Buddhism: sacred texts and revered writings Books

Book SynopsisThe first book of this two-volume set consists largely of an annotated translation of the Record of the Transmission of Illumination (Denkroku) by Zen Master Keizan Jkin (1264-1325), presented together with the original Japanese text on which the English translation is based.

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Book SynopsisA collection of key texts from practising Buddhism women, showing their vital contributions to the development of Buddhist thought.

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Book SynopsisIn this twelfth volume of The Treasury of Precious Instructions, Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye presents a second collection of compiled teachings and practices of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, focusing on the teachings of the lineages of two Indian female celestial beings, Niguma and Sukkhasiddhi.The Treasury of Precious Instructions by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet''s greatest Buddhist masters, presents essential teachings from a broad spectrum of practice lineages that existed in Tibet. Volumes in this series may be engaged as practice manuals while also preserving ancient teachings significant to the literature and history of world religions.  Volume 12 of the series is the second of two volumes that present teachings and practices from the Shangpa Kagyu practice lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This tradition derives from the female celestial beings, or ḍākinīs, Niguma and Sukhasiddhi and their disciple, the eleventh-century Tibetan yogi Khyungpo Naljor Tsultrim Gönpo of the Shang region of Tibet.  There are forty texts in this volume, beginning with Jonang Tāranātha’s classic commentary and its supplement expounding the Six Dharmas of Niguma. It includes the definitive collection of the tantric basis of the Shangpa Kagyu—the five principal deities of the new translation (sarma) traditions and the Five-Deity Cakrasamvara practice. The source scriptures, liturgies, supplications, empowerment texts, instructions, and practice manuals were composed by Tangtong Gyalpo, Tāranātha, Jamgön Kongtrul, and others.

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Book SynopsisMoral injury is a profound violation of a human being's core moral identity through experiences of violence or trauma. This is the first book in which scholars from different faith and academic backgrounds consider the concept of moral injury not merely from a pastoral or philosophical point of view but through critical engagement with the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and American Civil Religion.This collection of essays explores the ambiguities of personal culpability among both perpetrators and victims of violence and the suffering involved in accepting personal agency in trauma. Contributors provide fresh and compelling readings of texts from different faith traditions and use their findings to reflect on real-life strategies for recovery from violations of core moral beliefs and their consequences such as shame, depression and addiction. With interpretations of the sacred texts, contributors reflect on the concerns of the morally-injured today and offer particular aspects of healing from their communities as support, making this a groundbreaking contribution to the study of moral injury and trauma.Trade ReviewThis book is a powerful impetus to understanding the full spectrum of moral injury and moral rehabilitation. -- John Dominic Crossan, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, DePaul University, Chicago, IL.A highly valuable collection for those engaging with religion and trauma studies. -- Karen L. King, Harvard Divinity SchoolThis may be the most important, authentic, and enjoyable volume yet written on moral injury. Each deliciously crafted essay explores new territory in the moral injury landscape using passages from ancient and revered writings as guides. The whole powerfully affirms the role of moral living-and its sometimes heartbreaking challenges-in the center of human experience. -- William P. Nash, MD, Director of Psychological Health for the U.S. Marine CorpsTable of ContentsForeword - Jonathan Shay; Introduction - Joseph McDonald, PhD, Visiting Instructor at Texas Christian University and Brite Divinity School; 1. Soul Repair: A Jewish View - David R. Blumenthal, PhD, Jay and Leslie Cohen Professor of Judaic Studies, Emory University; 2. Sodom and Lot's Family: Moral Injury in Genesis 19 - Nancy Bowen, PhD, Professor of Old Testament, Earlham School of Religion; 3. "The Most Beautiful of Stories": A Muslim Reflection on the Qur'an and Moral Injury - Amir Hussain, PhD, Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University; 4. Moral Injury and the Division of Spoils after Battle in the Hebrew Bible - Brad Kelle, PhD, Professor of Old Testament, Point Loma Nazarene University; 5. Civil Religion and the Moral Wounds of War - Daniel C. Maguire, STD, Professor of Theological Ethics, Marquette University; 6. Like acid seeping into your soul: Religio-cultural Violence in Moral Injury - Kelly Denton-Borhaug, PhD, Associate Professor of Religion and Co-director of Peace and Justice Studies, Moravian College; 7. Do Not Torment Me: The Morally-Injured Gersaene Demoniac - Michael Yandell, Theological Studies PhD student, Emory University; 8. Peter and Judas: Moral Injury and Repair - Warren Carter, PhD, Professor of New Testament, Brite Divinity School; 9. Buddhist Scripture and Moral Injury: Reflections on the Story of A?gulimala - John Thompson, PhD, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Christopher Newport University; Conclusion; Afterword - Rita Brock PhD, Research Professor of Theology and Culture, Brite Divinity School, and Founding Co-Director, The Soul Repair Center; References

