Buddhism Books

Book SynopsisTRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact Birgit Sievert.

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Book SynopsisIn premodern Japan, legitimization of power and knowledge in various contexts was sanctioned by consecration rituals (kanjō) of Buddhist origin. This is the first book to address in a comprehensive way the multiple forms and aspects of these rituals also in relation to other Asian contexts. The multidisciplinary chapters in the book address the origins of these rituals in ancient Persia and India and their developments in China and Tibet, before discussing in depth their transformations in medieval Japan. In particular, kanjō rituals are examined from various perspectives: imperial ceremonies, Buddhist monastic rituals, vernacular religious forms (Shugendō mountain cults, Shinto lineages), rituals of bodily transformation involving sexual practice, and the performing arts: a history of these developments, descriptions of actual rituals, and reference to religious and intellectual arguments based on under-examined primary sources. No other book presents so many cases of kanjō in such depth and breadth. This book is relevant to readers interested in Buddhist studies, Japanese religions, the history of Japanese culture, and in the intersections between religious doctrines, rituals, legitimization, and performance.

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Book SynopsisThe interdisciplinary volume Transfer of Buddhism across Central Asian Networks (7th to 13th Centuries), edited by Carmen Meinert, offers a new transregional and transcultural vision for religious transfer processes in Central Asian history. It looks at the region as an integrated (religious) whole rather than from the perspective of fragmented sub-disciplines and analyses the spread of Buddhism as a driving force in a societal and cultural change of pan-Asian importance. One particular dimension of this ‘Buddhist globalisation’ was the rise of local forms of Buddhism. This volume explores Buddhist localisations through manuscripts and material culture in the multiethnic oases of the Tarim basin, the Transhimalyan region of Zangskar, Ladakh and Kashmir and the Western Tibetan Kingdom of Purang-Guge.Table of ContentsContents: Acknowledgements General Abbreviations Bibliographical Abbreviations Illustrations Notes on contributors - Introduction: Dynamics of Buddhist Transfer in Central Asia CARMEN MEINERT - Changing political and Religious Contexts in Central Asia on a Micoro-Historical Level Chapter 1: Changing Relations between Administration, Clergy and Lay People in Eastern Central Asia: A Case Study According to the Dunhuang Manuscripts Referring to the Transition from Tibetan to Local Rule in Dunhuang, 8th–11th Centuries GERTRAUD TAENZER - Textual Transfer Chapter 2: Tibetan Buddhism in Central Asia: Geopolitics and Group Dynamics SAM VAN SCHAIK Chapter 3: The Transmission of Sanskrit Manuscripts from India to Tibet: The Case of a Manuscript Collection in the Possession of Atiśa Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna (980–1054) KAZUO KANO - Visual Transfer Chapter 4: The Tibetan Himalayan Style: Considering the Central Asian Connection LINDA LOJDA/DEBORAH KLIMBURG-SALTER/ MONICA STRINU Chapter 5: Origins of the Kashmiri Style in the Western Himalayas: Sculpture of the 7th–11th Centuries ROB LINROTHE - Transfer Agents Chapter 6: Buddhism in the West Uyghur Kingdom and Beyond JENS WILKENS Chapter 7: Esoteric Buddhism at the Crossroads: Religious Dynamics at Dunhuang, 9th–10th Centuries HENRIK H. SØRENSEN - Bibliography - Index

