Vajrayogini: Her Visualizations, Rituals and Forms Vajrayogini is a tantric goddess from the highest class of Buddhist tantras who manifests the ultimate development of wisdom and compassion. Her practice is prevalent today among practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. This ground-breaking book delves into the origins of Vajrayogini, charting her evolution in India and examining her roots in the Cakrasamvara tantra and in Indian tradition relating to Shiva.
The focus of this work is the Guhyasamayasadhanamala, a collection of forty-six sadhanas, or practice texts. Written on palm leaves in Sanskrit and preserved since the twelfth century, this diverse collection, composed by various authors, reveals a multitude of forms of the goddess, each of which is described and illustrated here. One of the sadhanas, the Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva, depicts Vajrayogini at the center of a mandala of thirty-seven different goddesses, and is here presented in full translation alongside a Sanskrit edition. Elizabeth English provides extensive explanation and annotation of this representative text. Sixteen pages of stunning color plates not only enhance the study but bring the goddess to life.
Buddhism Is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs Bestselling author and renowned Zen teacher Steve Hagen penetrates the most essential and enduring questions at the heart of the Buddha's teachings: How can we see the world in each moment, rather than merely as what we think, hope, or fear it is? How can we base our actions on reality, rather than on the longing and loathing of our hearts and minds? How can we live lives that are wise, compassionate, and in tune with reality? And how can we separate the wisdom of Buddhism from the cultural trappings and misconceptions that have come to be associated with it? Drawing on down-to-earth examples from everyday life and stories from Buddhist teachers past and present, Hagen tackles these fundamental inquiries with his trademark lucid, straightforward prose. The newcomer to Buddhism will be inspired by this accessible and provocative introduction, and those more familiar with Buddhism will welcome this much needed hands-on guide to understanding what it truly means to be awake. By being challenged to question what we take for granted, we come to see the world as it truly is. Buddhism Is Not What You Think offers a profound and clear path to a life of joy and freedom.
"On the contrary, Subhuti, those Bodhisattvas who, when these words of the sutra are being taught, will find even one single thought of serene faith, will be such as have honoured many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, such as have planted their roots."
"The main difference between us, Buddhism and other philosophies, is that we do not accept the notion of a living god, but rather that we are responsible for our future happiness."
Fine looking trailer for a yet to be finished project thats looking for financial support.
The Teachings This is the revised trailer for the film, 'The Teachings'. The project is currently on hold while I try to raise the funds to complete this film. If anyone is in the position to support the making of this film, please contact me via email. peter@hollowayfilms.com
The film explores the value of empathy, the pursuit of happiness and the power of compassion in the context of a world in crisis. Central to the film are the words of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The Teachings is based on 5 days of filming of His Holiness teaching in Sydney, Australia . The film takes the viewer on a journey around the world to experience the concept of compassion as explained by His Holiness. With the help of an eclectic group of leading thinkers, commentators, celebrities and ordinary people the film explores the simple secular message of the Dalai Lama, and using music and imagery, provides the viewer with an entertaining, slightly mischievous, challenging and highly visceral cinematic experience.
Guided Mindfulness Meditation - Jon Kabat-Zinn Guided Mindfulness Meditation is about learning to experience life fully as it unfolds—moment by moment. One popular misconception about meditation is that it is a way to make your mind blank so you can escape from what you are feeling. However, author Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn wants you to understand that meditation is an invitation to wake up, experience the fullness of your life, and transform your relationship with your problems, your fears, and any pain and stress in your life so that they don’t wind up controlling you and eroding the quality of your life and your creativity. It is not about running away, or manipulating mental states.
Through the practice of mindfulness, you can learn to develop greater calmness, clarity and insight in facing and embracing all your life experiences, even life’s trials, and turning them into occasions for learning, growing and deepening your own strength and wisdom.
The Accidental Buddhist - Dinty Moore Dinty Moore never intended to change his life, he just wanted to document the lives of others. This investigative reporter set out to explore America's fascination with Buddhism and found himself enthralled. You will be too, as Moore takes you into the world of American-style Buddhism, from a mountain retreat for executives learning to deal with stress to a Tibetan Freedom Concert with the Beastie Boys. You'll meet a Zen teacher holding classes in an old Quaker farmhouse and sit in on Change Your Mind Day, a kind of annual be-in held in Central Park. And who knows? Maybe your life will change too.