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Book SynopsisHow much knowledge of the Dharma do we need? Sangharakshita's answer might surprise some: 'a lot less than we think', but we need to use the knowledge we do have well. This is the teaching of the four main works in this volume. Based on seminars conducted in 1976 and 1978, each offers a lesson in how to think critically about Mahayana Buddhist teachings, and how to apply them to day-to-day life. They are The Way to Wisdom, on the five spiritual faculties; Living Ethically and Living Wisely, on Nagarjuna's Precious Garland, and Know Your Mind, which explores a Tibetan Abhidharma text.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Editorial Note Acknowledgements Foreword, Vajradevi Editorial Note Offering the Mandala The Way to Wisdom Verses to Tara Living Ethically Wrathful Deities Living Wisely Tsongkhapa's Three Chief Paths Know Your Mind Notes and References Index A Guide to The Complete Works of Sangharakshita

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewRichard S. Cohen provides an elegant and accessible translation of a heretofore unavailable Indian Buddhist Mahayana sutra, along with a highly engaging interpretive essay that illuminates how the sutra functions as 'scripture' and raises issues that extend far beyond Indian Buddhism itself. His book fills an important lacuna in the resources available for teaching Buddhism and makes a significant contribution to the cross-cultural study of sacred texts. -- Reiko Ohnuma, Dartmouth College Cohen has combined a fascinating Buddhist text-a veritable manifesto on the ritual powers of mantra, inscribed word, and sculpted image-with an incisive and lucid essay on the meaning of 'scripture' in religion. In its focus on gestures, practices, and their glorious exemplars in heaven, The Splendid Vision certainly rounds out the popular image of Buddhist texts and will make essential reading for courses on Buddhism, Asian religions, and scripture in world religions. -- David Frankfurter, William Goodwin Aurelio Chair of the Appreciation of Scripture, Boston UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Introduction to the TranslationTranslationInterpretive Essay Glossary Notes Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis impeccably edited volume offers an ideal introduction to the most important of the early Chinese Chan texts and features contributions by leading scholars covering such topics as the biography of Huineng, meditation, sudden enlightenment, transmission, the precepts, and human nature. All of the chapters are extremely useful for understanding the role the Platform Sutra has played in the broader context of Chinese Buddhist religious thought and practice. -- Steven Heine, Florida International University The Platform Sutra is a (if not the) seminal scripture of Chan/Zen/Seon Buddhism. Its influence in East Asia is enormous and its impact extends far beyond China, Japan, and Korea. Readings of the Platform Sutra is a judicious and generous presentation of the best scholarship on this unique and vital text. It is certain to prove a reliable guide for anyone with a serious interest in the history, meaning, and practice of early Zen. -- Victor Mair Reading through these essays, one gains both a sense of how Bodhidharma's lineage took root in East Asia as well as the dynamics at play between the early Chinese Buddhist masters. Buddhadharma [Readings of the Platform Sutra] offers much of value to Buddhist Studies scholars, undergraduate students, and general readers interested in Chan/Zen Buddhism. -- Stuart H. Young Religious Studies Review this volume delivers highly readable essays particularly suited for undergraduate courses. -- Natasha Heller Journal of the American Oriental SocietyTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction: The Platform S?tra, Buddhism, and Chinese Religion 2. The Figure of Huineng 3. The History and Practice of Early Chan 4. The Sudden Teaching 5. Transmitting Notions of Transmission 6. Ordination and Precepts in the Platform S?tra 7. The Platform S?tra and Chinese Thought Character Glossary Bibliography Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis impeccably edited volume offers an ideal introduction to the most important of the early Chinese Chan texts and features contributions by leading scholars covering such topics as the biography of Huineng, meditation, sudden enlightenment, transmission, the precepts, and human nature. All of the chapters are extremely useful for understanding the role the Platform Sutra has played in the broader context of Chinese Buddhist religious thought and practice. -- Steven Heine, Florida International University The Platform Sutra is a (if not the) seminal scripture of Chan/Zen/Seon Buddhism. Its influence in East Asia is enormous and its impact extends far beyond China, Japan, and Korea. Readings of the Platform Sutra is a judicious and generous presentation of the best scholarship on this unique and vital text. It is certain to prove a reliable guide for anyone with a serious interest in the history, meaning, and practice of early Zen. -- Victor Mair Reading through these essays, one gains both a sense of how Bodhidharma's lineage took root in East Asia as well as the dynamics at play between the early Chinese Buddhist masters. Buddhadharma [Readings of the Platform Sutra] offers much of value to Buddhist Studies scholars, undergraduate students, and general readers interested in Chan/Zen Buddhism. -- Stuart H. Young Religious Studies Review this volume delivers highly readable essays particularly suited for undergraduate courses. -- Natasha Heller Journal of the American Oriental SocietyTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction: The Platform S?tra, Buddhism, and Chinese Religion 2. The Figure of Huineng 3. The History and Practice of Early Chan 4. The Sudden Teaching 5. Transmitting Notions of Transmission 6. Ordination and Precepts in the Platform S?tra 7. The Platform S?tra and Chinese Thought Character Glossary Bibliography Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisŚāntideva’s eighth-century work the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra) is one of the crucial texts of the Buddhist ethical and philosophical tradition. This book serves as a companion to this Indian Buddhist classic, illuminating the Guide’s many philosophical, literary, ritual, and