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Book SynopsisEncounters, networks, identities and diversity are at the core of the history of Buddhism. They are also the focus of Buddhist Encounters and Identities across East Asia, edited by Ann Heirman, Carmen Meinert and Christoph Anderl. While long-distance networks allowed Buddhist ideas to travel to all parts of East Asia, it was through local and trans-local networks and encounters, and a diversity of people and societies, that identities were made and negotiated. This book undertakes a detailed examination of discrete Buddhist identities rooted in unique cultural practices, beliefs and indigenous socio-political conditions. Moreover, it presents a fascinating picture of the intricacies of the regional and cross-regional networks that connected South and East Asia.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Illustrations VIII List of Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Introduction: Networks and Identities in the Buddhist World  Tansen Sen Part 1: Translocal Networks 1 Bagan Murals and the Sino-Tibetan World  Claudine Bautze-Picron 2 Noise along the Network: A Set of Chinese Ming Embroidered Thangkas in the Indian Himalayas  Rob Linrothe 3 Nation Founder and Universal Saviour: Guanyin and Buddhist Networks in the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms  Megan Bryson 4 A Study on the Combination of the Deities Fudō and Aizen in Medieval Shingon Esoteric Buddhism  Steven Trenson 5 The Transmission of the Buddhadharma from India to China: An Examination of Kumārajīva’s Transliteration of the Dhāraṇīs of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra  Bryan Levman 6 The Journey of Zhao Xian and the Exile of Royal Descendants in the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)  Kaiqi Hua Part 2: Negotiating and Constructing Identities 7 Wailing for Identity: Topical and Poetic Expressions of Cultural Belonging in Chinese Buddhist Literature  Max Deeg 8 How the Dharma Ended up in the “Eastern Country”: Korean Monks in the Chinese Buddhist Imaginaire during the Tang and Early Song  Sem Vermeersch 9 Buddhist Pilgrimage and Spiritual Identity: Korean Sŏn Monks Journeying to Tang China in Search of the Dharma  Henrik H. Sørensen 10 The Rebirth Legend of Prince Shōtoku: Buddhist Networks in Ninth Century China and Japan  Pei-Ying Lin 11 Because They Entrusted to Them a Part of Their Buddhist Selves—Imagined Communities, Layered Identities, and Networking  Bart Dessein 12 Bodily Care Identity in Buddhist Monastic Life of Ancient India and China: An Advancing Purity Threshold  Ann Heirman Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe ERC-funded research project BuddhistRoad aims to create a new framework to enable understanding of the complexities in the dynamics of cultural encounter and religious transfer in pre-modern Eastern Central Asia. Buddhism was one major factor in this exchange: for the first time the multi-layered relationships between the trans-regional Buddhist traditions (Chinese, Indian, Tibetan) and those based on local Buddhist cultures (Khotanese, Uyghur, Tangut, Khitan) will be explored in a systematic way. The first volume Buddhism in Central Asia (Part I): Patronage, Legitimation, Sacred Space, and Pilgrimage is based on the start-up conference held on May 23rd–25th, 2018, at CERES, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany) and focuses on the first two of altogether six thematic topics to be dealt with in the project, namely on “patronage and legitimation strategy” as well as “sacred space and pilgrimage.”Table of ContentsContents Foreword Acknowledgments Illustrations and Tables Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Introduction—Piety, Power, and Place in Central and East Asian Buddhism  Carmen Meinert and Henrik H. Sørensen  Part 1: Patronage and Legitimation  1 Who Is Legitimating Whom? On Justifying Buddhism’s Place in the Body Politic  Sem Vermeersch  2 Images of Patronage in Khotan  Erika Forte  3 Uyghur Royal Patronage and the Buddhist Legitimation  Yukiyo Kasai  4 Donors and Esoteric Buddhism in Dunhuang during the Reign of the Guiyijun  Henrik H. Sørensen  5 The Formation of Tangut Ideology: Buddhism and Confucianism  Kirill Solonin Part 2: Sacred Space and Pilgrimage  6 From Padmasambhava to Gö Tsangpa: Rethinking Religious Patronage in the Indian Himalayas between the 8th and 13th Centuries  Verena Widorn  7 Sacred Space in Uyghur Buddhism  Jens Wilkens  8 Pilgrims in Old Uyghur Inscriptions: A Glimpse behind Their Records  Simone-Christiane Raschmann  9 Looking from the Periphery: Some Additional Thoughts on Yulin Cave  Max Deeg  10 Creation of Tantric Sacred Spaces in Eastern Central Asia  Carmen Meinert Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Can enlightenment be found at the office? From the co-author of Buddha''s Diet comes another book that shows how the wisdom of Buddha can apply to our modern lives -- this time exploring how Buddha''s guidance can help us navigate the perils of work life. Without setting foot in an office, Buddha knew that helping people work right was essential to helping them find their path to awakening. Now more than ever, we need Buddha''s guidance. Too many of us are working long hours, dealing with difficult bosses, high-maintenance coworkers, and non-stop stress. We need someone to help remind us that there is a better way. With Buddha''s wisdom at the core of every chapter, Buddha''s Office will help you learn how to stop taking shortcuts and pay more attention, care for yourself and others, deal with distractions, and incorporate Buddha''s ageless instructions into our modern working life.It''s time to wake up and start working in a more enlightened way. One that is right for you, right for our health, right for your sanity, and right for the world.

