Collected here for the first time, these stories span the author’s life. There are stories from Thich Nhat Hanh’s childhood and the traditions of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenaged novice, as a young teacher and writer in war torn Vietnam, and of his travels around the world to teach mindfulness, make pilgrimages to sacred sites, and influence world leaders. The tradition of Zen teaching stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story–telling to engage people’s interest so he can share important teachings, insights, and life lessons.From the Hardcover edition.

    Bridging the world of spirit and activism, they urge a compassionate response to the systemic, state-sanctioned violence and oppression that has persisted against Black people since the slave era. With national attention focused on the recent killings of unarmed black citizens and the response of the Black-centered liberation groups such as Black Lives Matter, "Radical Dharma" demonstrates how social transformation and personal, spiritual liberation must be articulated and inextricably linked.Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Lama Rod Owens, and Jasmine Syedullah represent a new voice in American Buddhism. Offering their own histories and experiences as illustrations of the types of challenges facing dharma practitioners and teachers who are different from those of the past five decades, they ask how teachings that transcend color, class, and caste are hindered by discrimination and the dynamics of power, shame, and ignorance. Their illuminating argument goes beyond a demand for the equality and inclusion of diverse populations to advancing a new dharma that deconstructs rather than amplifies systems of suffering and prepares us to weigh the shortcomings not only of our own minds but also of our communities. They forge a path toward reconciliation and self-liberation that rests on radical honesty, a common ground where we can drop our need for perfection and propriety and speak as souls.In a society where profit rules, people's value is determined by the color of their skin, and many voices including queer voices are silenced, Radical Dharma recasts the concepts of engaged spirituality, social transformation, inclusiveness, and healing.

    An enlightening, accessible, and highly entertaining guide to the guru-disciple relationship, the....

    In this simple yet important book, Noah Rasheta takes profound Buddhist concepts and makes them easy to understand for anyone trying to become a better whatever-they-already-are.

    The Buddha saw that the human experience is full of drama: confusion and conviction, joy and sorrow, success and failure—and that our minds love to amplify all of it. "We decide somebody or something is a certain way," muses Pema Chödrön, "and then that judgment gets frozen and fixated, long after things change. And things always change, right?" In these free-spirited sessions, Ani Pema helps you to bring awareness to those inflexible thoughts and sticking points. Through meditations, daily practices, and the kind of simple pointers that can change our lives, you’ll learn that it is entirely possible to return to the flow and freedom of your experiences—and to find your way each day closer to a place of unconditional friendliness with yourself and with those in need.

    In Awakening from the Daydream, discover how these ancient symbols are still relevant to our modern life.In Awakening from the Daydream, meditation teacher David Nichtern reimagines the ancient Buddhist allegory of the Wheel of Life. Famously painted at the entryway to Buddhist monasteries, the Wheel of Life encapsulates the entirety of the human situation. In the image of the Wheel we find a teaching about how to make sense of life and how to find peace within an uncertain world. Nichtern writes with clarity and humor, speaking to our contemporary society and its concerns and providing simple practical steps for building a mindful, compassionate, and liberating approach to living.

    The value and morals as presented in these stories played an important role in igniting the young minds. So, it is vital to impart moral values to children. Jataka Tales are ideal for reading to children. The stories tell that highly dramatic adventures can be resolved by non-violet & compassionate means. The lessons of Jataka tales are multiple. The stories are simple & easy. These stories are for all those who loves fine stories about their fellow wise & not-so-wise creatures. We at Maple Press are determined to bring these stories back into the lives of the Gen Z.

    Yet for many, "getting lucid" for the first time can be elusive. And for those who have, there are few resources that show us how to use this extraordinary state for the greater goal of awakening to all of reality, day or night. With Dream Yoga, Andrew Holecek brings us a practical guide for meditators, seasoned dream travelers wanting to go deeper, and total beginners eager to experience lucidity for the first time. Here, you’ll join this expert teacher of dream work and meditation to learn: How to awaken in your dreams naturally by using modern scientific principles with the insights and practices of Tibetan dream and sleep yoga• Proven guidance to overcome common obstacles, enhance dream recall, focus and amplify awareness while dreaming, work with nightmares safely, resolve emotional blockages, and glean wisdom from your dreams• A wealth of practices and tips that have helped thousands enjoy successful dream-time exploration• Essential Buddhist teachings and tools for navigating the many realms of sleep (dreaming is just one of them)• Direct insights into the continuation of consciousness beyond the physical body and death• How to bring your skills together to engage with the hundreds of thousands of dream opportunities that most of us forget or dismiss Have you ever wondered what happens when you sleep and dream? Desired to wake up in your dreams and have the time of your life? Or wanted to use your sleep hours to fully explore these dimensions, heal, and evolve? Dream Yoga answers these questions—not academically but directly—by showing you how to access this profound universe for yourself.

    One such poem is Revelations of Ever-present Good from Lingpa’s Great Vastness Heart Drop Cycle.In A Trackless Path Ken McLeod presents a fluid contemporary translation of this poem, accompanied by a deeply moving and insightful commentary. The combination makes Lingpa’s mystical poem relevant and accessible to today’s seeker.