Some good folks have only half-way understood my PO/PO initiative (see prior entry) to be a letter-writing campaign. That's only a part of it. (Do these senators read letters anyway, I wonder?) The more important part, as I envisioned it, was about community action, demonstration, solidarity… Remember "Solidarity"--the movement that led to the liberation of Poland from Soviet domination?
So I'm asking the more than 70 percent of us who say we believe in significant health care reform to be "solid" with our friends, our neighbors, our families, ourselves--and yes, our online contacts. I'm looking for access to bigger platforms, more active support... Facebook (follow the link to the PO/PO facebook group), Twitter, big circulation blogs and political sites. Can you do this?
AND I want us all to show up at our local Post Office, letters or cards in hand, at HIGH NOON ON 09/01/09.
Will you help me? Will you broadcast this? Will you be there? Will you shake my hand?
I happened upon the music of Matisyahu by chance when he first hit the scene and immediately fell in love with his style. It's fresh, original, hip and very catchy. His style is an exceptional hybrid of reggae, rap, beat-box, hip-hop and rock. There is something there to his music, however, besides amazing talent and a unique sound, which I quickly figured out--He has a deep passion for the music, which stems in large part from a deep well of spiritual energy.
Matis is a Hasidic Jew who mixes positive, uplifting messages about Jewish and other spirituality into his songs. The spiritual messages he infuses into his music are very universal so that despite not being Jewish or even monotheistic I really connect with it on a profound level. One such song is from Matisyahu's new album, "Light" and it's titled, "One Day." Anyway, below the video box I've typed out some of the lyrics that I like most from this song about peace, love and non-violence. If the video is disabled click here for the link to the video:
sometimes in my tears I drown but I never let it get me down so when negativity surrounds I know some day it'll all turn around because all my live I've been waiting for I've been praying for for the people to say that we don't wanna fight no more they'll be no more warsand our children will play one day
it's not about win or lose because we all losewhen they feed on the souls of the innocentblood drenched pavement keep on moving though the waters stay raging in this maze you can lose your way (your way) it might drive you crazy but dont let it faze you no way (no way)
one day this all will change treat people the same stop with the violence down with the hate one day we'll all be free and proud to beunder the same sun singing songs of freedom
James: Music can provide inspiration to see the world, the day or one's life in an entirely different way. Sounds are some of the most effective ways of conveying spirituality because they touch a place deep within our essence that isn't always accessible by words alone. A lot of times too the essence of words can be lost in translation from one language to another but the sounds themselves cross all boundaries, barriers and cultures. It can inspire us toward great heights of being, doing and seeing.
In addition, music is a great way to relax and prepare for meditation but it is also a very good meditation by itself. I have sat down to listen to music with an angry or depressed mood only to have it lifted and calmed through meditating on the beautiful sounds of a song. So don't forget to use music to help you explore your states of mind and consciousness. It's important to take time in our busy lives to stop, listen and enjoy some good music to help us release less helpful energy and replace it with a rejuvenating feeling.
"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity."
Religions of Tibet in Practice - Donald Lopez Tibetan Buddhism is most well known for its Book of the Dead and its tantric practices. In Religions of Tibet in Practice, an anthology of religious texts from Tibet, both of these elements are well represented, along with many more selections of prayers, sermons, biographies, and epics. Translated by the top scholars in the field, these pieces provide an excellent introduction to the varied and wide-ranging aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the epic of King Gesar (the "Iliad of Tibet"), the meditative states of the boddhisattvas, the horseback consecration ritual, and the life story of tantric master Lorepa. Not only do the selections allow direct contact with the Tibetan religious tradition, but the introductions to each selection together provide a history of Tibetan religion that exceeds in scope and quality anything in print today.
