Religion and beliefs Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis introduction to biblical interpretation expands the interpretive task to encompass both comprehension of the Bible''s content and active participation in God''s redemptive plan. The authors help readers engage with the beauty of God''s Word and read it holistically for their intellectual and spiritual growth. They address the nature of interpretation; emphasize the Holy Spirit''s role in the production, interpretation, and application of the Bible as a communication of the triune God; and explore the Bible''s genres and historical contexts through the lens of God''s redemptive story. They also provide principles and accessible guidelines for biblical interpretation in global contexts, including a simple outline for beginning students to follow as they start interpreting and applying Scripture. Above all, the authors emphasize the transformative nature of reading Scripture.This series reflects the changing face of global Christianity. Series volumes highlight themes of in

Read more less

Book SynopsisReleased in paperback for the first time, this brilliant translation of Longchenpa''s famous work presents the entire scope of the Buddhist view combined with pith instructions for pointing out the nature of one''s mind.Longchen Rabjam''s Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind is a classic Buddhist manual for attaining true liberation through familiarizing ourselves with our most basic nature--our clear, pristine, and aware mind. Written in the fourteenth century, this text is the first part to Longchenpa''s Trilogy of Rest, a work of the esoteric Tibetan Dzogchen tradition. This unique presentation of the Buddhist view and path combines the scholastic expository method of explanation with direct pith instructions designed for yogi practitioners. This text systematically presents the view in thirteen chapters, outlining all that a practitioner must know in order to embark on the complete Buddhist path. Here we find fundamental instructions on the need to turn away from materialism, how to find a qualified guide, how to develop boundless compassion for all beings, tantra and its associated practices, calm abiding (śamatha) and deep insight (vipaśyanā) meditation techniques, all culminating in the practice presented from the perspective of Dzogchen. This first volume of the Trilogy of Rest is a comprehensive teaching on the view from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, setting the foundation for the following two volumes: Finding Rest in Meditation, which focuses on meditation practice, and Finding Rest in Illusion, which focuses on post-meditation yogic conduct. The Padmakara Translation Group has provided us with a clear and fluid new translation of Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind, which will serve as a genuine aid to study and meditation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Sunday Times BestsellerChristopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was a matchless writer, debater and humanist. Throughout his life he shone the light of reason and truth into the eyes of charlatans and hucksters, exposing falsehood and decrying hypocrisy wherever he found it. With his passing, the world lost a great soul, the written word one of its finest advocates and those who stand for freedom everywhere have lost one of their clearest voices. Arguably collects Hitchens' writing on politics, literature and religion when he was at the zenith of his career; it is the indispensible companion to the finest English essayist since Orwell.Trade ReviewTo say that, during the past three decades, the world would have been poorer, duller and altogether a smaller place without Hitchens and his writings would be to utter a cliché of the kind he despises. It would also be true. -- John Gray * New Statesman *He has no equal in contemporary Anglo American letters. -- Jason Cowley * Financial Times *Essays on everything... remind us what we've lost in Hitchens - someone to provoke assent, outrage, laughter and thought * Sunday Telegraph *Read it you must, partly as a tribute to a great life well lived, but mainly because it is so entertaining * Sunday Times *Hitchens at his most stylish, savage, literate and brilliant * Observer *Table of Contents1: Gods of Our Fathers: The United States of Enlightenment 2: Enlightenment 3: The Private Jefferson 4: Jefferson Versus the Muslim Pirates 5: Benjamin Franklin: Free and Easy 6: John Brown: The Man Who Ended Slavery 7: Abraham Lincoln: Misery's Child 8: Mark Twain: American Radical 9: Upton Sinclair: A Capitalist Primer 10: JFK: In Sickness and by Stealth 11: Saul Bellow: The Great Assimilator 12: Vladimir Nabokov: Hurricane Lolita 13: John Updike, Part One: No Way 14: John Updike, Part Two: Mr. Geniality 15: Vidal Loco 16: America the Banana Republic 17: An Anglosphere Future 18: Political Animals 19: Old Enough to Die 20: In Defense of Foxhole Atheists 21: In Search of the Washington Novel 22: Isaac Newton: Flaws of Gravity 23: The Men Who Made England: Hilary Mantel's 24: Wolf Hall 25: Edmund Burke: Reactionary Prophet 26: Samuel Johnson: Demons and Dictionaries 27: Gustave Flaubert: I'm with Stupide 28: The Dark Side of Dickens 29: Marx's Journalism: The Grub Street Years 30: Rebecca West: Things Worth Fighting For 31: Ezra Pound: A Revolutionary Simpleton 32: On Animal Farm 33: Jessica Mitford's Poison Pen 34: W. Somerset Maugham: Poor Old Willie 35: Evelyn Waugh: The Permanent Adolescent 36: P. G. Wodehouse: The Honorable Schoolboy 37: Anthony Powell: An Omnivorous Curiosity 38: John Buchan: Spy Thriller's Father 39: Graham Greene: I'll Be Damned 40: Death from a Salesman: Graham Greene's Bottled Ontology 41: Bottled Ontology 42: Loving Philip Larkin 43: Stephen Spender: A Nice Bloody Fool 44: Edward Upward: The Captive Mind 45: C. L. R. James: Mid Off, Not Right On 46: J. G. Ballard: The Catastrophist 47: Fraser's Flashman: Scoundrel Time 48: Fleet Street's Finest: From Waugh to Frayn 49: Saki: Where the Wild Things Are 50: Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived 51: Why Women Aren't Funny 52: Stieg Larsson: The Author Who Played 53: with Fire 54: As American as Apple Pie 55: So Many Men's Rooms, So Little Time 56: The New Commandments 57: In Your Face 58: Wine Drinkers of the World, Unite 59: Charles, Prince of Piffle 60: Afghanistan's Dangerous Bet 61: First, Silence the Whistle-Blower 62: Believe Me, It's Torture 63: Iran's Waiting Game 64: Long Live Democratic Seismology 65: Benazir Bhutto: Daughter of Destiny 66: From Abbottabad to Worse 67: The Perils of Partition 68: Algeria: A French Quarrel 69: The Case of Orientalism 70: Edward Said: Where the Twain Should Have Met 71: Have Met 72: The Swastika and the Cedar 73: Holiday in Iraq 74: Tunisia: At the Desert's Edge 75: What Happened to the Suicide Bombers 76: of Jerusalem? 77: Childhood's End: An African Nightmare 78: The Vietnam Syndrome 79: Once Upon a Time in Germany 80: Worse Than Nineteen Eighty-four 81: North Korea: A Nation of Racist Dwarves 82: The Eighteenth Brumaire of the Castro Dynasty 83: Hugo Boss 84: Is the Euro Doomed? 85: Overstating Jewish Power 86: The Case for Humanitarian Intervention 87: Victor Serge: Pictures from an Inquisition 88: André Malraux: One Man's Fate 89: Arthur Koestler: The Zealot 90: Isabel Allende: Chile Redux 91: The Persian Version 92: Martin Amis: Lightness at Midnight 93: Imagining Hitler 94: Victor Klemperer: Survivor 95: A War Worth Fighting 96: Just Give Peace a Chance? 97: W. G. Sebald: Requiem for Germany 98: When the King Saved God 99: Let Them Eat Pork Rinds 100: Stand Up for Denmark! 101: Eschew the Taboo 102: She's No Fundamentalist 103: Burned Out 104: Easter Charade 105: Don't Mince Words 106: History and Mystery 107: Words Matter 108: This Was Not Looting 109: The Other L-Word 110: The You Decade 111: Suck It Up 112: A Very, Very Dirty Word 113: Prisoner of Shelves

