This book explores the possible relations between Western types of rationality and Buddhism. It also examines some cliches about Buddhism and questions the old antinomies of Western culture ("faith and reason," or "idealism and materialism"). The use of the Buddhist notion of the Two Truths as a hermeneutic device leads to a double or multiple exposure that will call into question our mental habits and force us to ask questions differently, to think "in a new key." Double Exposure is somewhat of an oddity. Written by a specialist for nonspecialists, it is not a book of vulgarization. Although it aims at a better integration of Western and Buddhist thought, it is not an exercise in comparative philosophy or religion. It is neither a contribution to Buddhist scholarship in the narrow sense, nor a contribution to some vague Western "spirituality." Cutting across traditional disciplines and blurring established genres, it provides a leisurely but deeply insightful stroll through philosophical and literary texts, dreams, poetry, and paradoxes.

Roger Jackson provides accurate, accessible translations of three classics of medieval Indian Buddhist mysticism: the "couplet-treasuries" of the great tantric masters Saraha, Kanha, and Tilopa. Since their composition around 1000 CE, these poems have exerted a powerful influence on spiritual life, as well as poetry and song, in India, Nepal, and Tibet. Jackson's fresh translations allow the poetry to shine through, capturing the sense and spirit of the poems in the original. Jackson offers a thorough introduction that deftly summarizes the latest scholarship, situating the poems in their historical context and making them accessible not only to scholars but also to students and practitioners.

We tend to think that the Buddha has always been seen as the compassionate sage admired around the world today, but until the nineteenth century, Europeans often regarded him as a nefarious figure, an idol worshipped by the pagans of the Orient. Donald S. Lopez Jr. offers here a rich sourcebook of European fantasies about the Buddha drawn from the works of dozens of authors over fifteen hundred years, including Clement of Alexandria, Marco Polo, St. Francis Xavier, Voltaire, and Sir William Jones. Featuring writings by soldiers, adventurers, merchants, missionaries, theologians, and colonial officers, this volume contains a wide range of portraits of the Buddha. The descriptions are rarely flattering, as all manner of reports some accurate, some inaccurate, and some garbled came to circulate among European savants and eccentrics, many of whom were famous in their day but are long forgotten in ours. Taken together, these accounts present a fascinating picture, not only of the Buddha as he was understood and misunderstood for centuries, but also of his portrayers.

As human beings, we all share the desire for happiness and meaning in our lives. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the ability to find true fulfillment lies within each of us. In this very special book, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, Nobel Prize winner, and bestselling author helps readers embark upon the path to enlightenment with a stunning illumination of the timeless wisdom and an easy-access reference for daily practice.

Divided into a series of distinct steps that will lead spiritual seekers toward enlightenment, How to Practice is a constant companion in the quest to practice morality, meditation, and wisdom. This accessible book will guide you toward opening your heart, refraining from doing harm, and maintiaining mentaltranquility as the Dalai Lama shows you how to overcome everyday obstacles, from feelings of anger and mistrust to jealousy, insecurity, and counterproductive thinking. Imbued with His Holiness' vivacious spirit and sense of playfulness, How to Practice offers sage and practical insight into the human psyche and into the deepest aspirations that bind us all together.

As religion and politics become ever more intertwined, relationships between religion and political parties are of increasing global political significance. This handbook responds to that development, providing important results of current research involving religion and politics, focusing on: democratisation, democracy, party platform formation, party moderation and secularisation, social constituency representation and interest articulation. Covering core issues, new debates, and country case studies, the handbook provides a comprehensive overview of fundamentals and new directions in the subject. Adopting a comparative approach, it examines the relationships between religion and political parties in a variety of contexts, regions and countries with a focus on Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Hinduism. Contributions cover such topics as: religion, secularisation and modernisation; religious fundamentalism and terrorism; the role of religion in conflict resolution and peacebuilding; religion and its connection to state, democratisation and democracy; and regional case studies covering Asia, the Americas, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa. This comprehensive handbook provides crucial information for students, researchers and professionals researching the topics of politics, religion, comparative politics, secularism, religious movements, political parties and interest groups, and religion and sociology.

