Spirituality Buddhism

A Garland of Views presents both a concise commentary by the eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava on a chapter from the Guhyagarbha Tantra on the different Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical views, including the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and an explicative commentary on Padmasambhava’s text by the 19th century scholar Jamgön Mipham (1846-1912).

In this renowned translation of Buddhism’s most widely read scripture, freshly updated for a new generation of listeners, Gil Fronsdal provides extensive explanatory notes and easy-to-understand insight for practice. Whether a practicing Buddhist of any tradition or simply a listener of the world’s literary classics, all will be enriched by this centuries-old wisdom.

Designed for those new to mindfulness practices, Making Space offers easy-to-follow instructions for setting up a breathing room; listening to a bell; performing sitting, breathing, and walking meditations; and cooking and eating. Whether you live alone or with a family, this beautifully created audiobook can help you create a sense of retreat and sanctuary anywhere at home.

Immersed in Buddhist psychology prior to studying Western psychiatry, Dr. Mark Epstein first viewed Western therapeutic approaches through the lens of the East. This posed something of a challenge. Although both systems promise liberation through self-awareness, the central tenet of Buddha's wisdom is the notion of no-self, while the central focus of Western psychotherapy is the self. This book wrestles with the complex relationship between Buddhism and psychotherapy.

In this present age, filled as it is with widespread fear, anxiety and stress, there are many millions of people who have an intense yearning to somehow find a place of rest and well-being. Indeed, there is such a place. However, it is no physical “place” at all.

Twenty-four of the Buddha's most distinguished disciples are brought to life in ten chapters of rich narration. They include monks who were very close to him throughout his life, including Sariputta and Mahamoggallana; his cousin and companion Ananda; his principal women disciples, including the nun Isidasi and his lay disciple, the courtesan Ambapali; and the serial killer Angulimala, whose character was transformed after meeting the Buddha.

Devotion to one's teacher is the lifeblood of the Vajrayana path. Because the guru can and will use whatever means it takes to wake us up, this relationship may require us to drop our most deeply held beliefs and expectations. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse addresses some of the most misunderstood aspects of this powerful relationship and gives practical advice on making the most of this precious opportunity for transformation.

Do you want to learn the fundamentals of Buddhism? Do you want to learn it in a practical manner that actually improves your day-to-day life? Do you want to learn it in an easy-to-understand manner? Buddhism now is more popular than it has been in decades; the Buddha’s incredible teachings are starting to get the recognition they deserve. What has happened recently is a wave of books that only go over the theory of Buddhism and don’t cover the most important aspect - how Buddhism can transform your daily life and revolutionize you as a person.

One of America’s most popular and beloved Buddhist teachers offers encouragement and inspiration for anyone on the spiritual path. In short sections that include many stories and anecdotes drawn from her years as a student and teacher of Buddhist meditation, Sharon Salzberg reveals how our own happiness is found in the capacity to open our hearts to others—and that this capacity is far vaster than we ever thought possible.

This is the story of Tenzin Palmo, the daughter of a fishmonger from London's East End who became a Tibetan nun. After meditating for 12 years in a cave 13,000 feet up in the Himalayas, she became a world-renowned spiritual leader and champion of the right of women to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Twenty-seven years ago, Matthieu Ricard gave up a promising career as a scientist to study Tibetan Buddhism - not as a detached observer but by immersing himself in its practice under the guidance of its greatest living masters. Years later, this project was born, and Richard met with his father, Jean-Francois Revel - a French philosopher who became world famous for his challenges to both Communism and Christianity. At an inn, these two profoundly thoughtful men explored questions that have occupied humankind throughout its history.

Trauma does not just happen to a few unlucky people; it is the bedrock of our psychology. Death and illness touch us all, but even the everyday sufferings of loneliness and fear are traumatic. In The Trauma of Everyday Life renowned psychiatrist and author of Thoughts Without a Thinker, Mark Epstein uncovers the transformational potential of trauma, revealing how it can be used for the mind's own development. Western psychology teaches that if we understand the cause of trauma, we might move past it while many drawn to Eastern practices see meditation as a means of rising above, or distancing themselves from, their most difficult emotions.

Yoga Nidra is considered to be the state in which the Gods reside. This is because the goal of Yoga Nidra is to attain complete relaxation while maintaining consciousness. The ability to do this allows for our deepest levels of creativity and healing energies to come to the surface. One session of Yoga Nidra is equal to approximately 3 hours of sleep in its ability to rejuvenate.

Buddhist philosophy tells us that all personal unhappiness and interpersonal conflict lie in the "three poisons": craving, anger, and delusion. With new high-tech devices, scientists can peer inside the brain centers that calm the inner storms of rage and fear. They also can demonstrate that awareness-training strategies such as meditation strengthen emotional stability - and greatly enhance our positive moods.

A book that brings to light the true essence of Buddhism as a religion that inspires in each one of us a yearning for a higher and better life, one full of virtue, spiritual joy, and service to fellow human beings. A book that firmly reminds us that every man must be a fabricator of his own salvation, that The Buddha does not proclaim himself to be a savior but only professes to teach us the way we can liberate ourselves as he has liberated himself.

Wondering how to reconcile your calling with your need to make a living wage, or what to do once your art starts selling, or how to achieve success in your field, or what it even means to be successful? David Nichtern offers his lived, learned experience as an entrepreneur, musician, and Buddhist teacher to first help you figure out what "success" means to you and then show you how to get there. He offers advice on the creative process and principles of business and ethics, and provides mindfulness exercises to help you integrate inspiration and aspiration, vocation, and avocation.

Sylvia Boorstein—known by friends and colleagues as a "Jewish grandmother bodhisattva"—is highly skilled in making the universal wisdom of traditional Buddhist teachings available to all. Using delightful and deceptively powerful stories from everyday experiences, Boorstein demystifies spirituality, charts the path to happiness through the Buddha's basic teachings, and presents the means to develop a realistic course toward wisdom and compassion. This wonderfully engaging guide to Buddhism is full of humor, love, and memorable insights.

This is not your typical Zen book. Brad Warner, a young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one. This bold new approach to the "Why?" of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary. Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear.

Several schools of Zen developed in China in the 9th century. The Rinzai (Chinese, Lin-chi) sect of Zen was introduced to Japan by the Chinese priest Ensai in 1191. Rinzai Buddhism emphasizes the use of koans, paradoxical puzzles or questions that help the practitioner to overcome the normal boundaries of logic. Whatever the method of reaching enlightenment, once reached we realize the state of enlightenment we sought was there within us all along. The method is the gate, but there need not be any gate, since the gate is always open.

In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Damien Keown explores how Buddhism approaches a range of moral issues of our age, including our relationship with our environment, our treatment of animals, and our stance on abortion, on sexuality and gender, on violence and war. This new edition also includes a discussion of the ethical challenges posed by cutting-edge developments in science and biomedical technologies, including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and gene editing.