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn A Simple Path, Saint Teresa, senior members of the Missionaries of Charity and volunteers at their homes around the world offer their advice and long experience of how we can practise a fuller love for each other, help those less fortunate than ourselves and find peace in doing so. They discuss such fundamental issues as happiness, fear, compassion, the family and death - all themes of direct relevance to those seeking the deeper meaning of life today.This inspiring work is a unique spiritual guide, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike: full of wisdom and hope, from the one person who gave the greatest example of love in action in our time.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors; Or, Christianity Before Christ is a book written by Kersey Graves. It presents a comparative analysis of various religious and mythological figures from different cultures who share similarities with the story of Jesus Christ. Graves argues that these figures, including Horus, Mithras, Krishna, and others, predate Christianity and share common elements such as virgin births, crucifixion, and resurrection. The book challenges the uniqueness and exclusivity of Christianity by suggesting that the narrative of Jesus' life and death is not entirely original but draws upon earlier mythologies and legends. Graves explores the possibility of a universal human need for a savior figure and suggests that the story of Jesus Christ is a continuation of a long-standing mythological tradition. The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors generated controversy and sparked debates upon its publication. While some scholars and critics question the accuracy and reliability of the comparative analysis presented by Graves, the book remains significant for its exploration of the historical and cultural context of religious stories and the influence of earlier traditions on Christianity.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ESV Vest Pocket New Testament combines three essential elements for an edition of its kind: affordable price, portable size, and a durable TruTone cover. At only $4.99, the Vest Pocket New Testament is a great choice for those who want to carry God's Word with them wherever they go.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores how ancient people who grasped the timeless principles of sacred geometry were able to create flourishing societies. This title features more than 300 colour illustrations that reveal the secret code within the geometrical figures and shows how they express the spiritual meanings in the key numbers of 1 through 12.Trade Review'A delightful book: clear, witty, beautiful and illuminating' - The Spectator'Instructive and illustrative … John Michell has stamped this book with the freshness and originality that are his hallmark. It is a worthy bequest of an extraordinary mind … a source of inspiration for seekers in the arts, mathematics and the Mysteries' - Temenos Academy Review'Utterly gorgeous … 288 full-colour pages of wisdom and wonder … A thing to be cherished, a work of art, it is also a beautifully illustrated geometry primer with philosophical commentary … the text is Michell’s finest prose - cool, succinct and rational' - Fortean Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisStorehouse of Treasures unearths wise and beautiful elements of Chan and Zen still little known in the West, revealing unexpected aspects of the tradition and new implications for practice.Since the dawn of Chan and Zen in medieval China and Japan, members of these schools have enlivened their teaching by creatively adopting and adapting terms, images, principles, poetry, and lore native to their societies. Unfortunately, so much of that cultural wealth has been ?lost in translation? that Western practitioners have barely begun to discover and appreciate this extraordinarily rich legacy. In Storehouse of Treasures, second-generation American Zen teacher Nelson Foster makes a series of adventuresome forays into the trove of material laid up by the Dharma ancestors, bringing to light: Masters? delight in playing with words, stories, and inherited Buddhist concepts, bending them to express the Dharma in inspired ways The powerful influence that Taoist and Confucian thought exerted in the formation of Chan and Zen The emphasis the two schools have laid on excellence of character as well as on profound awakening The experiential meaning and enduring importance to the tradition of ideals little associated with it today, like integrity, shame, and contentment How ?knowing the tune? of a fellow student, a mentor, or a teacher of old lies at the heart of transmitting the Dharma Lifting to attention a diverse set of ancient yet still luminous Dharma gems, Foster urges their relevance and value to us as students of the Buddha Way and as citizens of a world increasingly fractious and imperiled.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn Ancient Collection ReimaginedComposed around the Buddha’s lifetime, the original Therigatha (“Verses of the Elder Nuns”) contains the poems of the first Buddhist women: princesses and courtesans, tired wives of arranged marriages and the desperately in love, those born into limitless wealth and those born with nothing at all. The authors of the Therigatha were women from every kind of background, but they all shared a deep-seated desire for awakening and liberation. In The First Free Women, Matty Weingast has reimagined this ancient collection and created an original work that takes his experience of the essence of each poem and brings forth in his own words the struggles and doubts, as well as the strength, perseverance, and profound compassion, embodied by these courageous women.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Definitive Translation with Over Two Million Copies SoldThe most prestigious and influential book on strategy and dealing with conflict, beautifully translated for clear, accessible reading?including commentaries by other ancient Chinese philosophers and strategists. From esteemed translator Thomas Cleary and including commentary from philosophers such as Cao Cao, Du Mu, and Du You, this timeless Chinese classic captures the essence of military strategy used in ancient East Asia, with lessons on how to handle conflict confidently, efficiently, and successfully. As Sun Tzu teaches, aggression and response in kind can lead only to destruction?we must learn to work with conflict in a more profound and effective way. Crucial to this strategic vision is knowledge?especially self-knowledge?and a view of the whole that seeks to bring the conflicting ideas around to a larger perspective.The techniques and instructions discussed in The Art of War apply to competition and conflict on every level, from the interpersonal to the international. A study of the anatomy of forces in conflict, it has been discovered by modern businesspeople who understand the principles it contains are as useful for understanding the interactions of modern corporations as they are for understanding the tactics of ancient Chinese armies. Its aim is invincibility, victory without battle, and unassailable strength through an understanding of the physics, politics, and psychology of conflict.Thomas Cleary?s translation is a breakthrough achievement that has been a gold standard among translations for three decades, offering the complete text in eminently readable prose with short commentaries by other ancient Chinese strategists and philosophers interwoven throughout. Cleary?s work allows innumerable insights to be discovered through this translation millennia after this oral teaching was first set down.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Piper invites readers to turn from the dulling effects of food and other appetites to the all-satisfying glory of God through fasting and prayer. Redesigned with a new foreword by David Platt and Francis Chan.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe author of Family Driven Faith equips men to model and transfer God's truth within their homes, covering topics that span from marriage and parenting to media habits and overcoming difficult family dynamics.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTaking you on a journey through the Bible in one year, this devotional book draws on the insights and wisdom of writer and theologian John Stott.Trade Review"Stott's mission is to pierce through all the encrustations and share direct contact with Jesus." -- New York Times"I can't think of anyone who has been more effective [than John Stott] in introducing so many people to a biblical worldview. He represents a touchstone of authentic biblical scholarship." -- Billy Graham