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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 SynopsisThis book revisits the early systemic formation of meditation practices called yoga' in South Asia by employing metaphor theory. Karen O'Brien-Kop also develops an alternative way of analysing the reception history of yoga that aims to decentre the Eurocentric and imperialist enterprises of the nineteenth-century to reframe the cultural period of the 1st 5th centuries CE using categorical markers from South Asian intellectual history. Buddhist traditions were just as concerned as Hindu traditions with meditative disciplines of yoga. By exploring the intertextuality of the Patanjalayogasastra with texts such as Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosabhasya and Asanga's Yogacarabhumisastra, this book highlights and clarifies many ideologically Buddhist concepts and practices in Patanjala yoga. Karen O'Brien-Kop demonstrates that classical yoga' was co-constructed systemically by both Hindu and Buddhist thinkers who were drawing on the same conceptual metaphors of the period. This analysis demystifiTrade ReviewRethinking ‘Classical Yoga’ and Buddhism offers a new and valuable discussion of the early history of yoga. It brings a careful assessment of metaphor theory into the discussion of early Indian soteriology, and explores the intertwined nature of Indian religious practices that we too easily divide off as “Hindu” and “Buddhist”. A wonderful contribution to our understanding of Indian religion, literature and history. * Naomi Appleton, Director of Undergraduate Studies and Senior Lecturer in Asian Religions, University of Edinburgh, UK *This book is ground-breaking, not only in its recognition and analysis of the Buddhist backdrop to Patanjali’s Yoga tradition, but also in the application of cognitive metaphor theory to the study of Indian philosophical texts. In overcoming reified and anachronistic notions of “Hindu” and “Buddhist” in the study of contemplative traditions of ancient India, this work is to be highly recommended to anyone wishing to understand the broader intellectual and yogic context out of which Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras emerged. * Richard King, Professor Emeritus of Buddhist and Asian Studies, University of Kent, UK *The author blends a keen historical sensitivity with intertextual analysis and the conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) of Lakoff and Johnson. ... The book makes important contributions to our understanding of the shared religiocultural environment that nourished the early discourse of yoga and the “conceptual sharing” between groups whose intellectual identity did not easily map onto any facile religious identity. * The Journal of Religion *Table of ContentsList of Tables Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Classical Yoga and Buddhism: Debates, Dialogue and Intertextuality 1. Moksa, Metaphors, and Materiality: Concepts and Contexts of 'Liberation' 2. Seeds of Bondage and Freedom: Eliminating the Afflictions (Klesas) in the Patanjalayogasastra and the Abhidharmakosabhaya 3. The 'Other' Yoga sastra: The Yogacarabhumisastra 4: Patanjala Yoga and Yogacara: the Cultivation of the Counterstate 5. Who Put the Classical in Classical Yoga? The Inadequacy of an Analytic Category 6: Conclusion: Rethinking Classical Yoga: A Categorical Paradigm Shift? Appendices Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRamin Jahanbegloo develops the concept of compassion as a practical and ethical response to the problems of today's world. Examining the power of compassion through the lens of multiple world religions, he explores ahimsa in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism and neighbourly love in Christianity, before synthesizing the two concepts in the Gandhian theory of non-violence and its impact on Muslim and Christian thinkers such as Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Martin Luther King, Jr. Jahanbegloo considers the idea of a compassionate civilization based on the nonviolent democratic theory put forward by Gandhi with Swaraj, and completed by Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Beloved Community.By scrutinizing compassion in various religious and ethical traditions and exploring the relevance of homo fragilis, Jahanbegloo's comparative approach enriches our understanding of nonviolence as a universal philosophy and practice for the 21st century. He shows that nonviolence is not onlTrade ReviewRamin Jahanbegloo has written with heart a beautiful understanding of the ethical knowledge that makes us human and at the same time divine. If you want a richer journey in wisdom, you must read this book, a work offering the foundations of a human being, Homo Fragilis, in search of understanding and love for others. * Mario I. Aguilar, Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics, University of St. Andrews, UK *Comparative Approaches to Compassion expands our understanding of non-violence by analyzing the thoughts of some contemporary leaders in addition to perspectives from the past. These additions incorporate the love inherent to that which is humane, the Otherness of the Other, and above all, compassion. These historical contexts further enrich the concept. * Romila Thapar, Professor Emerita of History, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India *In his perceptive and nuanced study Jahanbegloo shows convincingly how concepts initially rooted in various religious traditions can be applied in addressing contemporary problems challenging modern societies. His comprehensive account will be extremely helpful to many seeking guidance in our perplexing times. * Shlomo Avineri, Professor of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Human Fragility and Compassion 1. Ahimsa: A Compassionate View of Life 2. Love and Compassion: from Jesus Christ to Thomas Merton 3. Mahatma Gandhi: Compassionate Citizenship and Feminization of Politics 4. The Twin Heritage of Gandhian Nonviolence: Martin Luther King, Jr. & Abdul Ghaffar Khan 5. Towards a Compassionate Civilization: From Swaraj to the Beloved Community 6. Nelson Mandela: Strategic Compassion and Ethics of Empathy Conclusion: Spiritualizing Compassion and Nonviolence Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNautilus Book Award Gold Recipient.Leading African American Buddhist teachers offer lessons on racism, resilience, spiritual freedom, and the possibility of a truly representative American Buddhism. With contributions by Acharya Gaylon Ferguson, Cheryl A. Giles, Gyozan Royce Andrew Johnson, Ruth King, Kamilah Majied, Lama Rod Owens, Lama Dawa Tarchin Phillips, Sebene Selassie, and Pamela Ayo Yetunde. What does it mean to be Black and Buddhist? In this powerful collection of writings, African American teachers from all the major Buddhist traditions tell their stories of how race and Buddhist practice have intersected in their lives. The resulting explorations display not only the promise of Buddhist teachings to empower those facing racial discrimination but also the way that Black Buddhist voices are enriching the Dharma for all practitioners. As the first anthology comprised solely of writings by African-descended Buddhist practitioners, this book is an important contribution to the development of the Dharma in the West.