Bhava Yoga - Russill Paul A traditionalist with an ear for pop, Russill Paul is one of the yoga world's most powerful devotional chanters and musicians. He works within the Indian classical music realm to create beautiful pieces that lift the spirit and provide a supportive environment for asana practice, chanting, or just relaxing. This is the third volume of his "Yoga of Sound" series, and features chants and mantras from a variety of sources, including Hindu and Sufi. Customary Indian flutes and percussion blend with more modern instrumentation and production, resulting in a timeless and universal sound. Paul's melodious, deep voice is a pleasure to listen to, although extensive liner notes and instructions for chanting encourage active participation.
Let's not let the great liberal tradition die with Senator Edward Kennedy. Now that he's gone, let's not let him down. Let's honor his memory and return something of the gift he gave to all of us by ensuring the passage of a health care bill--with the public option. We can do it, if we all pitch in. My own initiative is outlined below. It's a simple and effective way to pay this man the tribute he has earned.
Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Book of the Dead The Tibetan Books of the Dead are a diverse collection of Buddhist scriptures that yield valuable insight into the psychology of death and dying and suggest the importance of meditative practice and knowledge as tools for self-understanding. This in-depth study of this rich body of Buddhist literature details the Tibetan Buddhist belief in the bardos, of intermediate states, and serves as an illuminating companion volume to The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Using original texts from both the Buddhist and pre-Buddhist Tibetan religious traditions, this book presents a detailed portrayal of the teachings and the iconography that play a major role in the Tibetan understanding of death and dying. The peaceful and wrathful deities, the mandala principle, the five Buddha families, and the six realms of experience are among the doctrines examined in this volume. A psychological commentary and the illustrations and diagrams in the book illuminate the Tibetan path from death, through the after-death state, to transformation and rebirth. A comparison with Western investigations of consciousness, death, and dying, as well as views of death in India, Egypt, and other ancient cultures, enables the reader to see how the Tibetan Buddhist perspective on death relates to the spiritual and psychological beliefs of other societies.
Vipassana Meditation 10 Day Course video This is the Vipassana Meditation 10 Day Course video series given by S.N. Goenka.
This is the same series previously uploaded, reducing the 700 MB files to 230 - 270 MB each and reducing the size of the full series from 7.51 GB to 2.68 GB . The files have cleaner beginnings and endings and the distortion from the lower edge has been cropped.
The video quality is lower, but considering the file size, I think it is quite good, and hey, let's be honest, there is not much to look at in this series. You won't miss anything if you opt for the audio version, but some people like to have a visual to focus on while they listen, so this can serve in that capacity.
The final video, Day 11, has a 24 minute session of chanting, followed by the discourse, followed by another session of chanting. These parts have been split up into separate files so that those who are interested in only the discourse can locate it quickly and easily.
Also included is the PDF file of the Discourse Summaries for those who are new to Vipassana.
Eight Verses for Training the Mind - Dalai Lama From lectures in Washington in 1998. The Dalai Lama gives a commentary to Langri Tangpa's Eight Verses, the quintessential Kadampa text on generation of Bodhicitta. He also talks on the two truths from the Madhyamika viewpoint.
"It could be said that the Eight Verses for Training the Mind contains within them the entire essence of the Buddha's teachings in a distinct form." The Dalai Lama.
Ango - Rev. Taigu Turlur Rev. Taigu talks about Ango, a special 100 day Practice Period. This is the text quoted in the following talk. It was given at the beginning of Ango, the summer practice. I strongly recommended the reading of the book itself. Amazing translations and real inspiring collection that give a perfect glimpse of Dogen's genius.
Formal Talk on the First Day of the Practice Period, recorded by Ejo, 1245, Echizen.
(...) On the first day of the summer period he ascended the teaching seat, held up a whisk, drew a circle in the air, and said,"our practice period~peacefully dwelling~goes beyond this". He drew another circle and said,"Peacefully dwelling is to study this thoroughly. So it is taught that the Buddha who is the King of the Empty Eon received this life vein, becoming a buddha,becoming an ancestor. The fist and the staff embody this point. They transmit Dharma and transmit the robe. "During each summer practice period, make each moment the top of your head. Don't regard this as a beginning. Don't regard this as going beyond. Even if you see it as a beginning, kick it away. Even if you se it as going beyond, stomp on it. Then you are not bound by beginning or going beyond. How is it?" Dogen took up the whisk, drew a circle and said: "Dwell peacefully in this nest".