ethical dimensions.Trade ReviewHighly recommended. * Choice *This is an exceptional collection which not only provides a useful teaching tool for the classroom, but also makes significant conceptual advances to our understanding of the Guide. I warmly recommend it for any serious student of Śāntideva’s thought. -- Stephen Harris * Journal of Buddhist Ethics *[A] rich volume. -- Amy Paris Langenberg * Reading Religion *For more than a thousand years Śāntideva's Guide to Bodhisattva Practice has been a profound source of inspiration for Tibetan Buddhists. It was one of the six basic texts of Atiśa’s Kadam tradition. When teaching it to me, Khunu Lama Rinpoché told me that no other book explains the awakening mind of bodhicitta, the essence of the Buddha’s teachings, as effectively as this. Śāntideva describes how a self-centered attitude gives rise to disturbing emotions like anger and fear, but also how they can be countered by altruism and warm-heartedness. He shows how we can tackle our mental afflictions and achieve peace of mind, something that can be of benefit to everyone. The Guide is a book I read, I teach, and keep with me. The readings presented in this volume make clear how much of Śāntideva's advice can be of interest and benefit to readers today. -- His Holiness the Dalai LamaThis volume offers its readers valuable insights into the multifaceted literary gem that is the Guide by bringing to bear the expertise of some of the most prominent scholars in Buddhist Studies. Overall, the results serve as an excellent introduction to the multidimensional textual history of the Guide, argue convincingly for the continued importance of the text in the world today, and demonstrate the value of higher literary criticism for Buddhist Studies. * Religions of South Asia *This book is an inspirational introduction to be read along with the text itself. * Religious Studies Review *Anyone familiar with Western ethical thinking, but not with the Indian Buddhist tradition or with Śāntideva’s remarkable text, will have much to learn from the connections made in this volume between these distinct ways of thinking about ethics. -- Peter Singer, author of The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living EthicallyŚāntideva's Guide is a poem, a liturgy, a meditation manual, a phenomenology of mind, a moral psychology, an explication of the distinctive Buddhist virtues, and an invitation to the Mahāyāna way of life. Gold and Duckworth’s volume is a set of essays by brilliant contemporary philosophers and religious studies scholars that provides deep and sensitive readings of this great text. Śāntideva comes alive for the twenty-first century in these pages. -- Owen Flanagan, James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy, Duke UniversityŚāntideva's Guide to Bodhisattva Practice has inspired Buddhist scholars and practitioners for more than a millennium. Dozens of commentaries have been written—and continue to be written—on this great work. In the last two decades European and American scholars have seriously engaged Śāntideva's work and its commentaries from many different perspectives, exploring its philological, ethical, metaphysical, and ritual dimensions, and analyzing the role it has played in Buddhist self-cultivation. This marvelous collection of essays, written by the very best Śāntideva scholars in the world, provides readers with a much-needed overview of state-of-the-art scholarship on the Guide. Sophisticated yet concise and accessible, this book is an indispensable resource for those of us who have pondered—or lost ourselves in—Śāntideva's beautiful poem. -- José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor of Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa BarbaraThe essays contain the richness of classical Buddhist writing and showcase the latest trends in Buddhist studies. This is an excellent volume, and a rare one at that. -- Jacob P. Dalton, author of The Gathering of Intentions: A History of a Tibetan TantraTable of ContentsA Note to the ReaderAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Participatory Authorship and Communal Interpretation: The Bodhicaryāvatāra as a “World Classic,” by Jonathan C. Gold1. Śāntideva: The Author and His Project, by Paul Harrison2. Reason and Knowledge on the Path: A Protreptic Reading of the Guide, by Amber Carpenter3. On Learning to Overhear the “Vanishing Poet,” by Sonam Kachru4. An Intoxication of Mouse Venom: Reading the Guide, Chapter 9, by Matthew T. Kapstein5. Seeing from All Sides, by Janet Gyatso6. Bodies and Embodiment in the Bodhicaryāvatāra, by Reiko Ohnuma7. Ritual Structure and Material Culture in the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice, by Eric Huntington8. Bodhicaryāvatāra and Tibetan Mind Training (Lojong), by Thupten Jinpa9. Taming Śāntideva: Tsongkhapa’s Use of the Bodhicaryāvatāra, by Roger Jackson10. The Middle Way of the Bodhisattva, by Douglas S. Duckworth11. Seeing Sentient Beings: Śāntideva’s Moral Phenomenology, by Jay L. Garfield12. Śāntideva’s Ethics of Impartial Compassion, by Charles Goodman13. Śāntideva and the Moral Psychology of Fear, by Bronwyn Finnigan14. Innate Human Connectivity and Śāntideva’s Cultivation of Compassion, by John DunneAppendix 1: A Guide to Guide Translations: Advice for Students and InstructorsAppendix 2: Index of Guide Verses CitedBibliographyContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisŚāntideva’s eighth-century work the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra) is one of the crucial texts of the Buddhist ethical and philosophical tradition. This book serves as a companion to this Indian Buddhist classic, illuminating the Guide’s many philosophical, literary, ritual, and ethical dimensions.Trade ReviewHighly recommended. * Choice *This is an exceptional collection which not only provides a useful teaching tool for the classroom, but also makes significant conceptual advances to our understanding of the Guide. I warmly recommend it for any serious student of Śāntideva’s thought. -- Stephen Harris * Journal of Buddhist Ethics *[A] rich volume. -- Amy Paris Langenberg * Reading Religion *For more than a thousand years Śāntideva's Guide to Bodhisattva Practice has been a profound source of inspiration for Tibetan Buddhists. It was one of the six basic texts of Atiśa’s Kadam tradition. When teaching it to me, Khunu Lama Rinpoché told me that