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Book SynopsisCentral to Buddhism is knowing our own minds. Until we do, we are driven by unconscious, often destructive desire and aversion.The Fourteenth Dalai Lama?s Stages of the Path: An Annotated Commentary on the Fifth Dalai Lama''s Oral Transmission of Mañjusri is the second volume of the Dalai Lama?s outline of Buddhist theory and practice. Having introduced Buddhist ideas in the context of modern society in volume one, the Dalai Lama turns here to a traditional presentation of the complete path to enlightenment, from developing faith in the Dharma to attaining the highest wisdom. This book, compiled by the revered Tibetan lama Dagyab Rinpoché, comments on the Fifth Dalai Lama?s stages of the path titled Oral Transmission of Mañjusri. The volume will appeal to all readers interested in the Dalai Lama?s works, both those new to Buddhism and those looking to deepen their understanding of the Tibetan presentation of the Buddhist path.

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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 SynopsisThe beloved Buddhist meditation teacher andNew York Times?bestselling author ofReal Happinessoffers encouragement and inspiration for anyone on the spiritual pathBuddhist teachings have the power to transform our lives for the better, says Sharon Salzberg, and all we need to bring about this transformation can be found in the ordinary events of our everyday experiences.InA Heart as Wide as the World, Salzberg distills more than twenty-five years of teaching and practicing meditation into a series of short essays, rich with anecdotes and personal revelations, that offer genuine aid and comfort for anyone on the spiritual path. Many chance moments, both small and profound, serve as the basis for Salzberg''s teachings: hearing a market stall hawker calling, ?I have what you need!?; noting hotel guests? reactions to a midnight fire alarm; watching her teacher, Dipa Ma, bless a belligerent dog; seeing the Dalai Lama laughing uproariously at his own mistake. Each passing moment, Salzberg shows, can help us down the path toward ?a seamlessness of connection and an unbounded heart.?

