Wisdom Philosophy

Drawn from the sacred books of Buddhism, this collection reveals the insights and beliefs at the heart of the world’s fourth-largest religion. Siddhartha Guatama, a sixth-century Hindu warrior prince, renounced the world in his search for the meaning of life and became the Buddha, or “Enlightened One,” while meditating at Bodh Gaya. From that moment forward the Buddha sought to share his own enlightenment with all of mankind.

Most of us live in a constant state of fear - of our past, of illness and aging and death, and of losing the things we treasure most. But it doesn't have to be this way, promises Zen master and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Drawing on a lifetime of mindfulness in action, Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to use the practice of living in the present to acknowledge and embrace our fears, recognize their origins, and render them powerless. The world-renowned Zen teacher guides us through practical exercises for transforming fear into clarity.

Oprah shares what she sees as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself, offering the framework for creating not just a life of success, but one of significance. The audiobook’s ten chapters are organized to help you recognize the important milestones along the road to self-discovery, laying out what you really need in order to achieve personal contentment, and what life’s detours are there to teach us.

An early-20th-century Lebanese-American writer, Khalil Gibran instilled his poetry and art with his experiences in both the East and West. This selection of quotes, maxims, and aphorisms is drawn from such poems as "Secrets of the Heart", "Spirits Rebellious", and "Broken Wings", as well as from his autobiography and essays. Gibran’s words express a strong spirituality and mysticism and his voice offers a direct and at times optimistic view of the brotherhood of man.

Leonardo da Vinci stood on a bridge between medieval thought and the modern mind. In this selection of entries from his dozens of coded notebooks and unpublished manuscripts, his unending curiosity in the universe and deep knowledge come through in his energetic style. The self-educated da Vinci developed a philosophical system that set him apart from his contemporaries and marked him as the oracle of a new age, and his vivid imagination and straightforward writing style capture the listener’s attention whether he is writing about his scientific analysis, his opinion of necromancy, discoveries in nature, or the nature of man.

When the Indian people, inspired by the words of Mahatma Gandhi, overthrew British rule, they proved that great political change could exist without violence. Revered both as a saint and a master politician in his native country, Gandhi proffered a philosophy that combined Thoreau’s doctrine of civil disobedience with many Hindu beliefs. A comprehensive introduction to this influential modern thinker, The Wisdom of Gandhi recounts his deeply held views on a variety of topics.

Teacher, politician, philosopher, and student, Confucius offered wisdom and aphorisms on a variety of topics that transcend borders and time. Whether considering his own life, human nature, or a society’s responsibilities, Confucius’s teachings emphasize personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. He aimed to effect social and political reform, and left a legacy of wisdom that remains true today. Organized by topic, this collection of quotes, sayings, and lessons is often as entertaining as it is educational.

While better known in his time for his mathematical and astronomical works, 11th-century Persian philosopher and poet Omar Khayyam is best known today for his romantic poetry collected in the Rubaiyat. This selection presents 365 of the approximately 1,000 quatrains, translated from the original Persian. Khayyam’s poetry draws listeners in with its lush imagery and timeless observations on the human experience and the metaphysical mysteries of our world.

Ramayana must rank as one of the most loved and revered books of all time. A part of India's ancient Vedas, it is a beautiful story of romance and adventure. It recounts the history of Rama, said be an incarnation of the Godhead, and his divine consort Sita. Filled with magic and mysticism, it entrances the listener and stirs deeply moving emotions. At the same time its profound spiritual messages leave one feeling uplifted and enriched. This is a novelization of the classic. It contains all the essential narrative of the original Sanskrit poem.

Unveiling the profound reflections and philosophical musings of legendary thinker Arthur Schopenhauer, this collection compiles some of his greatest works, providing modern listeners with a detailed and unparalleled glimpse into Schopenhauer’s worldview and philosophy. Perfect for newcomers to Schopenhauer’s philosophy and experienced intellectual adventurers alike, the Schopenhauer Collection serves as an ideal handbook or reference guide for students, as well as anybody who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the ideas that came to dominate 19th century philosophy.

Robert Thurman, the preeminent scholar and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy for the modern world, leads us on a joyful exploration into the nature of reality through Buddha's threefold curriculum of "super-education".

Why do we worry without cause? Why do we fear without reason? This book is a collection of 365 verses of unadulterated wisdom, providing answers to all our confusions. In the battleground of our life, no one day is the same as the other, each comes with its own set of challenges. We can never be prepared enough to handle all that life throws our way. It would not be unusual for us to feel discouraged, or even panic, just like the Pandava prince Arjun lost his nerve just before the start of the battle of Mahabharata.

This anthology brings together Hermes’s most profound writings, translated and adapted for today’s listeners, exploring the universe, mind, and soul. Perfect for students of philosophy, spiritual seekers, or anyone curious about ancient wisdom.

The I Ching, or Book of Change, has been consulted through the ages, in both China and the West, for answers to fundamental questions about the world and our place in it. The oldest extant book of divination, it dates back 3,000 years to ancient shamanistic practices involving the ritual preparation of the shoulder bones of oxen. From this early form of communication with the other world, it has become the Chinese spiritual book par excellence.

As the COVID-19 pandemic revealed, we have become not just a hyper-partisan society but also a deeply cynical one, distrustful of traditional sources of knowledge and wisdom. Skepticism about vaccines led to the needless deaths of at least 230,000 Americans. “Do your own research” is now a rallying cry in many online rabbit holes. Yet experts can make mistakes, and institutions can lose their moral compass. So how can we navigate through all this? In The Road to Wisdom, Francis Collins reminds us of the four core sources of judgement and clear thinking: truth, science, faith, and trust.

On the face of it, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a story about a lone superhero. However, saving the world is a team effort, embodied in Team Avatar, aka the Gaang. Aang needs help from his friends and tutors, even from non-human animals. Avatar: The Last Airbender and Philosophy brings to the fore the Eastern, Western, and Indigenous philosophies that are implicit in the show. This volume features contributions by experts on Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and Indigenous schools of thought, next to focusing on Western classical authors.

The Buddhist saint Nāgārjuna, who lived in South India in approximately the second century CE, is undoubtedly the most important, influential, and widely studied Mahāyāna Buddhist philosopher. His greatest philosophical work, the Mūlamadhyamikakārikā - read and studied by philosophers in all major Buddhist schools of Tibet, China, Japan, and Korea - is one of the most influential works in the history of Indian philosophy. Now, in The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, Jay L. Garfield provides a clear translation of Nāgārjuna's seminal work.

Heroes, gods, and mortals. The Greek myths are the founding narratives of Western civilization: to understand them is to know the origins of philosophy, literature, art, science, law, and more. Indeed, as Luc Ferry shows in this masterful book, they remain a great store of wisdom, as relevant to our lives today as ever before.

The Library of Wisdom and Compassion collects the Dalai Lama’s decades of presentations of every step of the path to enlightenment. It has been compiled and coauthored by one of his chief Western disciples, the American nun Thubten Chodron. This first volume provides a wealth of reflections on Buddhist history and fundamentals, contemporary issues, and the Dalai Lama’s own personal experiences.

Drawing on the enduring wisdom of the Buddha, Confucius, Rumi, Gandhi, and others, The Art of Quiet Influence shows anyone, not just bosses, how to use influence without authority, a key mindfulness principle, to get things done at work and in life. Through the classic wisdom of 12 Eastern sages, relevant insights from influence research, and anecdotes and advice from 25 contemporary experts, Davis lays out a path for becoming a "mainspring", an unobtrusive yet powerful influencer.