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith the turmoil in the Middle East, there is a growing interest about Islam - the world's second largest religion and one of the fastest growing - and its holy book, the Koran (or Qur'an). This English guide explores the history, structure, and basic tenets of Islam's sacred scripture.Trade Review“…I was quickly humbled by this guide, which showed me how much I had misunderstood. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Islam…” (Catholic Herald, 26 November 2004) The Qur'an's overall context of hostility to those who disbelieve in Mohammed's prophecy is downplayed in one forthcoming book, The Koran for Dummies by Sohaid Sultan. Under the heading "Discovering the Basic Messages of the Koran," Sultan lists as Mohammed's basic themes "The unity of God," "Worship and service to God," "Prophets to teach and guide," "Completion of past revelations," "Guidance to a spiritual path," "Movement for social change," "Accountability of deeds." All of which sounds pretty harmless—nothing about making war on unbelievers. (Publishers Weekly, May 10, 2004) "...provides an introduction to Islam's holy book." (Publishers Weekly, February 9, 2004)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 How This Book Is Organized 4 Part I: Revealing the Word of God: The Book 4 Part II: Searching for the Soul of the Koran 4 Part III: Seeing the Koranic Worldview 4 Part IV: Living the Koran 5 Part V: Relating the Koran to the World 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in This Book 5 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: Revealing the Word of God: The Book 7 Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Koran 9 Receiving Revelation Straight from the Source 9 Guiding the Way: Prophet Muhammad 10 Discovering the Basic Messages of the Koran 11 The unity of God 11 Worship and service to God 11 Prophets to teach and guide 11 Completion of past revelations 12 Guidance to a spiritual path 12 Movement for social change 12 Accountability of deeds 13 Naming the Revelation 13 The Guidance 13 The Criterion 14 The Proof 14 The Reminder 15 The Healing 16 Hearing the Words: The Audience of the Koran 16 Knowing the Essentials about Islam and Muslims 17 The Six Pillars of Belief 17 The Five Pillars of Islam 18 Muslims: The followers of Islam 19 Chapter 2: From Revelation to Written Book 21 Revealing the Koran to Muhammad 21 The beginning of revelation 22 The stages of revelation 24 The Meccan and Medinan periods 24 Transmitting revelation to the community 26 Collecting the Koran as a Book 27 Conforming the Koran’s dialects 28 The Koran in modern-day print 29 Memorizing Miracles: Preserving the Koran throughout History 31 Experiencing the Koran as Divine Art 32 Recitation 32 Calligraphy 35 Chapter 3: Mapping Out the Structure of the Book 37 Discerning the Structure of the Koran 37 Ayat 37 Surahs 38 Juz’ 39 Discovering Surah Names and Themes 40 Finding Your Way through the Moral Narrative 46 Through divine signs 47 Through laws 47 Through stories of the past 48 Simplifying the Moral Narrative of Shorter Surahs 52 Chapter 4: Discovering the Language of the Koran 53 Arabic: Plain, Clear, and Eloquent 53 Digging down to the roots 54 Reading translations of the Koran 56 Literary Style in the Sacred Scripture 57 Key literary elements of the Koran 58 Clear and figurative passages 60 Hearing the Voice of the Koran 62 Chapter 5: Relating the Koran to Abrahamic Revelations 65 Previous Revelations: Between Sacred and Corrupted 65 Linking the Three Faiths: Common Experiences in the Scriptures 66 Uniting faiths with belief in One God 67 Bridging the gap between divine laws 67 Sharing the legacy of prophetic stories 69 Contrasting the Koran with Judeo-Christian Scriptures 70 Finding a worldview of history in the Scriptures 70 Reforming laws 72 Reforming religious rituals 72 Extending God’s covenant to all peoples 73 Giving a new angle on prophetic stories 73 Checking the prophetic pulse of Muhammad in the lBiblical Scripture 75 Differing on Mary and the message of Jesus 76 Part II: Searching for the Soul of the Koran 79 Chapter 6: Interpreting the Koran 81 Coming to Know the Guidance 81 Having room for interpretation 82 Knowing the key terms of Koranic interpretation 82 Finding the Tasfir that fits 84 Drawing out Interpretations 85 Looking at clear and ambiguous passages 85 Interpreting outer meanings 86 Interpreting inner meanings 88 Examining general and specific passages 88 Keeping circumstances behind revelation in mind 90 Abrogating passages 90 Chapter 7: Understanding Interpretations of the Koran Today 93 Getting to Know Famous Commentators of the Koran 93 Among the companions 94 In successive generations 95 Classic works of Koranic interpretation 96 Influential Movements of the Twentieth Century 98 Mawdudi: Framework for a movement 99 Qutub: The controversial revolutionary 101 Muhammad Rida: The influential reformer 103 Muhammad al-Ghazali: Thematic Tafsir 103 Another School of Thought: The Shi’ites 104 Ali 104 Two famous Shi’ite Koranic interpreters 105 Part III: Seeing the Koranic Worldview 107 Chapter 8: Meeting God, Prophets, and Mankind 109 Conceptualizing God 109 “A” is for “Allah” 109 Exploring the concept of God 110 Experiencing God through divine attributes 113 Knowing God 117 Prophets of God: Preaching a Divine Message 119 Prophets and messengers 119 Abraham: Beloved Friend of God and Father of Faith 120 Moses: The Liberator 122 Jesus: The Spirit of God 125 The Status and Nature of Man 128 Human nature through Adam 129 The purpose of human life 131 Chapter 9: Divining Nature, the Universe, and the Unseen 133 The Divine Ways of Nature 133 Patterns of creation 134 God’s creations in the skies 134 Earthly creations 136 Inheriting the Earth: The Role of Mankind in Nature 139 The Unseen World: Angels versus Satan 140 The angels: Pure creations of God 141 Satan: An avowed enemy 142 Accounting for the Soul 143 The Day of Judgment 143 The eternal bliss of heaven 144 Hell: Torment of the fire 145 God’s Mercy, God’s Wrath: Reconciling the two 145 Chapter 10: Taking the Koranic View of Other Faith Traditions 147 Islam: One Religion under God 147 A brotherhood of Muslims 148 Limits to an inclusive theology 149 Honoring Freedom of Choice and Respecting Diversity 151 Protecting freedom of choice 152 Embracing diversity as the Will of God 152 Examining Some Controversial Passages on Interfaith Relations 153 Fighting against “unbelievers” 154 Forbidding “friendship” with People of the Book 156 Part IV: Living the Koran 157 Chapter 11: Following in the Footsteps of Muhammad 159 The Scripture Speaks about Muhammad 159 Servant of God and mortal man 160 Muhammad’s divine mission 160 Muhammad as the best example for humanity 161 Muhammad’s mercy for humanity 161 Muhammad as a seal of the prophets 162 Doing as God and His Messenger Do 163 Looking at Some Key Prophetic Sayings 165 Muhammad speaks about God 165 Muhammad speaks about virtue 166 Chapter 12: Putting Meaning into Ritual 169 Declaring Faith: More than Just Words 170 Conversing with the Divine: Prayer 170 Understanding the purpose of prayer 171 Approaching prayer: Purity of mind and body 172 Let the prayer begin! 