    

    His warm and wise voice unpacks and contextualizes its wisdom, showing us how we can apply its ancient insights to our own modern lives, to create a life of engaged peace, harmony, compassion, and joy. In fourth-century India one of the great geniuses of Buddhism, Vasubandhu, sought to reconcile the diverse ideas and forms of Buddhism practiced at the time and demonstrate how they could be effectively integrated into a single system. This was the Yogacara movement, and it continues to have great influence in modern Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. “Thirty Verses on Consciousness Only,” or “Trimshika,” is the most concise, comprehensive, and accessible work by this revered figure. Vasubandhu’s “Thirty Verses” lay out a path of practice that integrates the most powerful of Buddhism’s psychological and mystical possibilities: Early Buddhism’s practices for shedding afflictive emotional habit and the Mahayana emphasis on shedding divisive concepts, the path of individual liberation and the path of freeing all beings, the path to nirvana and the path of enlightenment as the very ground of being right now. Although Yogacara has a reputation for being extremely complex, the “Thirty Verses” distills the principles of these traditions to their most practical forms, and this book follows that sense of focus; it goes to the heart of the matter—how do we alleviate suffering through shedding our emotional knots and our sense of alienation? This is a great introduction to a philosophy, a master, and a work whose influence reverberates throughout modern Buddhism.

    Buddhism has a lot to say about suffering--and there are likely few times we suffer more intensely than when we break up with a romantic partner. It feels like you may never recover sometimes. But Lodro Rinzler has wonderfully good news for those suffering heartbreak: the 2,500-year-old teachings of the Buddha are the ultimate antidote for emotional pain. And you don't need to be a Buddhist for them to apply to you. In this short and compact first-aid kit for a broken heart, he walks you through the cause and cure of suffering, with much practical advice for self-care as you work to survive a breakup. The wisdom he presents applies to any kind of emotional suffering. It's a great, practical offering of consolation for someone you know who's going through a tough time, and for yourself when you're looking for the light at the end of the tunnel in your own situation.

    The five bestselling handbooks of Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindfulness Essentials Series, How to Sit, Ho....

    The selections, all drawn from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of the Buddha’s discourses, are organized into ten thematic chapters. The chapters deal with such topics as the quelling of anger, good friendship, intentional communities, the settlement of disputes, and the establishing of an equitable society. Each chapter begins with a concise and informative introduction by the translator that guides us toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow. In times of social conflict, intolerance, and war, the Buddha’s approach to creating and sustaining peace takes on a new and urgent significance. Even readers unacquainted with Buddhism will appreciate these ancient teachings, always clear, practical, undogmatic, and so contemporary in flavor. The Buddha’s Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony will prove to be essential reading for anyone seeking to bring peace into their communities and into the wider world.

    Let compassion and fearlessness guide you and you'll live wisely and effectively in good times and bad. Here Pema Chodron offers a powerful method to awaken these qualities using a practice called lojong, which has been a primary focus of her teachings and personal practice for many years. In this boxed set, she provides all the tools needed to practice it in your own life. It includes: * an introduction to the practice * fifty-nine cards representing the full set of lojong teachings for daily inspiration and contemplation * practical commentary from Pema on the reverse of each card * a card stand for easy display * and an audio download of Pema's teachings on the related practice of tonglen. These cards were previously published as part of The Compassion Box.

    It's a powerful method for developing compassion of the most tranformative kind, and its supreme expression is found in the classic text The Great Path of Awakening by Jamgon Kongtrül. This book is Dzigar Kongtrül's commentary on that beloved text, based on a series of talks he gave on it. It includes his fresh translation of the Great Path, and it is full of his characteristic humor as well as his skill in translating esoteric concepts into terms that not only are easily understood but that speak directly to the heart.

    The manual presents a comprehensive overview of the practice of insight meditation, including the foundational aspects of ethical self-discipline, understanding the philosophical framework for the practice, and developing basic concentration and mindfulness. It culminates with an in-depth exploration of the various types of insight and spiritual fruits that the practice yields. Authored by the master who brought insight meditation to the West and whose students include Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, and Sharon Salzberg, Manual of Insight is a veritable Bible for any practitioner of vipassana.

     This book will provide you an introduction to the history of Buddhism and its teachings and practices. Along with Buddhist philosophies there are many practices to incorporate into your daily life such as meditation and mindfulness to help calm your mind, reduce stress and anxiety. ☆☆“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way.” – The Dalai Lama☆☆ This is a guide to Buddhism for beginners but includes quotes and resources to guide you towards more advanced Buddhist teachings and writing if you wish to develop your own study of Buddhism further. Here Is A Preview Of What’s Included… An introduction to Buddhist Philosophies and Teachings The history of Buddhism and the Life of the Buddha Key Buddhism concepts such as Karma, suffering, Samsara and Nirvana The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism The Eightfold Path, The Five Precepts and The Middle Way Practicing Buddhism in every day life How to practice mindfulness to reduce stress and increase happiness Meditation practices apps, and resources Meditation to obtain calm and clarity over your thoughts Much, Much More! ☆☆ “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s trouble’s, it takes away today’s peace” – The Buddha ☆☆ KINDLE EDITION: NOTE: You do not need a kindle reader to read this, you can read this on smartphone or in a web browser ☆☆Download This Great Book Today! Available To Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet!☆☆ ☆☆To purchase this book scroll to the top and select Buy now with 1 Click ☆☆ PAPERBACK EDITION: Kindle edition included for free with purchase of paperback To purchase the paper, click paperback at the top of this description to purchase.

