics. They collected relics from deathbeds, stole relics from tombs, made relics in schools, visited relics at pilgrimage sites like George Washington's Mount Vernon, purchased relics in the marketplace, and carried relics into the American Revolution and the Civil War. Locks of hair, blood, bones, portraits, daguerreotypes, post-mortem photographs, memoirs, deathbed letters, Bibles, clothes, embroidered and painted mourning pieces, and a plethora of other objects that had been touched, used, or owned by the dead became Protestant relics. These relic practices were so pervasive that they shaped systems of earthly and heavenly power, from young women's education to national elections to Protestant-Catholic relations to the structure of freedom and families in the afterlife. In recovering the forgotten history and presence of Protestant relics in early America, Brummitt demonstrates how material practices of religion defined early American politics and how the Enlightenment enhanced rather than diminished embodied presence. Moreover, Brummitt reveals how the secular historical method has obscured the supernatural significance of relics for the Protestants who made, collected, exchanged, treasured, and passed them down. This book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of early American history, religion, politics, art, and popular culture.
The Gospel of Buddha
The Gospel of Buddha is an 1894 book by Paul Carus. It is modeled on the New Testament and tells the story of Buddha through parables. It was an important tool in introducing Buddhism to the west and is used as a teaching tool by some Asian sects.Carus believed that the modern world required a new Religion of Science. By the 1890s, inspired by the meetings and conversations at the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893, he had decided that Buddhism was the closest faith to his ideal and created The Gospel of Buddha to popularize the religion in the West.The work was assembled from existing English translations of Buddhists texts, with significant amendments and reworkings. His selection of texts favoured Buddhism as a philosophy without any supernatural elements. While criticized by contemporary scholars, this interpretation proved popular in the West, leading to a number of reprintings. It also influenced the development of Modern Buddhism in the 18th century in East Asia, notably in a Japanese translation of the book by D. T. Suzuki.For years afterwards, Carus was a strong sympathizer of Buddhist ideas, but stopped short of committing fully to this, or any other, religion. Instead, he ceaselessly promoted his own rational concept which he called the "Religion of Science." Carus had a selective approach and he believed that religions evolve over time. After a battle for survival, he expected a "cosmic religion of universal truth" to emerge from the ashes of traditional beliefs.
Wondrous Ocean of Eloquence
A comprehensive history of the Taklung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, composed in the seventeenth century, and includes glossy color images of recently discovered twelfth-century portraits and inscriptions​.​ This is the first ever English translation of a multilayered and comprehensive historiographical volume on the political, artistic, architectural, biographical, and mystical dimensions of the Taklung, one of four primary subsects of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The bulk of the volume is a translation of an early seventeenth-century Tibetan history by Taklung Ngawang Namgyel and includes supplements to that history written in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. Centering an otherwise marginal and understudied Buddhist tradition, this volume contains an extraordinary wealth of historical, religious, and biographical information not found in any other published work. It is a complex tale of Tibetan religiopolitical maneuvering in the face of centuries of civil unrest and armed conflict with Central Asian warring dynasties. While detailing the abbatial succession of the tradition's two main monastic seats, Taklung and Riwoche Monasteries, it is also broad and vast in scale, going back to sixth-century BCE India to include early Indian Buddhist canon formulation, moving then to narratives on the Tibetan Kagyu lineage holders (Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa), to the twelfth-century founding of the Taklung sect in Tibet, and then all the way through to the early twentieth century, which saw Tibet's first modern military and cultural conflicts both within the country and with Chinese, Mongol, and Gorkha forces. An introductory essay by art historian Jane Casey on painting in the Taklung tradition includes her scholarly analysis of the dating and provenance of thirteenth-century portraits and inscriptions, only discovered in recent decades. Glossy color images of these paintings are included in the volume. Shambhala Publications gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Robert H. N. Ho and John Eskenazi in sponsoring the translation, and the Tsadra Foundation in sponsoring the preparation and printing of this book.