175 Raising the Soul over the Ego: Fasting 180 Remembering and thanking God 180 Enjoying the communal aspects of fasting 182 Purifying Wealth, Uplifting the Needy: Almsgiving 183 Opening your wallet and improving the world 183 Receiving alms 184 Journeying to the House of God: Pilgrimage 186 Following the path of Abraham 186 Journeying through the pilgrimage 186 Chapter 13: Understanding the Koranic View of Self 191 Connecting the Three Dots of Self Awareness 191 The wild horse and the rider 192 The three states of self 193 The Seven Gates to the Heart 194 The ears and tongue 194 The eyes 195 The hands and legs 196 The stomach 197 The sexual organs 197 Blessed Is the Baby’s Soul, a Soul without Sin 198 The Soul’s Journey: From Pre-Birth to the Hereafter 199 Pre-worldly existence 199 Earthly life 199 The grave 200 The Day of Judgment 200 The final abode 201 The Muslim Self: A State of Being 201 The Kafir: A Faithless Self 202 Chapter 14: Achieving Koranic Ethics and Morality 203 Discovering Ethical Principles in the Koran 203 Preserving religion 203 Preserving life 204 Preserving lineage 205 Preserving property 206 Preserving honor 206 Leading the Life of Good Virtue and Character 207 Discouraged behaviors 207 Encouraged behaviors 210 Purifying the Heart 212 Remembering the Divine: Dhikr 212 Following God’s laws 213 Keeping company with pious people 214 Controlling passion and struggling for good 214 Chapter 15: Raising a Family the Koranic Way 215 Healthy Family Equals Healthy Society 215 Looking for a Spouse: Let the Search Begin 216 Looking beyond the surface 216 Making sure the marriage is legal 217 Giving equal time: Polygamy for men 218 Celebrating Marriage as the Basis of Family 219 Practically speaking: Basic functions within a marriage 220 Intimacy: Both spiritual and physical 222 Preserving modesty through Scriptural teaching 223 Bringing Up Children 224 Treating parents well: The best act of piety 225 Raising children with wisdom 226 Parental responsibilities to their children 227 A Matter of Inheritance: Who Gets What 228 Tackling Divorce in the Koran 229 Part V: Relating the Koran to the World 231 Chapter 16: Connecting the Koran to Society 233 Divining a Community of the Middle Path 233 Having a balanced approach to the Divine 234 Balancing the worldly and the spiritual in society 234 Managing justice and mercy in society 235 Avoiding extremes in religious practice and manners 236 Witnessing the Truth 237 Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil 238 Uniting a Community with the Rope of God 240 Equality of mankind before God 240 The brotherhood of man 241 Leadership and Citizenship in the Koran 243 Forming a political identity 244 Governing by the Book 245 Living up to citizenship 246 Receiving the rights of citizenship 247 Non-Muslims living in Muslim lands 249 Jihad: Struggling in the Path of God 252 Struggling against evil 252 Jihad as armed struggle 253 Chapter 17: Purifying Society through Islamic Law 255 Defining Shariah 256 Extracting and Interpreting Sacred Law 257 Searching for Rulings and Principals 258 In the Koran 258 In the prophetic tradition 261 In the consensus of the scholars 263 In juristic analogy 264 Exploring the Contents of the Sacred Law 264 Understanding the Islamic Penal Code 265 Punishing murder 266 Punishing the spreading of violence 267 Punishing theft 268 Preventing unlawful sexual relations 269 Looking at the Four Schools of Law 270 The Hanafi School of Law 270 The Maliki School of Law 271 The Shafi’i School of Law 271 The Hanbali School 272 Chapter 18: Struggling for God: Jihad 273 Finding the Spirit of Jihad 274 Defending life and religion 274 Defending human rights and freedom of worship 275 Dispelling the myths behind passage 9:5 276 Connecting Qital with Islamic Law 279 Understanding Martyrdom 279 Looking at Jihad in today’s World 280 Chapter 19: Discussing Women in the Koran 283 Finding Equality in the Scripture 284 Eve: A model for gender equality 284 The Virgin Mary: A divinely inspired woman 286 Other famous and infamous women in the Koran 288 Discerning Women’s Rights in Divine Law 290 Right to inheritance 291 Right to own property, manage business, and control wealth 291 Right to work and equal pay 292 Right to education 292 Right to social and political participation 293 Rights of marriage 293 Right to initiate divorce 293 Right to bear witness to business transactions 294 Chapter 20: The Koran and Modernity 295 Differentiating between Modernity and Modern Culture 295 Promoting Social Progress 296 Focusing on Issues of Modernity 297 Science 298 The arts 298 Human rights 299 Economics and free trade 300 Morality and secularism 301 Imagining an Islamic Democracy 302 Debating the rule of law between citizenry and God 303 Expressing the will of the people through elections 305 Holding public officials responsible 305 Liberty and Koranic ideals 306 Social equality and Islamic law 307 Part VI: The Part of Tens 309 Chapter 21: Ten Misconceptions about the Koran 311 Misconception #1: Muhammad Wrote the Koran 311 Misconception #2: The Koran Is Incoherent and Unorganized 312 Misconception #3: The Koran Is Void of Reason 313 Misconception #4: The Koran Espouses Polytheism 314 Misconception #5: The Koran Says That God Belongs to One People 315 Misconception #6: God Is Wrathful and Unloving in the Koran 316 Misconception #7: The Koran Preaches Fatalism 316 Misconception #8: Jihad Means “Holy War” 317 Misconception #9: The Koran Discourages Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation 318 Misconception #10: The Scripture Values Men More than Women 319 Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Dig Deeper into the Koran 321 Comparing “Translations” 321 Listening to the Koran 323 Looking at Different Interpretations 324 Reading Books 325 Studying Arabic 326 Studying the Koran 326 Surfing Web Sites 327 Taking Classes 328 Talking to Muslims 328 Visiting Your Local Mosque 329 Appendix A: Glossary of Koranic Terms 331 Appendix B: Finding Prophets in the Koran 339 Index 341