no other book explains the awakening mind of bodhicitta, the essence of the Buddha’s teachings, as effectively as this. Śāntideva describes how a self-centered attitude gives rise to disturbing emotions like anger and fear, but also how they can be countered by altruism and warm-heartedness. He shows how we can tackle our mental afflictions and achieve peace of mind, something that can be of benefit to everyone. The Guide is a book I read, I teach, and keep with me. The readings presented in this volume make clear how much of Śāntideva's advice can be of interest and benefit to readers today. -- His Holiness the Dalai LamaThis volume offers its readers valuable insights into the multifaceted literary gem that is the Guide by bringing to bear the expertise of some of the most prominent scholars in Buddhist Studies. Overall, the results serve as an excellent introduction to the multidimensional textual history of the Guide, argue convincingly for the continued importance of the text in the world today, and demonstrate the value of higher literary criticism for Buddhist Studies. * Religions of South Asia *This book is an inspirational introduction to be read along with the text itself. * Religious Studies Review *Anyone familiar with Western ethical thinking, but not with the Indian Buddhist tradition or with Śāntideva’s remarkable text, will have much to learn from the connections made in this volume between these distinct ways of thinking about ethics. -- Peter Singer, author of The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living EthicallyŚāntideva's Guide is a poem, a liturgy, a meditation manual, a phenomenology of mind, a moral psychology, an explication of the distinctive Buddhist virtues, and an invitation to the Mahāyāna way of life. Gold and Duckworth’s volume is a set of essays by brilliant contemporary philosophers and religious studies scholars that provides deep and sensitive readings of this great text. Śāntideva comes alive for the twenty-first century in these pages. -- Owen Flanagan, James B. Duke Professor of Philosophy, Duke UniversityŚāntideva's Guide to Bodhisattva Practice has inspired Buddhist scholars and practitioners for more than a millennium. Dozens of commentaries have been written—and continue to be written—on this great work. In the last two decades European and American scholars have seriously engaged Śāntideva's work and its commentaries from many different perspectives, exploring its philological, ethical, metaphysical, and ritual dimensions, and analyzing the role it has played in Buddhist self-cultivation. This marvelous collection of essays, written by the very best Śāntideva scholars in the world, provides readers with a much-needed overview of state-of-the-art scholarship on the Guide. Sophisticated yet concise and accessible, this book is an indispensable resource for those of us who have pondered—or lost ourselves in—Śāntideva's beautiful poem. -- José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor of Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa BarbaraThe essays contain the richness of classical Buddhist writing and showcase the latest trends in Buddhist studies. This is an excellent volume, and a rare one at that. -- Jacob P. Dalton, author of The Gathering of Intentions: A History of a Tibetan TantraTable of ContentsA Note to the ReaderAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Participatory Authorship and Communal Interpretation: The Bodhicaryāvatāra as a “World Classic,” by Jonathan C. Gold1. Śāntideva: The Author and His Project, by Paul Harrison2. Reason and Knowledge on the Path: A Protreptic Reading of the Guide, by Amber Carpenter3. On Learning to Overhear the “Vanishing Poet,” by Sonam Kachru4. An Intoxication of Mouse Venom: Reading the Guide, Chapter 9, by Matthew T. Kapstein5. Seeing from All Sides, by Janet Gyatso6. Bodies and Embodiment in the Bodhicaryāvatāra, by Reiko Ohnuma7. Ritual Structure and Material Culture in the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice, by Eric Huntington8. Bodhicaryāvatāra and Tibetan Mind Training (Lojong), by Thupten Jinpa9. Taming Śāntideva: Tsongkhapa’s Use of the Bodhicaryāvatāra, by Roger Jackson10. The Middle Way of the Bodhisattva, by Douglas S. Duckworth11. Seeing Sentient Beings: Śāntideva’s Moral Phenomenology, by Jay L. Garfield12. Śāntideva’s Ethics of Impartial Compassion, by Charles Goodman13. Śāntideva and the Moral Psychology of Fear, by Bronwyn Finnigan14. Innate Human Connectivity and Śāntideva’s Cultivation of Compassion, by John DunneAppendix 1: A Guide to Guide Translations: Advice for Students and InstructorsAppendix 2: Index of Guide Verses CitedBibliographyContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Lopez Jr. and Stone’s detailed analysis makes for a welcome, admirable addition to the large repertoire of more general Lotus Sutra studies." * Publishers Weekly *"The Lotus Sūtra . . . is given a near perfect summary when the authors write that it is a 'sūtra that never ends, an assembly that never disperses, and a mission that is ongoing'."---Nilanjan Bhowmick, Los Angeles Review of Books"While scholarly in nature, this work’s engaging, thoughtful manner serves its subject well. Essential for readers with academic-level interest in Buddhist studies." * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Zimmer moves among [the myths of India] unhurriedly, with a respect that amounts to devotion. Gradually his comments bring to light the universal meanings beneath the archaic exterior."--New York TimesTable of ContentsList of Plates ix I Eternity and time 1 The Parade of Ants 3 2 The Wheel of Rebirth 11 3 The Wisdom of Life 19 II The Mythology of Vishnu 1 Vishnu Maya 23 2 The Waters of Existence 27 3 The Waters of Non-Existance 35 4 Maya in Indian Art 53 III The Guardians of Life 1 The Serpent, Supporter of Vishnu and the Buddha 59 2 Divinities and their Vehicles 69 3 The Serpent and the Bird 72 4 Vishnu as Conqueror of the Serpent 77 5 The Lotus 90 6 The Elephant 102 7 The Sacred Rivers 109 IV The Cosmic Delight of Shiva 1 The "Fundamental Form" and the "Playful Manifestations" 123 2 The Phenomenon of Expanding Form 130 3 Shiva-Shakti 137 4 The Great Lord 148 5 The Dance of Shiva 151 6 The Face of Glory 175 7 The Destroyer of the Three Towns 185 V The Goddess 1 The Origin of The Goddess 189 2. The Island of Jewels 197 VI Conclusion 217 Index 223 Plates 249