    Reb Anderson first introduces us to the fundamental ideas of Zen Buddhist practice. Who was Shakyamuni Buddha and what was his central teaching? What does it mean to be a bodhisattva and take the bodhisattva vow? Why should we confess and acknowledge our ancient twisted karma? What is the significance of taking refuge in Buddha, dharma, and sangha? The author explores the ten basic precepts, including not killing, not stealing, not lying, not misusing sexuality, and not using intoxicants. A gifted storyteller, Anderson takes us to the heart of situations, where moral judgments are not easy and we do not have all the answers. With wisdom and compassion, he teaches us how to confront the emotional and ethical turmoil of our lives.

    Finding awareness in any kind of ordinary daily activity--the first trade book from a Southeast Asia....

    Alan Wallace, widely respected for his lucid and readable translations of Tibetan Buddhism. Düdjom Lingpa (1835–1904) was one of the foremost tantric masters of his time. This new series includes his visionary teachings on the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), the pinnacle of practice in Tibet's oldest Buddhist school. Volume 1 contains four works explaining the view and practice of the Great Perfection, the signature style of meditation of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism:      The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra: This work is considered the root distillation of Düdjom Lingpa's wisdom.       Essence of Clear Meaning: This definitive commentary, which unpacks the quintessential verses of The Sharp Vajra, is based on Düdjom Lingpa's oral teachings recorded by his disciple Pema Tashi.      The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers: Düdjom Lingpa narrates the essential Dharma teachings from the perspective of an old man rejecting superficial appearances.      The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra: A masterful exposition of the Great Perfection is revealed as a dialogue between wisdom beings who bestow a treasury of pith instructions and specific advice for practitioners.  While the teachings in this series have inspired generations of Tibetans, few have been published in translation—until now.

    Brook A. Ziporyn puts Tiantai into dialogue with modern philosophical concerns to draw out its implications for ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. Ziporyn explains Tiantai's unlikely roots, its positions of extreme affirmation and rejection, its religious skepticism and embrace of religious myth, and its view of human consciousness. Ziporyn reveals the profound insights of Tiantai Buddhism while stimulating philosophical reflection on its unexpected effects.

    Three Words That Strike the Vital Point is the famous seminal statement by Garap Dorje that is said to encapsulate all the myriad dzogchen tantras. The key instructions on it by the outstanding nineteenth-century master Paltrul Rinpoche--the verses known as -The Special Teaching of Khepa Shri Gyalpo---form the basis for Khyentse Rinpoche's discourse here. These teachings belong to the oral instruction division of atiyoga and explain the path of trekcho, or directly cutting through the confusion of samsara to the primordial purity of the nature of mind. In dzogchen, when one has fully recognized that all the confusion of samsara is the expressive power of primordially pure great emptiness, confusion is spontaneously liberated into the primordial purity of mind's original nature. Compassion spontaneously arises, accomplishing the benefit of sentient beings. Khyentse Rinpoche was renowned for his ability to elucidate the dzogchen teachings and to lead students of all backgrounds to deeper experiential realization. His powerful presence shines through the pages of this book.

    Yet when they manifest we are easily caught unprepared. To prepare for these, we need to learn how to skillfully face illness and passing away. A source of practical wisdom can be found in the early discourses that record the teachings given by the Buddha and his disciples.Analayo's chief aim is to provide a collection of passages taken from the Buddha's early discourses that provide guidance for facing disease and death. He focuses on the theme of compassion, and is concerned with anukampa: compassion as the underlying motivation in altruistic action.Analayo uses his own translations from the Chinese originals, presented here for the first time. Taken together with his practical commentary, we thereby gain a first-hand impression of what early Buddhism had to say about disease and death.Analayo is a professor of Buddhist Studies at the Sri Lanka International Academy in Pallekele. He teaches at the Center for Buddhist Studies of the University of Hamburg and researches at the Dharma Drum Buddhist College in Taiwan.

    Kindfulness is the cause of relaxation. It brings ease to the body, to the mind, and to the world. Kindfulness allows healing to happen. So don't just be mindful, be kindful!With his trademark knack for telling engaging stories paired with step-by-step anyone-can-do-it instructions, Brahm brings alive and makes accessible powerful tools tranformation. This slim, beautifully designed volume is a Quick Start guide for living a life of joy and compassion.

    The awakened life is the essence and aim of the Buddhist teachings, according to Anam Thubten, and this book is a guide to cultivating the awakened mind and heart that allows this wonderful kind of life to happen. He illuminates the path to awakened living in a way that s concise and completely accessible to anyone of any background--reflective of the diverse backgrounds of the students who attend his popular talks on which the book is based. We all want to be happy, says Anam Thubten. This seems to be our strongest impulse. Primarily our happiness comes from our state of mind, though we can t deny the fact that outside circumstances play a big role. When we learn to embrace each moment of our lives, we re empowered to let go of our emotional patterns and false beliefs about ourselves, and we discover the compassion that s been there all along. "

    Based on the classic bestseller Mindfulness in Plain English, this journal allows you to explore your insights and keep track of your emotional life without judgment. Includes a brief introduction to meditation so anyone can get started right away, as well as short mindfulness tips and inspiring quotes throughout.