Read more less

Book SynopsisSuited to high school and college students, the ESV Student Study Bible is also a versatile resource for anyone engaged in serious study of God's Word. Contains introductions, study notes, and more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully compelling and liberating guide to the original nature of Zen in ancient China by renowned author and translator David Hinton.Buddhism migrated from India to China in the first century C.E., and Ch''an (Japanese: Zen) is generally seen as China''s most distinctive and enduring form of Buddhism. In China Root, however, David Hinton shows how Ch''an was in fact a Buddhist-influenced extension of Taoism, China''s native system of spiritual philosophy. Unlike Indian Buddhism''s abstract sensibility, Ch''an was grounded in an earthy and empirically-based vision. Exploring this vision, Hinton describes Ch''an as a kind of anti-Buddhism. A radical and wild practice aspiring to a deeply ecological liberation: the integration of individual consciousness with landscape and with a Cosmos seen as harmonious and alive.In China Root, Hinton describes this original form of Zen with his trademark clarity and elegance, each chapter exploring in enlightening ways a core Ch''an concept--such as meditation, mind, Buddha, awakening--as it was originally understood and practiced in ancient China. Finally, by examining a range of standard translations in the Appendix, Hinton reveals how this original understanding and practice of Ch''an/Zen is almost entirely missing in contemporary American Zen, because it was lost in Ch''an''s migration from China through Japan and on to the West.Whether you practice Zen or not, taking this journey on the wings of Hinton''s remarkable insight and powerful writing will transform how you understand yourself and the world.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisConceived at the crossroads of Buddhism and indigenous earth-based practice, The Shamanic Bones of Zen explores the deep human traditions of transformation that are made possible by meditation, ceremony, ritual, dreams, and spiritual connection to one?s ancestry.In TheShamanic Bones of Zen, celebrated author and Buddhist teacher Zenju Earthlyn Manuel undertakes a rich exploration of the connections between contemporary Zen practice and shamanic, or indigenous, spirituality. Drawing on her personal journey with the black church, with African, Caribbean, and Native American ceremonial practices, and with Nichiren and Zen Buddhism, she builds a compelling case for discovering and cultivating the shamanic, or magical, elements in Buddhism?many of which have been marginalized by colonialist and modernist forces in the religion. Displaying reverence for the Zen tradition, creativity in expressing her own intuitive seeing, and profound gratitude for the guidance of spirit, Manuel models the path of a seeker unafraid to plumb the depths of her ancestry and face the totality of the present. The book conveys guidance for readers interested in Zen practice including ritual, preparing sanctuaries, engaging in chanting practices, and deepening embodiment with ceremony. "I often felt my ancestors at ease with my practice of Zen. I felt they had led me through other traditions to this practice of ritual andceremony,?writes Manuel.?Theancestors needed me to be still and breathe as they approached with what they had to offer my life.?

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn The Emotional Life of Our Lord, theologian B. B. Warfield explores Christ's complex human emotionssuch as anger, grief, and loveto help readers learn more about their compassionate Savior.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe groundbreaking investigation into motherhood and womanhood from an influential and enduring feminist voice, now for a new generation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisReleased in paperback for the first time, this new translation of the Tibetan master Longchenpa''s famous work systematically presents the path of meditation according to the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition.Longchenpa''s Finding Rest in Meditation is a classic Buddhist text outlining the main points of meditation, namely, where one should meditate, what qualities a practitioner should possess and develop, and what should be practiced. These instructions are a pithy distillation of the entirety of the Buddhist path designed to stabilize one''s direct awareness of the nature of mind through meditative absorption. The Padmakara Translation Group has provided us with a clear and fluid translation to Finding Rest in Meditation, which will serve as a genuine aid to study and meditation. This text follows the first volume of Longchenpa''s trilogy, Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind, which focuses on establishing the view and precedes the final volume, Finding Rest in Illusion, which focuses on post-meditation yogic conduct.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBegun in 1262 AD, Masnavi-ye Ma navi, or spiritual couplets'', is thought to be the longest single-authored mystical' poem ever written. As the spiritual masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition, it teaches how to progress to the ultimate goal of the Sufi path - union with God. Jalaloddin Rumi was a poet and a mystic, but he was first a teacher; in these verses he draws the reader into the complexities of human love and separation and explains the path to divine love through the elimination of self-regard and worldly desires. Drawing on diverse sources from bawdy tales and fables to stories of the prophet Mohammed, these verses are brief in expression yet copious in meaning.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvangelicalism has rapidly become one of the most significant religious movements in the modern world. An umbrella term that encompasses many Protestant denominations that share core tenets of Christianity, evangelicalism is foremost defined by its disciples'' consideration of the Bible as the ultimate moral and historical authority, the desire to evangelize or spread the faith, and the value of religious conversion known as being born again.As the Evangelical movement has grown rapidly, so has its influence on the political stage. Evangelicals affect elections up and down the Americas and across Africa, provoke governments throughout Asia, fill up some of the largest church buildings, and possess the largest congregations of any religion in the world. Yet evangelicals are wildly diverse- from Canadian Baptists to Nigerian Anglicans, from South Sea Methodists to Korean Presbyterians, and from house churches in Beijing to megachurches in Saõ Paulo.This Very Short Introduction tells the evangelical story from the preacher-led revivals of the eighteenth century, through the frontier camp meetings of the nineteenth, to the mass urban rallies of the twentieth, and the global megachurches of the twenty-first. More than just a sketch of where evangelicals have come from, this volume aims to clearly examine the heart of evangelical phenomenon. Is there such a (single) thing as evangelicalism? What is its basic character? Where are the evangelicals going? And what in the world do they want?Trade Review"...an insightful primer for journalists, scholars, politicians and curious curious observers into one of the most vibrant, if often caricatured, social movements in the world today." * René Breuel, Times Literary Supplement *The media . . . continue to view evangelicalism through the distorting lens of current American politics and religion. John Stackhouse's brilliant introduction to the topic will help the general reader to correct the distortion and grasp the multiple yet still distinctive ways in which evangelicals both think about their faith, and negotiate the social and political challenges of the modern world. * Brian Stanley, Professor of World Christianity, University of Edinburgh *We now have an answer to 'Who is an evangelical?'John Stackhouse gives us the best summary of our history I've read: compelling, interesting, and critically helpful. In too many places recently, the label "evangelical" has been hijacked and abused. This book helps us rise above those skirmishes as Stackhouse knits together various strains, groups, movements, and moments in an ever-enlarging pattern, giving coherence and insight into this global Christian community. Evangelicals themselves should read this book, but everyone else who cares about understanding evangelicals will find it enormously helpful also. * Brian Stiller, World Evangelical Alliance *This lucid and snappy introduction to evangelicalism guides us from deep and tangled historical roots through the contradictions and complexity of the modern global faith. Stackhouse captures the diversity of evangelicalism without losing the 500-year plotline--an amazing feat. * Molly Worthen, Associate Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *As a Canadian not caught up in the United States' religious-political partisanship and as an expert historian-theologian, John Stackhouse is perfectly situated to explain the history, development, and contemporary relevance of "evangelical Christianity." This excellent introduction is especially strong in its careful definition of terms and in its treatment of evangelicals around the world. * Mark Noll, author of America's Book: The Rise and Decline of a Bible Civilization, 1794-1911 *This opening salvo sets the tone for the discussion of evangelicalism that follows, a discussion that provides much-needed historical depth and global breadth for frequently myopic North Americans. * Robert J. Dean, Providence Theological Seminary *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Original evangelicalism Chapter 2: Evangelicalism defined Chapter 3: Evangelicalism expands Chapter 4: The challenges of modernity Conclusion References Further Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisAcross history, our understanding of God, the soul, spirituality, and even science itself has shifted dramatically. Today, we have more scientific knowledge than ever, yet some age-old questions persist: Why do we believe in gods, souls, and rituals? Are these beliefs innate? Do existential fears drive us toward or away from religion? What can we learn about spirituality from children? How can we leverage scientific thinking to study spirituality?This book invites you into the labs and minds of some of the world''s most renowned psychological scientists for an in-depth look at how psychologists can study religion and spirituality-and how they wrestle with doubts about ostensibly established findings and methods, even as the field advances. From China, India, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Tuva, this book takes a balanced perspective on a diverse range of experiments and studies, casting a light on both their brilliance and their limitations. Ultimately, this book reTrade ReviewExperimenting with Religion is a great introduction to the way psychologists ask and answer questions. It's a well written, sophisticated ramble through some of our knottiest problems in social science. It's suitable for an introductory class on psychology—and for curling up with in front of a fire. * T.M. Luhrmann, author of How God Becomes Real *A breezy, friendly, wise book that gives an understanding of what it is that scientists studying religion spend their time doing. This is the book I will be giving my family so they can see why I love my job. * Konrad Talmont-Kaminski, Lecturer, Faculty of Psychology, University of Finance and Management, Warsaw *Jong's Experimenting with Religion is an enlightening meditation on the search for understanding. The science of religion offers an opportunity to apply the best methodologies available to gain insight into how and why people believe. Unexpectedly, the subjects of Jong's story are not really the participants in the experiments, but the scientists conducting them. How do scientists come to believe how people believe? Jong exposes the uncertainty and challenge of gaining true insight on religion, and the natural world more generally, with a personal and arresting account of scientists doing their daily work. Even the most rigorous science will produce a slow walk toward the truth with plenty of false starts along the way. That isn't to suggest that the journey isn't worth it, just that we should do so with humility and recognition that what we know and what we think we know are not the same thing. * Brian Nosek, Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia *Experimenting with Religion provides a unique view into the labs—and minds—of psychologists who study religion. Whether or not you are interested in religion, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to know how psychologists know what they know, and also how to make sense of scientific research that is sometimes confusing and contradictory. * Scott Barry Kaufman, author of Ungifted^ and Wired to Create *Table of ContentsPreface and acknowledgements 1. (How) can psychologists study religion? 2. Does thinking cause atheism? 3. Are children creationists? 4. Is God like Superman? 5. Do children believe in souls? 6. What does God know? 7. What makes an effective ritual? 8. Does death anxiety drive religion? Epilogue Notes