The Profound Reality of Interdependence
The Way of the Bodhisattva, composed by the monk and scholar Śāntideva in eighth-century India, is a Buddhist treatise in verse that beautifully and succinctly lays out the theory and practice of the Mahayana path of a bodhisattva. Over one thousand years after Śāntideva's composition, K羹nzang S繹nam (1823-1905) produced the most extensive commentary on the Way of the Bodhisattva ever written. This book is the first English translation of K羹nzang S繹nam's overview of Śāntideva's notoriously difficult chapter on wisdom. The ninth chapter of the Way of the Bodhisattva is philosophically very rich but forbiddingly technical, and can only be read well with a good commentary. K羹nzang S繹nam's commentary offers a unique and complete introduction to the view of Prāsaṅgika-Madhyamaka, the summit of Buddhist philosophy in Tibet, as articulated by Tsongkhapa. It brings Śāntideva's text, and Tsongkhapa's interpretation of Prāsaṅgika-Madhyamaka, into conversation with a vast Buddhist literature from India and Tibet. By articulating the integral relationship between emptiness and interdependence, this text formulates a sustained and powerful argument for emptiness as a metaphysical basis of bodhisattva ethics. This volume makes the ninth chapter accessible to English-speaking teachers and students of the Way of the Bodhisattva.
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.
THE TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD OR The After-Death Experiences on the Bardo Plane, according to Lāma Kazi Dawa-Samdup’s English Rendering
The bar do thos grol has become known in the English speaking world as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, a title popularized by Walter Evans-Wentz's edition, after the Egyptian Book of the Dead, though the English title bears no relationship with the Tibetan's, as outlined above. The Evans-Wentz edition was first published in 1927 by Oxford University Press.At age 24 Evans-Wentz went to Stanford University, where he studied religion, philosophy, and history and was deeply influenced by visitors William James and W. B. Yeats. He went on to receive B.A. and M.A degrees. He then studied Celtic mythology and folklore at Jesus College, Oxford (1907). He performed ethnographic fieldwork collecting fairy folklore in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Isle of Man. In 1911 Evans-Wentz published his degree thesis as a book, The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. While at Oxford, he added his mother's Welsh surname Evans to his name, being known henceforth as Evans-Wentz.Kazi Dawa Samdup's education began at the age of four learning the Tibetan script from his grandfather. In 1874 he joined the Bhutia Boarding School in Darjeeling where he impressed the headmaster Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra Das. His Tibetan teacher was Ugyen Gyatso, a lama from the Pemayangtse monastery in West Sikkim.
I Had a Good Teacher
Longtime Zen abbot shares the wisdom of his teacher, who brought Zen to the West and wrote the classic Zen Mind, Beginner's MindI Had a Good Teacher interweaves Les Kaye's Dharma talks with personal stories to reveal the subtleties of integrating Zen practice into a life of work and family. It includes fascinating memories of Suzuki Roshi and short writings about events at the zendo, including the time Steve Jobs visited Les for guidance integrating work and spiritual practice. I Had a Good Teacher is an excellent introduction to Zen in daily life, a warm portrait of a great Zen teacher, and a reminder to meditators to return to basics, keep their meditation real, and practice awareness all day long. "I Had a Good Teacher is a marvelous collection of Les Kaye's talks and writings. I can feel his authenticity and deep understanding. Those who study with him--in person or through this book--have a good teacher." --David Chadwick, author of Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki and Tassajara Stories"What a wonderful book.... direct and deep, real and rich, filled with down-to-earth wisdom. Enjoy reading about something that could change your life." --Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center, and author of Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet"In this lovely plainspoken book, Les offers the spirit of Suzuki Roshi Zen. Sometimes enigmatic, sometimes sweet, sometimes with stories of the past, sometimes timeless wisdom....all passed on to you with a kind heart." --Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
Practicing Safe Zen