    The book is an aid to meditators.

    With insightful metaphors, personal stories, and guided dialogues, this book points directly to our lack of separation and helps you move toward a new, more open reality of selfless bliss. Using the seven clear and focused steps presented, you’ll find liberation in realizing there is no individuated “I” and marvel at the true nature of things.Author Ilona Ciunaite’s search for the truth began when she first “experienced silence of the thinking mind, a sweet sense of being, contentment, peace,” and “feeling at home.” Driven by a desire to reach that state of oneness once more, her path led her through spiritual writings to the process of deconstruction and non-dual self-inquiry and finally to a peaceful emptiness of not knowing, but of simply being. It’s from that place that Ciunaite cocreated the popular Liberation Unleashed forum—a global Internet-based community helping people see through the illusion of a separate self—and it’s just that sense of unknowing peace she wishes to impart with this book.Liberation Unleashed is a lively, fresh, and moving account of the author’s own searching, liberation, and transformation, woven together with the stories of fellow seekers and a clear exposition of the simple, focused tools you can use to go through the “gateless gate.” With its conversational tone, provocative questions, and the presentation of the seven steps—“Clearing the path—meeting the fear,” “Strip away ALL expectations,” “Get in touch with the real,” “‘I’ is a thought,” “There is no separate self,” “How does it feel to see this?” and “Falling”—this book serves as an introductory how-to guide, demonstrating how to use the process of self-inquiry to get free from the falseness of the separate self and realize a blissful oneness.So many of us go through life feeling isolated, searching for ourselves, or seeking a more authentic reality through religion, spirituality, or other, more unconventional means of expanding consciousness. Now, with this book and its guiding principles, you’ll learn how to look deeply into the nature of self and existence; combat the anxieties, fears, mental blocks, and reservations that can arise in self-inquiry; and see the simple beauty of the everyday moment.

    How to put these essential teachings into practice is the subject of the lively commentary by the two Khenpo brothers, the late Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche.The Dzogchen meditation instructions of the Aro lineage are divided into nine sets, or nine levels, with specific instructions for each on how to identify the nature of the mind, how to abide in it as a way of life, and how to liberate turbulent thoughts and emotions when they arise. The commentary enfolds this instruction into a broad general teaching suitable for beginners that serves as an introduction to Dzogchen meditation, to the Nyingma tradition, and to basic Buddhism.

         This book grows out of an oral teaching that Khenchen Thrangu gave in Crestone, Colorado, on Karma Chagme's text Meaningful to Behold: The Essential Instructions of the Compassionate One on the Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Thrangu Rinpoche explains in lucid detail the advanced meditation practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen and also their similarities and differences, including advice on how to safely perform some of the more advanced Dzogchen practices. Many chapters include his answers to questions from the audience, which give the book an intimate feeling.

    Using simple language, he provides precise, experiential instructions that make this life-transforming realization attainable for all, whether we are just seeking a happier life or are pursuing the spiritual journey all the way to enlightenment.

    In its eighteen volumes, Kongtrul brings together some of the most important texts on key topics of Buddhist thought and practice as well as authoring significant new sections of his own.In this, the fourteenth volume, Kongtrul compiles the teachings on Severance, or Chöd. It includes some of the tradition's earliest source scriptures, such as the "grand poem" of Āryadeva, and numerous texts by the tradition's founder, Machik Lapdrön. Kongtrul also brings together the most significant texts on the rites of initiation, empowerments for practice, and wide-ranging instructions and guides for the support of practitioners. Altogether, this quintessential guide to Severance offers vast resources for scholars and practitioners alike to better understand this unique and remarkable tradition—the way of severing ego through the profound realization of emptiness and compassion.

    To Peter Fernando's credit, he makes that statement, and no such impulse arises. We believe him because he's been there himself and because he backs up the statements with his own real experiences and with real wisdom from the Buddhist teachings. Peter starts by defusing the pernicious belief that anyone is somehow responsible for their illness: You're not "wrong" for being sick. Then, having gotten past self-blame, one can begin to learn self-kindness. From there, one moves to mindfulness practices and cultivating body awareness--even if body awareness is distasteful when the body isn't behaving the way you like. Further topics include getting intimate with dark emotions (fear, despair, the scary future, frustration, grief, etc.), learning equanimity (rejoicing in the good fortune of those who don't share your suffering), cultivating healthy relationships in the midst of everything, and practical advice for living with pain. Each chapter comes with one or more practices or guided meditations for putting the teachings into practice.