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Book SynopsisSangharakshita (1925-2018) was a Buddhist writer and teacher, founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community (previously FWBO). Apart from his practical achievements, Sangharakshita was an original thinker on the adaptation of Buddhism to modern conditions, an autodidact whose intellectual creativity was stimulated by both cross-cultural experience and practical contingency. His thinking is little known or appreciated outside the movement he founded, but over-dominant within it. This means that there is a shortage of balanced critical discussion of his work that finds any middle way between hagiography and dismissal. Sangharakshita has also been an object of controversy in recent years, but his more controversial views and actions need to be seen in proportion to the whole of his thinking. This book surveys Sangharakshita's most important and original ideas with an eye that combines appreciation and critical awareness in equal measure. It celebrates Sangharakshita's pioneering syntheses of Buddhist and Western ideas, but warns against the inconsistencies and dogmas that are also found in Sangharakshita's work - dogmas whose negative practical effects can also be traced.Trade Review"Very stimulating and thought provoking. There hasn't been anything like it so far, and I think it will contribute to the process of clarifying and re-evaluating some of Sangharakshita's ideas and teachings. In my view, that process is necessary and could be very helpful to practitioners in Triratna." Vajrapushpa (Ulla Brown), member of the Triratna Buddhist Order "A significant and very useful book, something that will be in the background for years to come in the interesting new era of post-Sangharakshita studies." Kamalashila (Anthony Matthews), author of Meditation: The Buddhist Way of Tranquility and Insight "A very valuable contribution to the discussion of Sangharakshita's ideas. This book should be interesting to those who study new religious movements as well as the introduction of Buddhism to the West." Michael Chaskalson, Founder and CEO of Mindfulness Works and author of The Mindful Workplace and Mindfulness in Eight Weeks

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Book SynopsisJung's Red Book, finally published only in 2009, is a highly ambiguous text describing a succession of extraordinary visions, together with Jung's interpretation of them. Red Book, Middle Way offers a new interpretation of Jung's Red Book, in terms of the Middle Way, as a universal principle and embodied ethic, paralleled both in the Buddha's teachings and elsewhere. Jung explicitly discusses the Middle Way in the Red Book (although this has been largely ignored by scholars so far) as well as offering lots of material that can be understood in its terms. This book interprets the Red Book in relation to the archetypes met in its visions - the hero, the feminine, the Shadow, God and Christ, and follows Jung's process of integrating these different internal figures. To do this Jung needs to find the Middle Way between absolutes at every point, in a way similar to the Buddha.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Middle Way in the Red Book and the Buddha's Quest 2. God as Integrative Archetype 3. The Wise: Elijah and Philemon 4. Christ as the Middle Way 5. The Tree of Life and the Mandala 6. Integrating the Shadow 7. The Soul and the Anima 8. Death of the Hero 9. Embodied Meaning and the Scholars 10. Complaints of the Dead 11. Gnostic versus Agnostic 12. Towards a Jungian Integrative Ethic Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis volume is a tribute to the work of Michael Jerryson, one of the initiators of the academic discourse on Buddhism and violence whose intellectual pursuits have resulted in a trailblazing shift in the academic study of Buddhism. Preconceived in the modern west as a pacific, chiefly meditative practice aiming for personal salvation and world peace, Buddhism has been exposed in the last few decades for its manifold legacy of violence. This is apparent not only in Buddhist groups' history of support for actual military aims, but in Buddhism's association with religious nationalism and in its more subtle expressions of discursive and structural violence. This exposure is due in significant part to Michael Jerryson who, in addition to exploring this perhaps surprising Buddhist history, has investigated the dynamism of Buddhist authority. Most recently in his critique of U Wirathu, the Burmese Buddhist monk whose advocacy of Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar has stirred a boiling pot of anti-Muslim resentments, Michael Jerryson has shown that reverence for Burmese religious authorities transcends respect for traditional Buddhist doctrine and monastic accomplishments. It emanates instead from the phenomenon of religious authority itself and from the cultural institutions which support it. His examinations have resulted in heightened sensitivity to the sociology of religious authority and violence. The scholarly contributions in this volume include discussions of Buddhism and violence, religious authority and nationalism, whether Buddhist, Christian, white, or other.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Legacy of Michael Jerryson Margo Kitts and Mark Juergensmeyer Section I: Buddhism and Violence 1. Introduction Stephen Jenkins, Humboldt State University 2. Dharma and Its Discontents John M. Thompson, Christopher Newport University 3. Buddhists and International Law Ben Schonthal, University of Otago 4. Exorcising the Body Politic: The Question of Conversion at the Tibet-Mongol Interface Matthew King, University of California, Riverside 5. De-Centering the Normative in the Introduction to Buddhism Class Nathan McGovern, Franklin Marshall College 6. But is it Buddhist? Blaze Marpet, Northwestern University 7. Humanizing the Rohingya Beyond Victimization Grisel d’Elena, Florida International University Section 2: Religious Authority 8. Introduction: Religious Authority Matthew Walton, University of Toronto 9. Contested Authority: Evangelism as a Cultural System Julie Ingersoll, University of North Florida 10. Jerryson’s “Exposure of Buddhism” and the Legacy of Violence in US War Culture Kelly Denton-Borhaug, Moravian College 11. Making Authority from Apocalypse: Three Cases from Classical Islam Jamel Velji, Claremont McKenna College 12. Affect in the Archives: Violence in Late Ancient Apocalyptic Texts Abby Kulisz, Indiana University 13. Religion, Authority Grammar: The Scholarly Legacy of Secular Concepts Andrew Atwell, University of Chicago