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Lopez Jr. and Stone’s detailed analysis makes for a welcome, admirable addition to the large repertoire of more general Lotus Sutra studies." * Publishers Weekly *"The Lotus Sūtra . . . is given a near perfect summary when the authors write that it is a 'sūtra that never ends, an assembly that never disperses, and a mission that is ongoing'."---Nilanjan Bhowmick, Los Angeles Review of Books"While scholarly in nature, this work’s engaging, thoughtful manner serves its subject well. Essential for readers with academic-level interest in Buddhist studies." * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisOffers a methodical examination of Indian teaching about the tathgatagarbha (otherwise the presence of one's ""Buddha-nature"") and the extent to which different Buddhist texts and authors articulated this in terms of the self.

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Book SynopsisCompiled by Vinaya Master Shi Sengyou, these writings (by laypeople as well as scholar-monastics) were intended to protect the Buddha Dharma from criticisms by Confucians and Daoists and the political powers of the time. As noted in the Translator's Introduction, Sengyou believed that ""The Way is propagated by people, and the teaching is clarified by literature.”The work is widely known as an invaluable source to examine the early development of Chinese Buddhism and how this foreign religion was accepted and adopted in Chinese society. A notable aspect of this work is that Buddhist tenets are explained using Confucian and Daoist terminology. While the Collection is a Buddhist work from chiefly the fourth and fifth centuries, it also serves well as a primary source for studies of contemporary Daoism.Volume 2 completes the translation with fascicles 8-14 of the source text; Volume I (available separately) comprises fascicles 1-7.