Many developments in Buddhist history, such as the infusion of esoteric rituals, the rise of devotionalism and lay movements, and the assimilation of warrior practices, reflect the impact of widespread social changes on traditional religious structures. At the same time, Buddhism has been able to maintain its doctrinal purity to a remarkable degree. This volume explores how the traditional Buddhist communities of Asia have responded to the challenges of modernity, such as science and technology, colonialism, and globalisation. Nine essays, all commissioned expressly for this volume, consider how the encounter with modernity has impacted the disciplinary, textual, ritual, devotional, practical, and socio-political traditions of Buddhist though throughout Asia. The result is the most comprehensive overview of Asian Buddhism available today.

Filled with simple exercises and thought-provoking lessons, this Buddhist instructional book will help you get started on the Buddhist path of moderation, mindfulness, and enlightened living. More than any other introduction to Buddhism, Buddhism in Ten provides readers with the understanding and tools they need to live a deeper and fuller life along Buddhist principles. Ten lessons, each inspired by an aspect of Buddhism, show how to incorporate this Eastern philosophy into your daily life. Each lesson is enhanced with several exercises--some physical, some mental, and some spiritual. Simple lessons show you how to: Develop a sense of clarity through Right Meditation Understand and accept your own experiences through the Four Noble Truths Enrich everyday life with Right Mindfulness Remove obstacles to a spiritually enlightened life--and reveal your own Buddha nature The Buddhist tradition can help you develop a life of wisdom, awareness, and compassion. With its thorough, accessible exploration of Buddhist philosophy and practice, this book can guide you to a more rewarding, more joyful life.

Buddha is synonymous with the term 'enlightenment'. Although we see him as a calm, benevolent figure, the actual life story of Buddha was tumultuous and dramatic. No other human being has lived such a life. What better way to grip the reader than to tell Buddha's story from the inside? Chopra carries the reader from Buddha's birth to the time of enlightenment - how he experienced such depths of despair and heights of ecstasy, renounced love in favour of spiritual perfection, and contained in one body enough wisdom to change the world.

"Beyond the Breath" is one of the first books to give a complete overview and description of sensation based vipassana meditation, the form of mediation thought of as the original method of meditation as used by the Buddha 2,500 years ago. This form of meditation, brought to the West by S.N. Geoneka, provides a means to experience emotions directly and nonverbally--accessing the mind through the body. One of the main principles of this school of meditation is that meditation alone is not sufficient practice, but that it must be combined with a whole-life and ethical commitment.
M.Glickman's approach is unique--he takes a mediation practice deeply rooted within a historic Buddhist framework, and gives it a modern-day, scientific spin--he presents sensation based viapassana meditaiton and Buddhist principles in 20th-century language, secularizing ideas that may sound exotic, off-putting, or out-dated. Glickman's passion for the topic, as well as his great understanding of Buddhist concepts, make this an inspiring read.