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscovering Exodus is a comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the book of Exodus that offers commentary on structure, content and interpretation that is ideal for students of theology.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be 'British'?

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe all long for certainty in life, yet things often don't go as we expect and our impulse is to question God and strive to fix things ourselves. In this book, Shelly Miller shares how to focus on God rather than try to overcome challenges in our own limited strength, along with a simple practice in each chapter to help us enjoy peace and security.

Read more less

Book SynopsisForces OUTSIDE You Can''t Stop the God WITHIN You It''s easy to feel overwhelmed and limited by the demands on your life as a mom. Your heart''s cry is for God to use you, but at the end of the day, you don''t have much left to give.But what if the limits on your life could be overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit? With humor, vulnerability, and stories of her own limited life as a mom of five--two of whom struggle with severe autism--pastor and podcaster Jessica Hurlbut ignites hope in the hearts of overwhelmed moms to believe that God has more. Revealing 12 limits that hinder mothers--very real things like exhaustion, distractions, and disillusionment--Jessica empowers you to respond in obedience rather than react in emotions. From there she will teach you how to recognize and follow the Holy Spirit''s lead so you can experience the abundant life Jesus promised rather than the just-getting-by life we tend to settle for. No matter

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis how-to guide will help boys develop life skills and gain confidence during the transformation from boyhood to manhood.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlec Motyer gives us the fruit of over three decades of the study of Isaiah. With reference to the Hebrew text.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA meditation on living in the presence of God, developed while Neil nursed his wife.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Bible For Dummies (9781119293507) was previously published as The Bible For Dummies (9780764552960). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part 1: What the Bible Is All About 7 Chapter 1: From Moses to Modernity: Introducing the Good Book 9 Chapter 2: Lights, Camera, Action! Previewing the Bible’s Stage and Storyline 25 Part 2: Exploring the Hebrew Bible — The Old Testament 35 Chapter 3: Creation, Paradise Lost, and Other Mysteries of Life (Genesis 1–3) 37 Chapter 4: The Fallout from “The Fall” (Genesis 4–11) 53 Chapter 5: The Babylonian Hillbillies: The Adventures of Abraham and His Family (Genesis 12–25:18) 67 Chapter 6: The Birth of a Nation: Isaac, Jacob, and Their Many Children (Genesis 25:19–50) 87 Chapter 7: Holy Moses! Exploring Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy 109 Chapter 8: An Experiment in Theocracy: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth 135 Chapter 9: The King and “I Am”: 1 and 2 Samuel 153 Chapter 10: A Tale of Two Kingdoms: 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles 175 Chapter 11: Strangers in a Strange Land: Israel in Exile with Daniel and Esther 197 Chapter 12: Home for the Holidays: Returning to the Promised Land with Ezra and Nehemiah 209 Chapter 13: More Than Mere Fortune-tellers: The Prophets 219 Chapter 14: Israel’s Wisdom Literature and Love Poetry: Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs 237 Chapter 15: Rockin’ the Temple: Music in Ancient Israel (Psalms) 251 Part 3: Revealing the Bible’s Hidden Treasures in the Apocrypha 261 Chapter 16: Rebels with a Cause: The Books of 1 and 2 Maccabees 263 Chapter 17: The Apocrypha’s Other “Hidden Treasures” 271 Part 4: Discovering What’s New About the New Testament 281 Chapter 18: From Birth to Baptism: Jesus Prepares for the Ministry (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) 283 Chapter 19: Jesus Christ, Superstar: Jesus’ “Ministry Years” (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) 301 Chapter 20: The Early Christian Church (Acts 1–8, 10–12, and 15) 333 Chapter 21: The Traveling Salesman of Tarsus: Paul’s Life and Letters 347 Chapter 22: Wait a Minute, Mr Postman: The New Testament’s General Letters 371 Chapter 23: The Beginning of the End: The Revelation of John 383 Part 5: That Was Then, This Is Now: Discovering the Bible’s Enduring Influence 397 Chapter 24: The Bible and the Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam 399 Chapter 25: Michelangelo, Milton, and Movies: Art, Literature, Life, and the Bible 407 Part 6: The Part of Tens 419 Chapter 26: Ten+ People You Should Know from the Bible 421 Chapter 27: Ten Holidays You Can Take Thanks to the Bible 429 Index 437