    Not just to be skeptical—but to push all the way to the very foundations. Anyone interested in Zen can learn a whole lot from this little book.” —from the foreword by Brad Warner, author of Hardcore Zen “Great doubt and great faith are foundations of Zen practice. This great gift of a book provides essential checkpoints along the path.” —Grace Schireson, author of Zen Women “Upbeat, insightful, and inspiring teachings—a rich resource for all Buddhist practitioners.”—Richard M. Jaffe, Duke University, author of Neither Monk nor Layman “Boshan addresses the reader directly with vivid metaphors and stern (sometimes humorous) admonishments. He pulls no punches… These concise texts, not previously available in their entirety in English, offer classic wisdom for those exploring the Zen paths.”—Publishers Weekly “A classic Chinese text with clear—and inspiring—commentaries”—Thomas Yuho Kirchner, translator of Entangling Vines

    A classic work of the Yogācāra school, it has been cherished in Tibet by all the historical Buddhist lineages as a primary source of instruction on bodhisattva ethics, vows, and practices, as well as for its summary of the ultimate goal of the bodhisattva path—supreme enlightenment.Despite the text’s seminal importance in the Tibetan traditions, it has remained unavailable in English except in fragments. Engle’s translation, made from the Sanskrit original with reference to the Tibetan translation and commentaries, will enable English readers to understand more fully and clearly what it means to be a bodhisattva and practitioner of the Mahāyāna tradition.

    This book is unique because although the lojong teachings of the Kadam tradition are well known, this is the first time the mind-training teachings from the Dzogchen tradition have been presented in an English translation, and most Western scholars and practitioners are unaware that such mind-training techniques even exist in Dzogchen. The contemplations themselves are vividly described, and some unfold as dramatic stories in which the meditator imagines himself or herself as the main character. Thus, they are quite accessible for beginning practitioners.

    The themes move around Buddha's teachings on mindful living, the Buddha way, joy of mindfulness, and realization of our true nature. The profound but gentle wisdom encased in these poems will help readers to arrive at greater self-understanding and peacefulness. Why such a name -'Buddha's smile'? Buddha's smile was not an ordinary smile. It was an emblem of his enlightened heart after he attained Buddhahood. This smile was the reflection of his compassionate heart that reached to thousands of suffering beings in his lifetime as it continues to reach millions and will reach many more in the ages to come. Buddha's smile is magical, transforming lives and enlightening the hearts of all sentient beings suffering in the darkness of ignorance. The theme of the book is seeing life and feeling its pulse with the eyes and the heart of the Buddha. Banani Ray’s deep understanding of Zen and Buddhist philosophy is reflected in her poems. The poems on emptiness and love are particularly heart-touching. Whatever our religious beliefs, the simple compassionate lucidity of her expressions will inspire us to culture and reap the benefits of mindfulness in our life. The poems in this book may lighten your heart and inspire you on your path of mindful living in your daily life and in the journey of realizing your Buddha Nature.

    This foundation scripture teaches the supreme doctrine of nirvana and the way to the highest possible happiness for mankind. Oxford professor Dr. Max Muller, a great scholar and Orientalist, did the translation.

    Tenzin Gyatso, the current and XIV Dalai Lama, has continued this grand legacy, traveling the world while spreading his personal doctrine of compassion and true understanding. And with each year that passes, more and more people come to know the Lama, and seek his wisdom on a breadth of topics, from world peace to a life well-lived. Presented in an elegant, attractive format, The Dalai Lama Book of Quotes collects the very best of the Lama’s sage wisdom, assembled from quotes, articles, speeches, and written works directly attributed to His Holiness. Organized into universal themes that everyone can relate to, The Dalai Lama Book of Quotes touches on themes ranging from love, to spirituality, to happiness and humanity.   This inspirational book makes a wonderful gift for anyone seeking greater personal well-being and a life informed by compassion and faith. Each thought from the Lama is sure to inspire and invigorate you throughout your day, as your eyes are opened to a more beautiful way of looking at the world. Simple and accessible for all ages, this inspirational title makes a great gift for anyone seeking to incorporate the wisdom of the ages and a love that transcends lifetimes into their daily life.From the Hardcover edition.

    His writing is sophisticated and engaged, filled with memorable imagery and insight drawn from decades of study, reflection, and meditation on Buddhist teachings. Seasoned Buddhist readers and anyone interested in the intellectual heart of Buddhism will find this collection of fascinating essays rewarding.

    Alan Wallace comes the much-anticipated Dudjom Lingpa’s Visions of the Great Perfection.  This limited-edition set includes elegant clothbound editions of all three volumes, beautifully presented in a slipcase.Düdjom Lingpa (1835–1904) was one of the foremost tantric masters of nineteenth-century Tibet. This new series includes Düdjom Lingpa’s five visionary teachings on the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), the pinnacle of practice in Tibet’s oldest Buddhist school, along with three essential commentaries. The teachings in this series have inspired generations of Tibetans.Volume 1 contains four works, beginning with The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra, considered the root distillation of Düdjom Lingpa’s wisdom. Unpacking these quintessential verses is the Essence of Clear Meaning, a definitive commentary based on Düdjom Lingpa’s oral teachings recorded by his disciple Pema Tashi. In The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers, Düdjom Lingpa narrates the essential Dharma teachings from the perspective of an old man rejecting superficial appearances. Finally, The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra is a masterful exposition of the Great Perfection revealed as a dialogue between wisdom beings who bestow a treasury of pith instructions and specific advice for practitioners.Volume 2 includes Düdjom Lingpa’s most widely taught work, Buddhism Without Meditation, and two complementary works by his charismatic female disciple, Sera Khandro, who is accomplished and well loved in her own right. Her Garland for the Delight of the Fortunate spells out the implications of the root text’s highly condensed verses.Volume 3 contains Düdjom Lingpa’s magisterial Vajra Essence, his most extended meditation on the path of Great Perfection, in many senses a commentary on all his other Dzogchen works.