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Book SynopsisWritten more than 25 centuries ago, the Diamond Sutra is the first text to record the Buddha's own teachings, and it remains one of the most popular.One day, after the Buddha finishes his daily walk to collect alms, a senior monk steps forth to ask how he can best help humanity. Buddha responds, and thus begins a dialogue regarding the nature of perception. Renowned spiritual teacher Osho offers his unique interpretation of the Buddha's words, writing in an easy, humorous, and conversational style that makes even the most complex ideas understandable.

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Book SynopsisDeclarations of the Perfected is the first complete, annotated translation of Zhen'gao, Tao Hongjing's (456-536) masterful compilation of the Shangqing or Higher Clarity revelations, setting the stage for the heyday of medieval Daoism. The present volume presents the Declarations' second part (fasc. 5-8), which focuses on the various difficulties that Daoist practitioners are likely to encounter in a dangerous world, and how to overcome them. It begins with instructions of a more general nature, before moving on to problems faced specifically by Xu Mi (303-376) and his family and fellow officials. This volume also sheds much light on the history of its time-the kinds of moral and philosophical issues that were being debated, as well political intrigues in the Eastern Jin court.Trade ReviewThe Zhen’gao or Declarations of the Perfected offers the unique opportunity to look over the shoulders of the "founder" of a new religious tradition. The text collects notes taken by the medium Yang Xi and his adherents, dealing with questions addressed to the immortals and their answers and admonitions. Chapters 5-8, which are translated in this volume, contain information on the otherworldly destiny of deceased members of the Xu family as well as of their acquaintances and their sepulchral plaints. They present a firsthand insight into the religious ideas and concepts that became the fashion of a southern Chinese elite from the third through the sixth centuries CE. Both the author’s translation and copious comments together with helpful contextualizations are praiseworthy. Not only Daoist specialists but anybody having an interest in comparative religion and Chinese history is well advised to peruse this work.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, a Burmese manuscript from the mid-nineteenth century is the catalyst for a study of the multifaceted Buddhist cosmos. The manuscript not only lays out the complex array of realms in the Buddhist universe but also ventures into a number of esoteric and little-understood aspects of the Theravāda cosmological system and its inhabitants. By presenting translations and narration of much of the manuscript’s text and sharing his careful analysis of its vivid illustrations, the author uncovers fascinating details of the Theravāda Buddhist cosmos. Detailed color and black-and-white illustrations, including a complete reduced-scale reproduction of the manuscript, help clarify and explain the complex, segmented Buddhist cosmology.