Read more less

Book SynopsisYour hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion Buddhism, one of the world''s most widely practiced religions, is a fascinating yet complex eastern religion that is rapidly spreading throughout western civilization. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Buddhism For Dummies explores these questions and more in this updated guide to Buddhist culture. You''ll gain an understanding of the origins of this ancient practice and how they''re currently applied to everyday life. Whether you''re a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this guide is for you. In plain English, it defines the important terms, explains the key concepts, and explores in-depth a wide range of fascinating topics. New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and MahayanaTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 How This Book is Organized 2 Part 1: Embarking on a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 3 Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 3 Part 3: Behaving Like a Buddhist 3 Part 4: Exploring the Buddhist Path 3 Part 5: The Part of Tens 4 Part 6: Appendixes 4 Icons Used in This Book 4 Where to Go from Here 5 Part 1: Embarking On a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 7 Chapter 1: Entering the World of Buddhism: The Basics 9 Figuring Out Whether Buddhism is a Religion 10 Recognizing the Role of the Buddha 12 Understanding the Function of Philosophy in Buddhism 15 Appreciating Buddhist Practices 16 Living an ethical life 17 Examining your life through meditation 18 Practicing devotion 19 Dedicating Your Life to the Benefit of All Beings 19 Chapter 2: Understanding Your Mind: The Creator of All Experience 23 Recognizing How Your Mind Shapes Your Experience 24 Contrasting the Body and Mind 25 Approaching the Mind from Three Different Buddhist Perspectives 26 Recognizing the six major types of consciousness 27 Seeing how certain factors affect mental consciousness 28 Feeling around for your emotions 29 Appreciating the Fundamental Purity of Your Mind 31 Seeing that delusions can be remedied 31 Finding the sun behind the clouds 31 Tracing the Path of Wisdom and Loving Compassion 33 Wisdom: Removing the veils of misconception 33 Loving compassion: Opening your heart to others 34 Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 37 Chapter 3: Surveying the Life and Teachings of the Historical Buddha 39 Revealing the Buddha’s Early Life 40 A miraculous birth 42 An overprotective father 43 The prince marries: Imprisoned in palaces of pleasure 44 Forbidden knowledge revealed: The four visions 45 Beginning the Quest 46 Renouncing the royal life 46 Going to extremes and discovering the middle way 47 Sitting in the Shade of the Bodhi Tree: The Defeat of Mara 50 Benefiting Others: The Buddha’s Career in Full Gear 52 Providing spiritual guidance: Turning the wheel of Dharma 52 Founding the community 53 Listening to the Buddha’s final message: All things must pass 54 Understanding the Four Noble Truths 55 The truth of suffering 55 The truth of suffering’s cause 57 The truth of suffering’s cessation 59 The truth of the path 60 Envisioning the Future 63 The advent of Maitreya 63 Degeneration, followed by hope 64 Chapter 4: The Development of Buddhism on the Indian Subcontinent 67 Convening the First Buddhist Council 68 Gathering the council 68 Categorizing the teachings: The three baskets 69 Spreading the Teachings — Peacefully 70 A Fork in the Road: Managing a Developing Split in the Buddhist Community 71 Convening the Second Council 71 Advancing the teachings in different ways 72 Making Buddhism a Religion of the People: The Emperor Ashoka’s Influence 73 Transforming his approach 73 Promoting Buddhism beyond India 74 Two Levels of Practice in Early Buddhism 76 Witnessing Shifting Allegiances and New Ideals 77 Turning to the stupas 78 Taking a ride in the Great Vehicle: Mahayana Buddhism 78 Recognizing the Major Mahayana Themes 79 Chronicling the Rise of the Mahayana Teachings 80 White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sutra 80 Exposition of Vimalakirti Sutra 81 Perfection of Wisdom Sutras 81 Descent into Lanka Sutra 82 World-Array Sutra 82 Land of Bliss Sutras 83 Looking at the Decline and Reappearance of Buddhism in India 84 Disappearing act 85 Reappearing in India 86 Moving Mountains: Buddhism in Nepal 86 Delving into Buddhist traditions of Nepal 87 Narrowing in on Newar Buddhism 87 Chapter 5: Watching Developments Continue to the Present Day 89 Tracing the Two Routes of Buddhism 90 Spreading the Way of the Elders Across Southeast Asia Theravada Buddhism takes root in Thailand 92 Vipassana meditation gains popularity in the West 94 Driving the Great Vehicle to China and Beyond 97 Watching Mahayana Buddhism evolve in China 98 Examining Flower Ornament and Tiantai: The great unifying systems 101 Chronicling Pure Land and other devotional schools 102 Zen: Taking root in the Far East — and the West 108 From Tibet to the West: Charting the movement of the Diamond Vehicle 114 Part 3: Behaving Like a Buddhist 125 Chapter 6: Turning to Buddhism 127 Proceeding at Your Own Pace 127 Taking responsibility for your own life 128 Determining your level of involvement 129 Getting Acquainted with the Teachings of Buddhism 130 Reading books on Buddhist teachings 131 Choosing a tradition 131 Receiving meditation instruction 132 Developing a meditation practice 133 Finding a teacher 133 Formally Becoming a Buddhist 135 Focusing on the importance of renunciation 135 Taking refuge in the Three Jewels 136 Receiving the precepts 137 Exploring further stages of practice 139 Entering the Monastic Way 140 Renouncing the world 140 Ordaining as a monk or nun 141 Dedicating your life to Buddhist practice 142 Chapter 7: Meditation: A Central Practice of Buddhism 145 Dispelling Some Meditation Myths 146 Defining Meditation 147 Exploring the Benefits of Meditation 149 Examining how neuroscientists see it 149 Recognizing the condition you’re in 150 Cultivating equanimity 152 Turning an old phrase upside down: Don’t do something — just sit there 153 Appreciating your life 156 Understanding the Threefold Nature of Buddhist Meditation 157 Developing mindful awareness 158 Deepening concentration 160 Developing penetrating insight 161 Developing the Three