    These 21 articles give a highly nuanced overview of Mahamudra. As such, the practice is presented as an enquiry into the nature of the mind, with its myriad states and attachments, and also its ultimate uncontrived freedom, away from all extremes. The whole spectrum is covered, from the initial path of contemplation up to the apex of total liberation of the mind. In the process, Rinpoche goes over a wide array of traditional terms and concepts that are central to the practice. He uses plain and straightforward language, and thus demystifies the practice for the modern reader, clearing away many of the misunderstandings that have come to surround this most delicate of topics. Rinpoche presents us with guidelines for the actual practice, the various stages a practitioner will go through, the appropriate environment for each one of those steps, and the supports, inner and outer, that the practitioner would need as he or she sets out on this path. Interspersed with many pithy instructions, it also contains warnings to practitioners, and recommends certain precautions against obstacles and pitfalls that may arise. Most essentially, we are reminded of the crucial role of the teacher, and that reliance on a qualified spiritual guide is the only correct way to approach this practice. Rinpoche thus uses examples from the lives of the early patriarchs of the Mahamudra lineage to illustrate this attitude that is so fundamental to achieving the view of Mahamudra. In this way, we are gently guided towards the correct path of practice, the path back to the inherent purity of our minds.

    The authors have drawn on their clinical experience as well as Buddhism to develop a practical course in cultivating kindness, intended to complement and augment other mindfulness-based approaches. They are now presenting this training in an eight-week course book. Amid the recent explosion of secular mindfulness, their aim is to re-emphasize the importance of the heart, introducing the reader to a variety of ways of approaching kindness-based meditation, as well as to how to put kindness into practice in daily life.A range of psychological theories and areas of research inform the KBT approach, primarily findings from cognitive neuroscience, as well as evolutionary and positive psychology literatures. It also uses a range of exercises found to be helpful in Eastern traditions, such as Buddhism. The KBT exercises have been isolated from their religious or spiritual origins and are used on a secular basis.

    Be the witness of your thoughts. You are what observes, not what you observe. —The Buddha Now with one million copies sold, the calendar that brings peace and wisdom to every desktop—adapted from the bestselling book The Little Zen Companion. Each day offers an enlightening quote, koan, sutra, or parable that reflects the spirit of Zen. The Zen of Friedrich Nietzsche: One must still have chaos in one, to give birth to a dancing star. The Zen of Osho: The real question is not whether life exists after death. The real question is whether you are alive before death. The Zen of Mother Teresa: Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need.

    It explores the theory and practice of the Great Perfection tradition in detail, shows how Dzogchen meditation relates to the entirety of the Buddhist path, and outlines how we can understand buddhahood—and even achieve it in our lifetime. This essential text includes topics such as ·      how delusion arises  ·      the pathway of pristine consciousness  ·      how buddhahood is present in the body ·      and more. Translator Malcolm Smith includes an overview, analysis and clarification for all topics. Buddhahood in This Life covers fine details of Dzogchen meditation, including profound “secret instructions” rarely discussed in most meditation manuals. This text is essential for any serious student of the Great Perfection.

    Why then, Wright asks, is this essential question often avoided, even discouraged among Buddhists?One reason frequently cited by Buddhists is that pondering a distant goal might be a waste of energy that would be better applied to practice: Quiet the flow of obsessive thinking, put yourself in a mindful state of presence, and let enlightenment take care of itself. In this book, however, Wrightcontends that pondering this question is meditative practice--that attentive inquiry of this kind is essential as the starting point and guide for any mindful practice of life. Meditative reflection on the meaning of enlightenment focuses us on our aim and direction in life. It guides us inshaping our practices, our ideals, and the kinds of lives we will live. Asking what enlightenment is as a basic form of meditation helps to activate our lives and get transformative practice underway. From Wright's perspective, there is no more important question to ask than this one.What is Buddhist Enlightenment? offers a wide-ranging exploration of issues that have a bearing on the contemporary meaning of enlightenment, including a concluding section with 10 theses that answer the title's question. Written by a leading scholar of Buddhism, the book balances deep learning andan accessible style, offering valuable insights for students, scholars, and practitioners alike. While he takes an examination of what enlightenment has been in past Buddhist traditions as his point of departure, Wright's historical considerations yield to the question that our lives press uponus--what kinds of lives should we aspire to live here, now, and into the future?

    Combining thought awareness, loving-kindness practice, and mindfulness meditation, this simple, time-tested approach can be used throughout the day to quiet your critical voices and ease your mind. Through short, accessible phrases, you will learn to reorient your thinking when your inner critics show up. Instead of making a negative thought stronger by fighting it, you will learn to let thoughts dissipate through non-attachment and practicing mindfulness. When you remember to “begin kindness with yourself,” you will find that keeping a compassionate perspective on all that you do and say will allow you to give your inner critics a kinder voice.