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Book SynopsisThe Texts from the Buddhist Canon is the English translation of the Chinese version of Dhammapada, Fa Ju Jing.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA new translation of the primary Indian Buddhist text on buddha nature, with Tibetan commentaries explaining how this text can be used to contemplate and realize one''s own buddha nature.      "Buddha nature" (tathāgatagarbha) is the innate potential in all living beings to become a fully awakened buddha. This book discusses a wide range of topics connected with the notion of buddha nature as presented in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and includes an overview of the sūtra sources of the tathāgatagarbha teachings and the different ways of explaining the meaning of this term. It includes new translations of the Maitreya treatise Mahāyānottaratantra (Ratnagotravibhāga), the primary Indian text on the subject, its Indian commentaries, and two (hitherto untranslated) commentaries from the Tibetan Kagyü tradition. Most important, the translator’s introduction investigates in detail the meditative tradition of using the Mahāyānottaratantra as a basis for Mahāmudrā instructions and the Shentong approach. This is supplemented by translations of a number of short Tibetan meditation manuals from the Kadampa, Kagyü, and Jonang schools that use the Mahāyānottaratantra as a work to contemplate and realize one’s own buddha nature.

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Book SynopsisThe Dalai Lama explains how to follow the spiritual path of the bodhisattva, offering his commentary on Shantideva''s beloved Buddhist textThe fourteenth Dalai Lama, a living embodiment of the bodhisattva ideal, presents here detailed practical guidance based on sections of The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva, the best-known text of Mahayana Buddhism. The Dalai Lama explains this classic and beloved work, showing how anyone can develop a truly "good heart" and the aspiration for the enlightenment of all beings. In this book, the Dalai Lama''s profound knowledge is evident—the result of extensive training. Here he shares his extraordinary insight into the human condition and what it means to be a responsible and caring person. This book was previously published under the title A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night.

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Book SynopsisDudjom Rinpoche was one of the seminal figures in Tibetan Buddhism in the twentieth century, yet very few of his religious writings have been translated into English. This volume contains a generous selection of his inspiring teachings and writings, the core of which is a lengthy discussion of the entire path of Dzogchen, including key instructions on view, meditation, and conduct, along with direct advice on how to bring one''s experiences onto the path. Also included in this book in their entirety are the oral instructions, tantric songs, and songs of realization from His Holiness''s Collected Works, along with a generous selection of the aspiration and supplication prayers.

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Book SynopsisIn December, 2009, at the well-known Buddhist pilgrimage location of Bodh Gaya, India, Shamar Rinpoche gave a teaching on the Noble King of Prayers of Excellent Conduct, also known as the Samantabhadra Wishing Prayer. This book is based on this teaching. In the past, Buddha Shakyamuni gave the teaching of the Samantabhadra Wishing Prayer to urge practitioners to treat the great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra as a role model to emulate so that all their wishes may be accomplished. The Tibetan text, as well as an English-language version of the prayer itself, translated by Pamela Gayle White under the guidance of Shamar Rinpoche, is included in the book. As the author states, “Once we accept that ‘our world’ is merely a mental experience, notions of big and small do not apply anymore, and our mind can hold any number of these manifestations. It is this capacity of our mind to extend itself beyond any limit that we have to use for our practice.”

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