How do you cope when facing life-threatening illness, family conflict, faltering relationships, old trauma, obsessive thinking, overwhelming emotion, or inevitable loss? If you're like most people, chances are you react with fear and confusion, falling back on timeworn strategies: anger, self-judgment, and addictive behaviors. Though these old, conditioned attempts to control our life may offer fleeting relief, ultimately they leave us feeling isolated and mired in pain.
There "is" another way. Beneath the turbulence of our thoughts and emotions exists a profound stillness, a silent awareness capable of limitless love. Tara Brach, author of the award-winning "Radical Acceptance, "calls this awareness our true refuge, because it is available to every one of us, at any moment, no exceptions. In this book, Brach offers a practical guide to finding our inner sanctuary of peace and wisdom in the midst of difficulty.
Based on a fresh interpretation of the three classic Buddhist gateways to freedom--truth, love, and awareness--"True Refuge" shows us the way not just to heal our suffering, but also to cultivate our capacity for genuine happiness. Through spiritual teachings, guided meditations, and inspirational stories of people who discovered loving presence during times of great struggle, Brach invites us to connect more deeply with our own inner life, one another, and the world around us.
" "
"True Refuge" is essential reading for anyone encountering hardship or crisis, anyone dedicated to a path of spiritual awakening. The book reminds us of our own innate intelligence and goodness, making possible an enduring trust in ourselves and our lives. We realize that what we seek is within us, and regardless of circumstances, "there is always a way to take refuge in a healing and liberating presence."
Advance praise for "True Refuge"
"Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience as well as ten more years of personal experience on the path of awakening, Tara Brach's superb second book brings readers ever more deeply in touch with our true nature. This book is a precious gift, filled with insight, shared from heart to heart."--Thich Nhat Hanh
""True Refuge" is a magnificent work of heart. For anyone interested in developing a deeper understanding of the mind and how to improve the quality of their life, this book offers unique insights and easily learned practices that literally can transform your life's path. Read, explore, and enjoy "--Dan Siegel, author of "Mindsight "and "The Whole-Brain Child"
"This is a special book, lovely, loving, wise, and helpful. It is like having a sage and caring friend sit with you, offering comfort, insight, and guidance for your own true journey home."--Jack Kornfield, author of "The Wise Heart"
"Tara Brach writes from the heart to the heart. With candor and calmness, she shares her own and others' struggles to overcome our deep and constant human dilemmas. Whenever I read Brach, I feel more peaceful and hopeful. I trust myself and the universe more. I feel more connected and grounded in what the Lakota Sioux call Wakan Tanka, The Great Mystery. "True Refuge" is itself a refuge and I thank the author for it."--Mary Pipher, Ph.D., "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Green Boat" and "Reviving Ophelia"

"From the Hardcover edition."

The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika), a second-century philosophical text by the Buddhist saint Nagarjuna, is the foundational text of Mahayana, the Buddhist school that predominates in Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. Nagarjuna is the founder of the Madhyamaka, or Middle Path, school of Mahayana. Jay Garfield's magisterial translation (with commentary) of this seminal text (OUP, 1995) has established itself as the definitive edition in the English language. Empty Words is intended as a companion to Garfield's translation to The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, providing additional background, argument and context. It considers the work of philosophical rivals, and sheds important light on the relation of Nagarjuna's views to other Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical positions. Garfield is one of the leading scholars in this field, and this volume is the culmination of his work of the last decade.

The Record of Buddhist Kingdoms is a classic travelogue that records the Chinese monk Faxian's journey in the early fifth century CE to Buddhist sites in Central and South Asia in search of sacred texts. In the nineteenth century, it traveled west to France, becoming in translation the first scholarly book about "Buddhist Asia," a recent invention of Europe. This text fascinated European academic Orientalists and was avidly studied by Hegel, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche. The book went on to make a return journey east: it was reintroduced to Inner Asia in an 1850s translation into Mongolian, after which it was rendered into Tibetan in 1917. Amid decades of upheaval, the text was read and reinterpreted by Siberian, Mongolian, and Tibetan scholars and Buddhist monks. Matthew W. King offers a groundbreaking account of the transnational literary, social, and political history of the circulation, translation, and interpretation of Faxian's Record. He reads its many journeys at multiple levels, contrasting the textual and interpretative traditions of the European academy and the Inner Asian monastery. King shows how the text provided Inner Asian readers with new historical resources to make sense of their histories as well as their own times, in the process developing an Asian historiography independently of Western influence. Reconstructing this circulatory history and featuring annotated translations, In the Forest of the Blind models decolonizing methods and approaches for Buddhist studies and Asian humanities.