    How should you practice? How does individual temperament affect the process of Awakening? How do you practice in a balanced way so that all the different parts of the practice develop together? Then there is a discussion about the first stage of Awakening, what is called “stream-entry.” What does it mean to “enter the stream?” How did the Buddha define the different stages of Awakening? What are the requisite conditions for moving toward and attaining stream-entry? What are barriers to stream-entry? Finally there are qualities of mind that put the dedicated meditator on the path to stream entry: dispassion, the still mind, and the “inner observer,” what is also called “mind watching mind.” There is a description of how we fabricate our experience, and how behind that fabrication is a subtle intention. As our skill as meditators deepens, we see into this causal process, and how our mind takes this process of cause and effect and turns it into a substantial “self.” Over time and with dedication this seeing and understanding leads to cessation, the end of mental fabrication and the end of stress and suffering, to liberation and nirvāṇa.

    It starts with some fundamental questions, starting with “Did the Buddha actually teach rebirth?” And if he did, was he talking about the transmigration of a being from one lifetime to the next, or was it a metaphor for other types of phenomena like mental activity? Next the Little Book looks at whether there is evidence that rebirth is a reality. What do studies on past life experiences tell us? What does our knowledge of Near Death Experiences tell us, and does this relate to how Buddhists describe rebirth? There is also a discussion of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and how its description of the death process compares to Near Death Experiences. Then there is an examination of whether belief in rebirth is necessary to attain Awakening. Even if rebirth is part of the Buddha’s teachings, is it necessary to believe in rebirth in order to liberate our minds from suffering and stress? Or is rebirth a cultural artifact from ancient India, and we can dispense with it? Finally there is a description of the Buddhist cosmology, how the Buddhist tradition came to understand the different realms in the universe. This Little Book takes us beyond views and practices that fit comfortably into conventional reality. It prepares us for the transcendent teachings of the Buddha, and into the mystical world that lies beyond time and space.

    At the beginning of a North American teaching career that would span seventeen years, the meditation master Chögyam Trungpa conducted five pivotal seminars covering various dharmic topics. The transcripts from these seminars are collected here so that readers can experience them right at home. Comprising twenty-six talks in total, each one followed by a Q&A, Glimpses of the Profound is sure to provoke glimpses of all kinds: glimpses that inspire you to look further, glimpses that give you confidence, glimpses that upset the apple cart, glimpses that open your heart, glimpses that undermine falsity, glimpses that awaken you to your boundless potential.This book was originally published as four separate volumes by Vajradhatu Publications. Judith L. Lief has written a new introduction.

    Experience an epic journey through Buddhist Cosmology and Genesis written in the second-person narrative.

    A concept that has powerfully took the Western world by surprise. Within the book you will learn how your brain works in order to get a better understanding of why we think what we think. You will gain a grasp of what living in the 'Now' really means and reap the benefits of a 'live in the moment' mental state. As we progressively free ourselves from the clutch of the past and future, we can begin to experience the present more fully and directly while making conscious decisions and following our goals with fewer diversions. To complement this notion, the book will guide you into choosing a mindful diet, self development and how to practice everyday mindfulness. By the time you finish this book, you’ll have a frame of mind that is ready to tackle those bad experiences you fear, see them for what they are and deal with them once and for all. So go ahead, pick up a copy and continue your wonderful journey of self development.

    These teachings directly usher the realization of loving-kindness, compassion, and respect, while going beyond all ego-clinging and grasping. Throughout Buddhist history, combining intellectual study with meditation was the essential practice. In particular, Richo was very openly used in all the Practice Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, especially the Nyingma and Kagyu schools. The teachings always mention that individuals should spend time in hermitages and go to the mountains until they stabilize their realization because there are fewer distractions. Mountain retreat means "hermitage"-it is one of the best places to make yourself strong so you are not disturbed by all the fears and habitual patterns that are not healthy for anyone. Many teachers gave Mountain Retreat teachings, and among them, these instructions were taught by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, one of the great masters of the 20th century who was predicted by Guru Padmasambhava. This book includes a complete translation of "Mountain Retreat Instructions" by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche (1950-) was enthroned by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche in 1978 as a Nyingmapa abbot. Afterwards he traveled and studied for many years with H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, as well as with his brother, Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, and his father, Lama Chimed Namgyal. In 1988, he and Khenchen Rinpoche founded the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, which now has centers worldwide. He has co-authored over 25 books in English with Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche. As a holder of the complete Nyingmapa lineage, Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche is an expert of all the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana schools, and is a Dzogchen master.

    Because of its relevance to modern times, his text has been translated into a dozen languages. The Boddhisattva’s Way of life was written by the eighth century Indian Bodhisttva, Shantideva, and is a comprehensive outline of everything one needs to know to be a Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva is someone who decides to work towards achieving enlightenment and to not give up this task until all other sentient beings are liberated. The Bodhisattva’s Way of life begins by explaining how and why to make offerings to the Three Jewels and how take the bodhisattva vow (which is still being done this way 1,400 years later), The book also covers how to develop compassion toward those we like and also those who want to harm us. It explains the need to develop selflessness and how to actually do this, as well as how to develop patience with those people and things that obstruct us. It also describes how we should carry ourself in a peaceful and pleasing way to others and how to develop diligence and how to practice meditation. The famous ninth chapter, finally, explains how we should understand emptiness of all phenomena.This edition of The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life is unique because it combines both a translation of the root text with each verse or set of verses followed by a lucid and relevant commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Khenchen thrangu Rinpoche is very well suited for this task, being a renowned Buddhist scholar who has had three decades of experience teaching students in centers across Asia, Europe, and No

    The vision for the series is to explore these sublime abidings via the somewhat oblique approach of looking at what counters or muddies their activity. In this second book we will be investigating karuṇā through the lens of that kind of anxious helpfulness that feels like we’re never doing enough, or that wants to fix others so that we will feel better, or the attitude that we don’t deserve ever to feel peaceful or happy while others are still suffering. The other three books in the series similarly explore the remaining brahma-vihāras through aspects of mind and behaviour that oppose or confuse them. Available for free at https://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-book...