Concerning what Buddhism thinks toward the universe the Buddha has said, “It is so large that it has no exterior, and so small that it has no interior.” “It means that at the Tathagata level, in terms of largeness, you can’t see the edge of the universe, and in terms of smallness, you can’t see the smallest microscopic particle of matter."
James: Whenever this perspective comes into focus it always humbles and reassures me that the bigger picture of reality is unfolding as it should. How could it not be unfolding at it should for we don't have much control over anything let alone our fate in the unfathomable totally of the Universe. We have learned a lot as a species but we still probably don't even know a tenth of what the Universe is about and we will most likely never know. Perhaps that's the way it is meant to be because how can something so immense and ever changing ever be pinned down and completely understand by a mind, which we know is flawed to begin with? Catching up to the consciousness of this vast experiment is in my view a glimpse into the state of parinirvana, which in totality is impossible to grasp until, (it seems to this humbled mind) until one no longer longs to grasp at all. Perhaps we'll "know" it when our desire to know is exhausted.
How lucky to have been born on this pale blue dot of dust hurtling through the vast expanse of a living Universe at all? How even luckier is it then to have been born as a human with the ability to understand that we're living on a pale, isolated blue dot of dust hurtling through the vast expanse of a living, breathing Universe!! And that on this pale blue dot once walked a man called Buddha who changed this dot forever. Whole civilizations of ants live and die generation after generation with no knowledge whatsoever that they live on such a miracle of a rock floating and spinning around a bright, giant, star of nuclear reactivity.
We can try to act like we are in control with our super smart, fast computers but in the totality of it all those are just blimps on a inconceivably massive time line. We're along for the ride so while pursuing science and looking beyond our current limitations is something we should always pursue we need to remember the less flashy parts of the puzzle. Black holes, red dwarfs, spiral galaxies and massive, multi-colored planets are enthralling and awe inspiring to be sure but so is the most delicate, humblest blade of grass that we often pass as we rush our way across this pale blue dot. Some of the most amazing moments in existence don't take place in a lab, aren't seen through the lens of a telescope or measured with the most high-tech satellite. As my master Thich Nhat Hanh says:
“I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth. In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality. People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes. All is a miracle...
James: I am content to just be apart of it all and to share a few spins around the sun with you all on this miracle rock called, Earth. That makes me smile.
"Everyone is looking for happiness and avoiding suffering. This is the purpose of philosophy, the basis of all religion and the drive to create indoor plumbing."
Turning Suffering and Happiness Into Enlightenment - Sogyal Rinpoche
Transforming Problems into Happiness - Buddhist Mind Training Course
In this compilation of teachings, Sogyal Rinpoche introduces and essentialises Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpé Nyima's Kyiduk Lamkhyer, or Turning Suffering and Happiness into Enlightenment, heart-advice that brings together "a hundred different crucial instructions into one single point."
One of the mind's most marvelous qualities is that it can be transformed. Turning Suffering and Happiness into Enlightenment shows how we can purify our conditioned mind, and gain independence and freedom from it. We effect change within ourselves by working with our attitude. If we can conquer our perceptions, then everything we perceive and everything that appears will be a cause for happiness. A true practitioner sees suffering as something that inspires renunciation and as a joyful opportunity for the purification of negative karma. Such a practitioner would welcome happiness with gratitude, and recognize it as a wonderful opportunity for investing in the positive actions of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, meditation and wisdom.
The following material is used in the Rigpa Study and Practice Program, 'The Heart of Compassion - Part One': Turning Suffering and Happiness Into Enlightenment. These teachings are divided by session and follow the root text.
Teachings in Bodhgaya, India - Lama Zopa Rinpoche These are the teachings that were given at Bodhgaya, India on December 26-31 2006 by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Days 1-3: Maitreya Buddha Puja, Dharma teachings, meditation on Maitreya Buddha, and an oral transmission of the Maitreya Mantra.