Buddhism: The Big Picture Explained answers the common questions a beginning and inquisitive learner might have regarding this seemingly complex religion. In easy-to-understand terms, Edward Woo first demonstrates the ideas and concepts behind this often misunderstood faith and then provides explanations for both basic and intricate questions including:

What is a religion?
Why is Buddhism a religion?
What does Buddhism teach us?
What constitutes the basic principle of Buddhism?
What is the most important of Buddhist teachings?
What precisely it means to get enlightened?
Why is Buddhism meaningful?
How does Buddhism change our way of life?
In a sometimes unpredictable world, Buddhism: The Big Picture Explained explores the benefit this great religion has on global peace and harmony, promotes the idea of being good to others and the environment, and teaches us that we are the masters of our own destiny.Buddhism: The Big Picture Explained answers the common questions a beginning and inquisitive learner might have regarding this seemingly complex religion. In easy-to-understand terms, Edward Woo first demonstrates the ideas and concepts behind this often misunderstood faith and then provides explanations for both basic and intricate questions including:

What is a religion?
Why is Buddhism a religion?
What does Buddhism teach us?
What constitutes the basic principle of Buddhism?
What is the most important of Buddhist teachings?
What precisely it means to get enlightened?
Why is Buddhism meaningful?
How does Buddhism change our way of life?
In a sometimes unpredictable world, Buddhism: The Big PictureExplained explores the benefit this great religion has on global peace and harmony, promotes the idea of being good to others and the environment, and teaches us that we are the masters of our own destiny.

For the first time, the Dalai Lama presents his vision and the most important teachings of Buddhism to the general public. Perhaps the key difference between Buddhism and the rest of the world's religions resides in our understanding of the core of our identities. The existence of a soul or an "I," which is an essential aspect of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, is refused in Buddhism. Furthermore, Buddhism considers the belief of an "I" the key source to our problems in life. A thorough understanding of these beliefs does not carry any nihilistic or cynical views of the world around us. By contrast, an authentic understanding of our mind and identity leads us to true happiness and a greater compassion for others. While the Dalai Lama presents us with a complete comprehensive guide of his teachings about the fundamental aspects, he also demonstrates how to actively integrate this knowledge in everyday life.

The book offers a conception of philosophy as a form of self-enquiry which begins not in reflection, but in silence and meditation, conceived as conditions for the emergence and cessation of contending states of mind which influence perception and action. The philosopher thus becomes a kind of cartographer of a shifting interior landscape. This underlying perspective explains the personal nature of the writing and its mixing of genres. The book draws on both the Greek and Buddhist traditions, recognising that it is time for Western thinkers to acknowledge and respond to an intercultural canon. It aims to integrate ethics and a non-theistic philosophy of religion through the medium of aesthetics, mapping Buddhist 'mindfulness' and the Greek virtues and vices of temperance and licentiousness, continence and incontinence, onto an account of the development of moral sentiments and their relation to practical judgement in the context of oppressive political and social realities.

The issue of saints is a difficult and complicated problem in Buddhology. In this magisterial work, Ray offers the first comprehensive examination of the figure of the Buddhist saint in a wide range of Indian Buddhist evidence. Drawing on an extensive variety of sources, Ray seeks to identify the "classical type" of the Buddhist saint, as it provides the presupposition for, and informs, the different major Buddhist saintly types and subtypes. Discussing the nature, dynamics, and history of Buddhist hagiography, he surveys the ascetic codes, conventions and traditions of Buddhist saints, and the cults both of living saints and of those who have "passed beyond." Ray traces the role of the saints in Indian Buddhist history, examining the beginnings of Buddhism and the origin of Mahayana Buddhism.

For roughly two thousand years, the veneration of sacred fossil ammonites, called Shaligrams, has been an important part of Hindu and Buddhist ritual practice throughout South Asia and among the global Diaspora. Originating from a single remote region of Himalayan Nepal, called Mustang, Shaligrams are all at once fossils, divine beings, and intimate kin with families and worshippers. Through their lives, movements, and materiality, Shaligrams then reveal fascinating new dimensions of religious practice, pilgrimage, and politics. But as social, environmental, and national conflicts in the politically-contentious region of Mustang continue to escalate, the geologic, mythic, and religious movements of Shaligrams have come to act as parallels to the mobility of people through both space and time. Shaligram mobility therefore traverses through multiple social worlds, multiple religions, and multiple nations revealing Shaligram practitioners as a distinct, alternative, community struggling for a place in a world on the edge.