    This includes his instructions on ethics and morality, as well as the often misunderstood teachings on karma. The Little Book of Buddhist Virtue shows the many contexts in which the Buddha described the practice of virtue. These include an endearing discourse to his 7-year-old son Rahula on proper behavior. There is also a discussion of generosity and the five moral precepts, his explanation of virtue as a “gift that we give to the world”, and the virtue division of the Four Noble Truths. The final section describes each of the Ten Perfections – the "pāramīs" (Pāli), or "pāramitās" (Sanskrit) - using stories from the Buddhist folk tales, the Jātaka stories. Most importantly this Little Book shows that ethics and morality is not a burden, but the path to a noble and happy life.

    Padmasambhava's text is a core text of the Nyingma tradition because it provides the basis for the system of nine vehicles (three sutra vehicles and six tantra vehicles) that subsequently became the accepted way of classifying the different Buddhist paths in the Nyingma tradition. Mipham's commentary is the one most commonly used to explain Padmasambhava's teaching. Mipham is well known for his prolific, lucid, and original writings on many subjects, including science, medicine, and philosophy, in addition to Tibetan Buddhist practice and theory.

    The three Pure Land Sutras are a body of Mahayana scriptures that for centuries have played an important part in the spiritual life of East Asian Buddhists. These texts describe Sukhāvāti, the archetypal 'land of bliss' presided over by Amitābha or Amitāyus, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Eternal Life. This book is a beautiful exploration of the imaginative world portrayed in the Pure Land Sutras. Includes new translations of the sutras by Śraddhāpa.

    Lojong, or "mind-training" is a practice that has gained astonishing popularly in recent years--because it works in transforming hearts and minds. Here is a presentation of lojong teachings that predates the "slogan" practice with which people have become so familiar through the books of Pema Chodron and others, and that is every bit as powerful for imbuing the mind with intelligence and the heart with compassion. It is Thubten Chodron's commentary on a Tibetan poem with the imposing title "Wheel of Sharp Weapons." It is, as the title of this book indicates, an explanation of how karma works in our lives. But in explaining how to create good karma and avoid the negative effects of bad karma, it shows us how to live our lives with kindness and honesty--which makes things better not only for ourselves, but also for everyone else in the world."

    Limited to 155 copiesThis book is the culmination of three years work and covers the Occult practices in Thailand, from amulets to rituals to blessings. What marks this system is its openness as anyone can begin a life of magic and train themselves using a good amulet. The Thai Occult book aims to help those interested in this deep and ancient art, either as a practitioner or to use the details within this book to refresh their own practices. Most of the book consists of interviews with some of Thailand’s top makers of talismans, and the section on Rare Sak Yant has unearthed some ancient forms of the art. This section is the appendix to the original The Thai Occult Sak Yant Book by Jenx, which should be read first for a better understanding. It is the hope of the author that this book will become a benchmark for the understanding of the ancient Occult practices of Thailand.

    Twenty-five centuries later, humans have transformed everything about our world—except our brains, which remain the same powerful yet flawed instruments possessed by our ancestors. What if the solution we seek to the psychological problems of life in the digital age—distraction, anxiety, addiction, loss of deep meaning—had already been worked out by the Buddha in ancient India? Appealing to readers of Eastern wisdom and Jon Kabat-Zinn, as well as to fans of bestsellers by Oliver Sacks and Malcolm Gladwell, acclaimed science writer and practicing Buddhist James Kingsland reveals how scientists are now unlocking the remarkable secrets of Siddhartha’s brain.Moving effortlessly between science and scripture, Kingsland charts Siddhartha’s spiritual journey and explains how new research by leading neuroscientists and clinical psychologists—many of whom are interviewed in these pages—suggests that mindfulness practice reconfigures our brains to make us sharper, smarter, healthier, and happier, and that it can help treat stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, hypertension, and substance abuse. There have even been hints that meditation can enhance immune function, slow cellular aging, and keep dementia at bay. Featuring six guided meditations, Siddhartha’s Brain is a practical and inspiring odyssey of mind and spirit.“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.”—Siddhartha

    The vision for the series is to explore these sublime abidings via the somewhat oblique approach of looking at their opposites. In this first book we will be investigating mettā through the lens of contention and self-righteousness; the declaration: ‘I’m right, you’re wrong!’ being an archetypical expression of these caustic qualities. The other three books in the series will, similarly, explore the remaining brahma-vihāras through aspects of mind and behaviour that oppose or confuse them. Available at https://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-book...

     Showing how it is absolutely essential for--and goes hand in hand with--the achievement of insight into reality, he gives practical tips for countering sleepiness, agitation, and their more subtle counterparts. Leading us step by step toward deeper levels of concentration, volume 4 of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment series brings readers closer to the ultimate goal of samatha: unlimited and effortless focus.