Many of us are not capable of releasing the past, of releasing the suffering of the past. We want to cling to our own suffering. But the Buddha said very clearly, do not cling to the past, the past is already gone. Do not wait for future, the future is not yet there. The wise people establish themselves in the present moment and they practice living deeply in the present moment. That is our practice. By living deeply in the present moment we can understand the past better and we can prepare for a better future.
Myself, I want to be informed about what is going on in the world. I want to be informed, but that does not mean that I have to listen to the news three times a day. I think there is some kind of vacuum in us we want to fill up; that is why we buy so many newspapers and magazines and why we view so much television. We do not need that much information. I think maybe five minutes daily is enough. Sometime we can survive several months without any news bulletins. And you have friends who can tell you what is important that has happened.
If you do not know how to be patient, how to care, how to use loving speech, you cannot help other people to change. But if we have the energy of compassion and loving kindness in us, the people around us will be influenced by our way of being and living. Reproaching them, shouting at them, blaming them, can never help them. Only our love, our patience and our loving speech can help. And if we are in a situation where our own skillfulness, our own compassion, is not strong enough, we could need the support of our Dharma brothers and sisters in order to do the job.
I recommend listening to each video for a few minutes to relax and center yourself before reading each corresponding haiku below it. Trust me, it's worth it. Also, try turning up the volume for a more realistic experience:
If you dwell only in your suffering, you will miss paradise. Don't ignore your suffering, but don't forget to enjoy the wonders of life, for your sake and for the benefit of many beings.
The Art of Mindful Living - Thich Nhat Hanh Zen meditation master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh offers his practical teachings about how to bring love and mindful awareness into our daily experience. These rare moments were recorded during a family meditation retreat. Kind – purposeful – illuminating – here is an abundant treasure of traditional gathas (teachings) that unify meditation practice with the challenges we face in today’s world. Enhanced features include traditional Vietnamese music performed by the monks and nuns of Plum Village, a meditation practice from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Mindful Movements video, and an interview with the author.
The ocean of suffering is immense, but if you turn around, you can see the land. The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.
When one tree in the garden is sick, you have to care for it. But don't overlook all the healthy trees. Even while you have pain in your heart, you can enjoy the many wonders of life - the beautiful sunset, the smile of a child, the many flowers and trees. To suffer is not enough. Please don't be imprisoned by your suffering. If you have experienced hunger, you know that having food is a miracle. If you have suffered from the cold, you know the preciousness of warmth.
When you have suffered, you know how to appreciate the elements of paradise that are present.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead - W. Y. Evans-Wentz The Tibetan Book of the Dead is one of the texts that, according to legend, Padma-Sambhava was compelled to hide during his visit to Tibet in the late 8th century. The guru hid his books in stones, lakes, and pillars because the Tibetans of that day and age were somehow unprepared for their teachings. Now, in the form of the ever-popular Tibetan Book of the Dead, these teachings are constantly being discovered and rediscovered by Western readers of many different backgrounds--a phenomenon which began in 1927 with Oxford's first edition of Dr. Evans-Wentz's landmark volume. While it is traditionally used as a mortuary text, to be read or recited in the presence of a dead or dying person, this book--which relates the whole experience of death and rebirth in three intermediate states of being--was originally understood as a guide not only for the dead but also for the living. As a contribution to the science of death and dying--not to mention the belief in life after death, or the belief in rebirth--The Tibetan Book of the Dead is unique among the sacred texts of the world, for its socio-cultural influence in this regard is without comparison.
This fourth edition features a new foreword, afterword, and suggested further reading list by Donald S. Lopez, author of Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West. Lopez traces the whole history of the late Evans-Wentz's three earlier editions of this book, fully considering the work of contributors to previous editions (C. G. Jung among them), the sections that were added by Evans-Wentz along the way, the questions surrounding the book's translation, and finally the volume's profound importance in engendering both popular and academic interest in the religion and culture of Tibet. Another key theme that Lopez addresses is the changing nature of this book's audience--from the prewar theosophists to the beat poets to the hippies to contemporary exponents of the hospice movement--and what these audiences have found (or sought) in its very old pages.
Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism Simmer-Brown (chair, religious studies, Naropa Univ.) has produced a comprehensive, scholarly, and intriguing study of "dakini," the feminine principle in Tibetan Buddhism. She defines dakini as a symbol "who personifies in Tibetan Buddhism the spiritual process of surrendering expectation and concept, revealing limitless space and pristine awareness." The methodology she employs in her study includes both scholarly preparation and training in Vajrayana Buddhist practice traditions. She is sensitive to and articulate about feminist issues related to her subject and on this basis finds the prevailing modes of feminist and Jungian paradigms lacking in there assessment of dakini. Therefore, she proposes more appropriate methodologies that draw on the disciplines of history of religions and gender studies. As she reviews the Indian historical background of dakini, she is careful to differentiate dakini in Tibetan tantric literature from dakini's "Hindu tantric cousins." While Thinley Norbu's Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis is more poetic, Simmer-Brown's work is more scholarly and focused. It also includes an examination of the hagiographic lore about dakini and ends with a description of dakini as the protector of tantric teachings and midwife of the transmission of teachings. Recommended as a landmark study which will be a useful addition to any library's holdings on Tibetan Buddhism
Cult of Tara: Magic and Ritual in Tibet An in-depth study of the living ritual surrounding the devotion of Tara, the mother of all Buddhas, plus an analysis of Tibetan Buddhist ritual in general.
"The fullest (almost encyclopedic) description of religious life yet published. It is an outstanding achievement." Times Literary Supplement.
"Opens a new door for the Western student of religion to the understanding of ritual in one of its most sophisticated and artistic forms. The author povides a precise and descriptive representation of the actual rituals. He gives a very readable translation of the important parts of the ritual texts such as the visualizations of the contemplated deity, prayers, praises, offerings, and innovations along with a detailed account of what the participants actually do." Artibus Asiae.
"Going beyond the irreducibly Tibetan flavour that pervades this material, Beyer`s presentation propels the reader over the ocean of tantra in the direction of a more general theory of religious ritual, within whose confines the socio-dynamics of magic and mysticism, the history and philosophy of religion, epitemology, psychology, and semiotics all play important roles." Philosophy East and West.
For forty-five years, the Buddha said, over and over again, "I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering." When we recognize and acknowledge our own suffering, the Buddha - which means the Buddha in us - will look at it, discover what has brought it about, and prescribe a course of action that can transform it into peace, joy, and liberation. Suffering is the means the Buddha used to liberate himself, and it is also the means by which we can become free.
The layman Vimalakirti said, "Because the world is sick, I am sick. Because people suffer, I have to suffer." This statement was also made by the Buddha. Please don't think that because you are unhappy, because there is pain in your heart, that you cannot go to the Buddha. It is exactly because there is pain in your heart that communication is possible. Your suffering and my suffering are the basic condition for us to enter the Buddha's heart, and for the Buddha to enter our hearts.
Buddhism: A Concise Introduction - Huston Smith, Philip Novak Going well beyond the masterful presentationof Buddhism in the bestselling The World's Religions, Huston Smith and his premier student Philip Novak offer an expert, contemporary, yet highly readable and incisive guide to the heart of this vibrantly diverse and rapidly growing tradition, one that has an increasing presence and importance on the American scene. Smith is universally regarded as the leading authority on the world's religious traditions, and Novak is an award-winning professor of world religions and a Buddhist practitioner immersed in the contemporary worlds of American and Asian Buddhism.
Smith and Novak respectfully cover the essential teachings, practices, and historical development of Buddhism in all its rich variety. Beginning with the life and legend of the Buddha, Buddhism explores core Buddhist doctrines such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, nirvana, and emptiness. The authors go on to discuss the split between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, the continued divisions of Mahayana into Pure Land, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism, and the confluence of Hinduism and Buddhism in India. The second half of the book follows the global migration of Buddhism and its continuing diversification and development in the West, especially in America. This compelling work by two great scholars -- a legendary teacher and his long-time student and colleague -- is the most insightful, up-to-date, and accessible introduction to this great and immensely appealing religious tradition available today.