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Book SynopsisTeaching Awareness in the Buddhist Tradition provides important contributions to understanding the teaching of mindfulness or awareness (Pāli sati, Sanskrit smṛti) in Buddhism and related traditions, examined in original ways through a collection of articles that approach this theme from different perspectives including philosophical, philological, exegetic, and anthropological. This volume is dedicated to Professor Corrado Pensa, a well-known Buddhist scholar and practitioner who has played an important role in spreading Buddhist practice through Italy and internationally. The majority of this book is based on the scholarly output of Professor Pensa’s former students, who engage in research on various topics concerning Buddhist awareness and other related topics. 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, mindfulness of breathing, and awareness as wisdom. This volume integrates the theory and practice of the Buddhist tradition, and will be a valuable resource to both academics and practitioners of Buddhism.Table of ContentsForeword Joseph Goldstein, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies Preface: Tracing the Path of the Dharma Chiara Neri and Francesco Sferra Bibliography of Corrado Pensa Chiara Neri and Francesco Sferra I. WORDS ON THE DHARMA 1. The Meditative Cultivation of Joy Bhikkhu Anālayo, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies 2. The Concept of Pariyogāhaṇa in the Epistemology of the Paṭisambhidāmagga: An Immersion in Knowledge and Liberation Giuliano Giustarini, Mahidol University 3. Buddhist Awareness as a Means to Unveil the Past and Emancipate the Future: The Buddhist Awareness Camps Project in Post-1990 Nepal Chiara Letizia, Université du Québec à Montréal 4. An Unshakeable Awareness. Siddhas and Jīvanmukti According to the Mokṣopāya Bruno Lo Turco, La Sapienza University of Roma 5. Framing the Other: Mindfulness, Photography, and Comparative Religions Filippo Marsili, Saint Louis University 6. The Teaching of Awareness in Corrado Pensa’s Thought Chiara Neri 7. A Joyful Song Celebrating Buddhist Practice Marta Sernesi, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris 8. Evil According to Buddhism Francesco Sferra II. THE DHARMA IN WORDS 9. The Loveliness of the Ordinary Christina Feldman, Meditation Teacher 10. Ānāpānasati: A Brief Introduction Larry Rosenberg, Meditation Teacher 11. Living in Mindfulness and Wisdom Andrea Schnöller, Meditation Teacher

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Book SynopsisSasson's new book is a retelling of the story of the women's request for ordination. Inspired in particular by the Therigatha and building on years of research and experience in the field, Sasson follows Vimala, Patachara, Bhadda Kundalakesa, and many others as they walk through the forest to request full access to the tradition. The Buddha's response to this request is famously complicated and multi-faceted; he eventually accepts women into the Order, but attaches specific and controversial conditions (garudhammas). Sasson invites us to think about who these first Buddhist women might have been, what they hoped to achieve, and what these conditions might have meant to them thereafter. By shaping her research into a story, Sasson invites readers to imagine a world that continues to inspire and complicate Buddhist narrative to this day.Table of ContentsIntroduction Many Years Later: Vimala Remembers Chapter 1: The Buddha Said No Chapter 2: Vimala’s Story Begins Chapter 3: The Leap Chapter 4: The Gathering Chapter 5: The Past Comes Charging In Many Years Later: Vimala and Darshani Chapter 6: The Walking Begins Chapter 7: Patachara Chapter 8: Beads and Mirrors Chapter 9: The Long Road Chapter 10: Flying Horses Chapter 11: The Flying Sage Chapter 12: River Mud Chapter 13: Vesali Chapter 14: Hollowed-Out Mess Chapter 15: The Great Woman Tree Chapter 16: Bhadda Kundalakesa Chapter 17: Muttering and Mad Chapter 18: Motherhood Lost and Found Chapter 19: Ananda Chapter 20: The Eight Heavies Many Years Later: The Great Immensity Study Questions