In a time when abuse at the hands of religious leaders is too common comes this guide to making the most of the Zen tradition while protecting and empowering yourself"This is a thoroughly engaging exploration based on deep knowledge of the tradition as well as contemporary research." --Martine Batchelor, author, Principles of ZenWhile the liberation that Zen offers is real, it must be engaged with carefully, explains this sensei. Her book is neither a memoir about a single case of abuse nor a bloodless academic study. Nelson reflects on the multiple dangers in Zen, from firsthand experience in Boston--where documented abuse recently took place--integrating her discussion at every step with core Zen teachings."Practicing Safe Zen imparts a lesson we all will have to learn if we want to truly mature in our spiritual practice." --Barry Magid, author, Ending the Pursuit of Happiness
The Great Hum
Dive into an ocean of Buddhist wisdom with this masterful immersion in Shantideva's well-known guide to the boundless spirit of the bodhisattva. Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicaryavatara) is without a doubt one of the greatest masterpieces of Indian Buddhism and the single most influential text on Mahayana ethical theory. Since it was composed in the eighth century, it has continuously animated the living tradition--especially in Tibet, but now in the West as well--as more translations have become available. Its poetic evocations of the spirit of awakening allow readers to enter the mind of the bodhisattva. Nineteenth-century master Minyak Kunzang Sonam composed what came to be the most extensive commentary in any language on Shantideva's masterpiece. This commentary came to be known as the Great Hum because it fills the entirety of the third or hum volume of the author's collected works. Citing hundreds of sutras, he shows how Shantideva's verses are beautifully integrated within, and express, the Buddhist textual universe. In particular he ties Shantideva's verses with the Anthology of Training, the thematic collection of scriptural citations also compiled by Shantideva, creating a detailed tapestry of Mahayana thought and practice. Kunzang Sonam's commentary on the philosophically rich ninth "Wisdom" chapter was published previously as The Profound Reality of Interdependence, and this volume presents his commentary on the first eight chapters, detailing the generation of the spirit of awakening, the cultivation of positive qualities, and the practice of meditation. Embedded in the commentary is a fresh translation of Shantideva's verses, making this an unparalleled guide to appreciating their layers of meaning and applying them in one's practice and life.
Embracing the Sanctity Within
This book is for those who think and feel deeply about the nature of their lives. It is based on a transcendental experience I had whilst reciting a Buddhist Mantra many years ago, for many hours. The experience revealed the elusive, transient and fleeting nature of phenomena and hence our lives, and provided answers to the most deeply entrenched, soul-searching questions. I include scientific and biological enquiry, as well as philosophical contemplation to attest to the profound nature of life which proves to be unchanging and eternal. The depth of insight has implications for everyone, suggesting our lives 'pass on' rather than 'pass away.' I convey the nature of reality as it truly is from the transcendental perspective which inexplicably is inherent in our lives, and centuries-old quotes, images and letters to acclaimed authors are included to show how sublime one's enlightened mind is, the mind that is aroused through the Mantra's recital, free of conditioning, distorted beliefs and transience. This book is not about envisaged transcendental Beings. It is not about 'thinking spiritually.' It is beyond these notions, based on a revelation found in the depths of Mahayana Buddhism, a life philosophy. I support the nature of life as I experienced it with quotes and excerpts from scientists and philosophers, and of course I include profound Mahayana Buddhism proclamations. Even apart from the Mantra's recital, I believe the material in the book will prove to be of an unexpected, compelling significance, revealing a 'hidden nature' of life from a perspective one rarely encounters. I use my transcendental experience to convey life's profundity and grandeur which possess a perceivable quality beyond passive notions. And, if one wishes to recite of the said Mantra, they will adorn their lives with sublime, unknown qualities and reorientate their lives to reflect their true interests, for this life, and beyond. Yes, one's life transcends one's physical demise, yet one maintains their central individuality always. It is through the transience of phenomena that "Life exhibits both the qualities of 'being and non-being, ' yet in essence is neither." In conclusion, I believe the book will give hope and inspiration for anyone wishing to grasp the nature of their life, their existence, whilst providing the means for one to endow their life with qualities never before realized and a degree of insight that perhaps has never been contemplated.