Wisdoms As the Foundation for Insight 162 Cultivating wisdom from listening to the teachings 163 Cultivating wisdom from reflecting on what you heard 164 Cultivating wisdom from meditating on what you understand 164 Chapter 8: A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Practitioner 167 Surveying the Role of Monasteries in Buddhism 168 Renouncing Worldly Attachments: A Day in the Life of a Western Buddhist Monk 169 Following a day in the life 170 Punctuating the calendar with special events 171 Growing a Lotus in the Mud: A Day in the Life of a Zen Practitioner 175 Following a day in the life 176 Attending silent retreats 179 Gathering for special events 181 Devoting Yourself to the Three Jewels: A Day in the Life of a Vajrayana Practitioner 181 Trusting the Mind of Amida: A Day in the Life of a Pure Land Buddhist 185 Chapter 9: Walking in the Buddha’s Footsteps 187 Visiting the Primary Places of Pilgrimage 187 Lumbini: A visit to the Buddha’s birthplace 189 Bodh Gaya: Place of enlightenment 190 Sarnath: The first teaching 193 Kushinagar: The Buddha’s death 195 Seeing Other Important Pilgrimage Sites 195 Rajgir 195 Shravasti197 Sankashya 197 Nalanda 198 Going on Pilgrimage Today 198 Part 4: Exploring the Buddhist Path 201 Chapter 10: What is Enlightenment, Anyway? 203 Considering the Many Faces of Spiritual Realization 204 Reviewing the Theravada Tradition’s Take on Nirvana 206 Defining nirvana 206 Revealing the four stages on the path to nirvana 207 Getting a Handle on Two Traditions of Wisdom 208 Realizing the Mind’s Essential Purity in the Vajrayana Tradition 209 Taking the direct approach to realization 210 Understanding the complete enlightenment of a Buddha 211 Standing Nirvana on Its Head with Zen 211 Tuning in to the direct transmission from master to disciple 212 The ten ox-herding pictures 214 Finding the Common Threads in Buddhist Enlightenment 221 Chapter 11: A Matter of Life and Death 223 Taking Death Personally 224 Recognizing Your Life As a Rare and Precious Opportunity 226 Facing Reality: The Nine-Part Death Meditation 227 Understanding that your death is definite 228 Realizing that the time of your death is uncertain 230 Using death awareness as your spiritual ally 230 Reaping the Result of the Death Meditation 231 Dealing with the Death of a Loved One 232 Surveying Attitudes toward Death in Buddhist Traditions 232 Theravada: Getting off the wheel of existence 233 Vajrayana: Turning death itself into the path 235 Zen: Dying the “great death” before you die 236 Chapter 12: Minding the Concept of Karma 239 Appreciating the Law of Karmic Cause and Effect 239 Experiencing Karmic Consequences 240 Following the Buddha’s Ethical Guidance 241 Exploring the Buddhist Precepts 242 Arranging the precepts behind three doors 243 Taking a deeper look at the ten nonvirtuous actions 244 Dealing with Transgressions 251 Atoning for mistakes 251 Purifying negative karma 252 Chapter 13: Breaking Free of the Cycle of Dissatisfaction 255 Feeling Like Life’s a Big Rat Race 256 Spinning the Wheel of Life: The Meaning of Wandering in Samsara 257 Identifying the root delusions 260 Surveying the six realms of existence 263 Understanding the 12 links 266 Cutting through Suffering: The Three Trainings 271 Chapter 14: Fulfilling Your Highest Potential 275 Ordering a Round of Happiness for Everyone and Everything 276 Dedicating Your Heart to Others 277 Keeping it all in the family 278 Figuring out what all beings desire 279 Nurturing the Four Divine Abodes 281 Extending loving-kindness 281 Developing compassion 281 Nurturing sympathetic joy 283 Establishing equanimity 283 Cultivating the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva 285 Practicing open-hearted generosity 286 Following the self-discipline of ethical behavior 287 Developing patience 288 Practicing with enthusiastic effort 290 Sharpening your concentration 291 Cultivating the ultimate perfection: Insightful wisdom 293 Chapter 15: Life Stories of Four Buddhist Masters 295 Dipa Ma (1911–1989) 296 Spending her early years as a wife and mother 296 Overcoming physical ailments through meditation 297 Sharing her story with others 298 Ajahn Chah (1918–1992) 299 Finding his way in the forest of life 300 Blazing the monastic trail 300 Thich Nhat Hanh (Born 1926) 301 Working for peace in times of war 302 Forging new beginnings from classic ideals 303 The Dalai Lama (Born 1935) 304 Understanding the legacy of reincarnation 305 Reviewing the early life of the present Dalai Lama 306 Dealing with the Chinese 308 Finding freedom in exile 309 Appreciating his interest in science 310 Embracing the role of Buddhist ambassador to the world 310 Part 5: The Part of Tens 313 Chapter 16: Ten Common Misconceptions about Buddhism 315 Buddhism is Only for Asians 316 To Buddhists, the Buddha is God 317 Buddhists are Idol Worshippers 317 Because Buddhists Think Life is Suffering, They Look Forward to Dying 318 Buddhists Think That Everything is an Illusion 318 Buddhists Don’t Believe in Anything 319 Only Buddhists Can Practice Buddhism 320 Buddhists are Interested Only in Contemplating Their Navels 320 Buddhists Never Get Angry 321 “It’s Just Your Karma; There’s Nothing You Can Do about It” 322 Buddhists Don’t Know How to Count 322 Chapter 17: Ten Ways Buddhism Can Help You Deal with Life’s Problems 323 Affirming the Basic Principles 324 Applying the Basic Principles 324 Turning the page on your great expectations 325 Accepting change gracefully 325 Breaking up the concrete 326 Pretending to Be a Buddha 327 Watching your car rust 328 Seeing that what’s yours isn’t really yours 328 Feeling sorry for a thief 329 Tendering your resignation to pain 330 Turning off the projector 331 Dealing with uninvited houseguests 332 Part 6: Appendixes 335 Appendix A: Explaining Buddhist Terms 337 Appendix B: Additional Buddhist Resources to Check Out 343 Index 353

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is 2 books in one. Pt 1 explains how the Bible carries proof of its authenticity within its pages, and outlines the basics of the Christian faith. Pt 2 looks at how the simple truths of the Bible have been distorted by mankind and considers alternative belief systems and what we have created for ourselves having abandoned our Christian roots.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less