"We all have the tendency to struggle in our bodies and in our minds. We believe that happiness is possible only in the future. The realization that we have already arrived, that we don't have to travel any further, that we are already here, can give us peace and joy. The conditions for our happiness are already sufficient. We only need to allow ourselves to be in the present moment, and we will be able to touch them. What are we looking for to be happy? Everything is already here. We do not need to put an object in front of us to run after, believing that until we get it, we cannot be happy. That object is always in the future, and we can never catch up to it. We are already in the Pure Land, the Kingdom of God. We are already a Buddha. We only need to wake up and realize we are already here."
Tibetan prayer - YungchenLhamo with Namgyal Monastery Monks YunchenLhamo's first album is a collection of devotional songs she carried with her from the Tibetan highlands. The independently-released album won the Australian Recording Industry (ARIA) Award for best World Music/Folk release in 1995 and led to her being discovered and signed by Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. "This CD is an offering to the one pure ray of light in this world of darkness, His Holiness the 14thDalai Lama," Yungchen said. "It is an offering to fulfill the Bodhisattvhas' wish for the happiness of all beings. I hope you can learn to sing these prayers."
Why I Became a Buddhist - Pema Chödrön Pema Chödrön reveals the time-tested Buddhist antidote to suffering—and shows how to apply it in your own life. The simple and elegant meditation practice known as tonglen, she teaches, is the perfect medicine for "ordinary people like ourselves." Through tonglen, we can use life's difficulties as a way to befriend ourselves, accept the past we have rejected, and widen our circle of compassion. Excerpted from the DVD Good Medicine. Youtube
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms - Fa-hsien This country originally had no human inhabitants, but was occupied only by spirits and nâgas, with which merchants of various countries carried on a trade.... Through the coming and going of merchants... when they went away, the people of their various countries heard how pleasant the land was, and flocked to it in numbers till it became a great nation.-from "Chapter XXXVIII: At Ceylon" Little is known about the 5th-century Chinese monk Fâ-hien beyond what he himself tells us in the journals of his travels in India and Ceylon from the years 399 to 414 in search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline. But as he follows in the footsteps of the Buddha, revisiting the legendary places of the faith, his wise observations reveal an enlightenment that transcends time. An important primary source on the traditions and beliefs of Buddhism, this 1886 translation-complete with copious notes on Buddhist ideas and rituals, particular translations, and poetic idioms-is still considered the best English-language version available. Spiritual seekers will find a deeper understanding of Buddhism; students of Asian history will discover a glorious travelogue of an ancient culture. Scottish scholar JAMES LEGGE (1815-1897) was the first professor of Chinese language and literature at Oxford University, serving from 1876 to 1897. Among his many books are The Life and Teaching of Confucius (1867), The Religions of China (1880), and the 50-volume Sacred Books of the East (1879-1891).
An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy - Karyn L. Lai, This comprehensive introductory textbook to early Chinese philosophy covers a range of philosophical traditions which arose during the Spring and Autumn (722-476 BCE) and Warring States (475-221 BCE) periods in China, including Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism. It considers concepts, themes and argumentative methods of early Chinese philosophy and follows the development of some ideas in subsequent periods, including the introduction of Buddhism into China. The book examines key issues and debates in early Chinese philosophy, cross-influences between its traditions and interpretations by scholars up to the present day. The discussion draws upon both primary texts and secondary sources, and there are suggestions for further reading. This will be an invaluable guide for all who are interested in the foundations of Chinese philosophy and its richness and continuing relevance.
Early Buddhism and Its Origins - Vishwanath Prasad Varma Buddhism is a subject of absorbing interest to student of comparative religions, ethics, history and social philosophy. Its historical foundations have been discussed by Senart, Oldenberg and C.A.F. Rhys Davids. In this book there has been presented not only an objective and scholarly exposition of the teachings and philosophy of early Buddhism but the Vedic roots of its concepts have been demonstrated. The methods of sociology of religion have also been followed. The section entitled Buddhism and the Social Sciences constitutes an original contribution to knowledge from the pen of an immanent teacher of political philosophy.