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Book SynopsisWhat is an unofficial Buddhist? Someone whose monastery is their living room! This book explores Buddhist-inspired teaching and practice for today''s secular world - but outside the monastic traditions of Buddhism. The Unofficial Buddhist seeks to find a middle way between ancient and modern worldviews, religious and secular approaches, and Asian and western cultural attitudes. Drawing on traditional Theravada and modern Zen sources, it suggests practical ways of engaging with the Buddha''s ancient path of morality and meditation, leading towards the wisdom of awakening. Western Buddhists often practise with friends or alone. Perhaps they have no local Buddhist centre, or haven''t found those nearby appealing - or they''re wary of organized religion in general. These ''unofficial Buddhists'' have been called Buddhism''s ''new pioneers'', exploring the inner territory of how to practise the Buddha''s teaching in the modern world. In both Europe and North America, they''re probably more numerous than any of the traditional groups. So if you have been practising Buddhism without finding a local centre where you feel comfortable - or if you are outside Buddhism, but looking in with interest - you are probably an unofficial Buddhist yourself. If so, this book is for you.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding who you are can be a lonely and difficult process following the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Asperger's Syndrome and Mindfulness illuminates this experience as an empowering path of discovery through the teachings of Buddhism. Chris Mitchell draws parallels between the experience of his own journey towards personhood through AS and the spiritual tenants of Theravada Buddhism, as outlined through the Eightfold Path, a guideline to personal development. Worry and anxiety, confusing desires or negative thoughts are among the everyday hindrances a person with AS faces. This book takes the reader through the key beliefs of Theravada Buddhism, such as Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths, showing how practices such as Insight Meditation can lead to a positive resolution of these feelings. Talking openly about his own personal experiences, Chris Mitchell provides helpful tips and suggestions for improving confidence and self-esteem towards an overall better sense of self that will be of interest to anyone diagnosed with AS or their family and friends.Table of ContentsContents: Note on Terminology and Pronunciation. Dedications.1. Introduction – The Path of Asperger's Syndrome. 2. Asperger's Syndrome and the Five Hindrances. 3. Starting with Who You Are – How the Easiest Person to Like Can Be You. 4. Seeing the Truth – How to Control Mind Proliferation and Others as They Really Are. 5. Gaining Insight from Those Around Me – How Insight Can Strengthen One's Awareness. 6. Worrying in an Anxiety-Driven World – How to Curb Tendency to Worry through Curtailing Stress and Anxiety. 7. Curtailing Feelings of Anger and Frustration – How to Control and Respond to Anger Effectively. 8. Discipline and Routine – How to Maintain Discipline within Routine, Including Managing Changes. 9. Developing Tolerance – How to Develop Acceptance of and Openness towards Others without Resorting to Naivety. 10. Measuring Success and Goal-Setting – How to Measure Success Realistically and Achieve without Distancing Ourselves from Truth. 11. Facing and Coping with Suffering – How to Manage Feelings of Suffering (Dukkha) through Reflection. 12. Finding Balance in Mindfulness and Concentration – How to Take Responsibility of One's Own World and Recognise the World Others Live Within. 13. Overcoming the Hindrances – How a Person with Asperger's Syndrome Can Overcome Difficulties Associated with the Five Hindrances through Recognition of the Five Spiritual Faculties. 14. Epilogue – University Reunion.

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Book SynopsisEarly issues of The Eastern Buddhist contain short translations from various Buddhist texts, some of them quite important and all of considerable interest. Since they are set unobtrusively between modern statements and arguments about the nature of Buddhism, and in any case are difficult to locate, they have often gone unnoticed by students. Assembled here is a selection of those texts which have stood the test of time. Derived from Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese originals, they illustrate the importance of lay spirituality for Japanese Buddhists, both in the nenbutsu tradition and in the wider context of Mahayana Buddhism. Drawing them together into one volume brings out the fact that these varied Buddhist traditions are intricately related to each other. The result is an unusual and fascinating reader which would grace many a course in Buddhist studies.Table of ContentsPreface with Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Conventions on Names, Titles and Scripts 1 Introduction Part One: The Teaching of Vimalakirti 2 Vimalakirti's Discourse on Emancipation Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Two: Related Strands in Early Mahayana Buddhism 3 The Heart Sutra (Prajna-paramita-hṛdaya-sutra) Shaku Hannya 4 Nagarjuna's Mahayana-viṁsaka Yamaguchi Susumu (trans.) 5 Outline of the Avataṃsaka Sutra (Kegonkyo) Beatrice Lane Suzuki 6 The Hymn on the Life and Vows of Samantabhadra Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Three: Hints of Laity in the Esoteric Tradition 7 Fudo the Immovable Beatrice Lane Suzuki 8 Ceremonies for Disciples on Mount Koya Beatrice Lane Suzuki Part Four: Revisiting Masters of the Nenbutsu 9 The Pure Land Doctrine in Shoku's "Plain Wood" Nenbutsu Sugihira Shizutoshi 10 Myoe's Critique of Honen Bando Shojun 11 Ippen Shonin and the Nenbutsu Yanagi Soetsu 12 Shinran and his Song on Amida Beatrice Lane Suzuki 13 On Steadfast Holding to the Name Kakunyo Shonin 14 Rennyo the Restorer Kaneko Daiei 15 Asahara Saichi the Myokonin Sato Taira 16 The Rite of Reception into Jodo Shinshu Dan Bornstein Synoptic List of Text Titles Character List for Historical Persons Original Publication Details A Note on The Eastern Buddhist

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Book SynopsisEarly issues of The Eastern Buddhist contain short translations from various Buddhist texts, some of them quite important and all of considerable interest. Since they are set unobtrusively between modern statements and arguments about the nature of Buddhism, and in any case are difficult to locate, they have often gone unnoticed by students. Assembled here is a selection of those texts which have stood the test of time. Derived from Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese originals, they illustrate the importance of lay spirituality for Japanese Buddhists, both in the nenbutsu tradition and in the wider context of Mahayana Buddhism. Drawing them together into one volume brings out the fact that these varied Buddhist traditions are intricately related to each other. The result is an unusual and fascinating reader which would grace many a course in Buddhist studies.Table of ContentsPreface with Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Conventions on Names, Titles and Scripts 1 Introduction Part One: The Teaching of Vimalakirti 2 Vimalakirti's Discourse on Emancipation Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Two: Related Strands in Early Mahayana Buddhism 3 The Heart Sutra (Prajna-paramita-hṛdaya-sutra) Shaku Hannya 4 Nagarjuna's Mahayana-viṁsaka Yamaguchi Susumu (trans.) 5 Outline of the Avataṃsaka Sutra (Kegonkyo) Beatrice Lane Suzuki 6 The Hymn on the Life and Vows of Samantabhadra Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Three: Hints of Laity in the Esoteric Tradition 7 Fudo the Immovable Beatrice Lane Suzuki 8 Ceremonies for Disciples on Mount Koya Beatrice Lane Suzuki Part Four: Revisiting Masters of the Nenbutsu 9 The Pure Land Doctrine in Shoku's "Plain Wood" Nenbutsu Sugihira Shizutoshi 10 Myoe's Critique of Honen Bando Shojun 11 Ippen Shonin and the Nenbutsu Yanagi Soetsu 12 Shinran and his Song on Amida Beatrice Lane Suzuki 13 On Steadfast Holding to the Name Kakunyo Shonin 14 Rennyo the Restorer Kaneko Daiei 15 Asahara Saichi the Myokonin Sato Taira 16 The Rite of Reception into Jodo Shinshu Dan Bornstein Synoptic List of Text Titles Character List for Historical Persons Original Publication Details A Note on The Eastern Buddhist

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