These books give a clear explanation of the essence of Buddhism and its relevance to modern living from which everyone, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, can benefit. With beautiful illustrations throughout and addressing the reader in a mature style, these books take on the life and teachings of Buddha as a basis for exploring many of the issues and concerns faced by children and young pople today. And although these books are written principally for children, everyone - parents, teachers and people of all ages - can benefit from reading these books and learning from the teachings of Buddha. This set of four includes: 1. 'The Story of Angulimala' - overcoming anger with kindness. 2. 'The Story of Buddha' - how a prince became Buddha. 3. 'What is Buddhism?' - understanding Buddha's teachings. 4. 'What is Meditation?' - meditation for a peaceful mind. Note for teachers and parents: Series suitable for Key Stages 1 to 3.

'Karen Armstrong has been one of the most persistent and powerful voices in the eminently respectable task of popularising religious scholarship in the anglophone world' GUARDIAN 'Her work has a broad sweep and that is extremely important' TLS Buddhism is a faith that commands over 100 million followers throughout the world. Buddha stands with Christ, Confucius and Mohammed as someone who revolutionised the religious ideas of his time to advocate a new way of living. Since Buddhism promotes no personal god, Buddhism, writes Armstrong, 'is essentially a psychological faith'. In our own age of secular anxiety, she shows that it has profound lessons to teach about selflessness and the simple life. All that is known about Buddha comes from a collection of ancient writings that fuse history, biography and myth. Karen Armstrong distils from these the key events of Buddha's life: his birth as Siddhartha Gotama in the fifth century BC and his abandonment of his wife and son; his attainment of enlightenment under the Banyan tree (the moment he became a buddha, or enlightened one; his political influence; the divisions among his followers; and his serene death. Armstrong also introduces the key tenets of Buddhism: she explains the doctrine of anatta (no-soul) and the concepts of kamma (actions), samsara (keeping going), dhamma (a law or teaching that reflects the fundamental principles of existence) and the idealised state of nibbana (literally the 'cooling of the ego'). Karen Armstrong's short book is a magnificent introduction to the life and thought of this most influential of spiritual thinkers.

Handbook of Mindfulness-Based Programmes: Mindfulness Interventions from Education to Health and Therapy offers the first comprehensive guide to all prominent, evidence-based mindfulness programmes available in the West. The rapid growth of mindfulness in the Western world has given rise to an unprecedented wave of creative mindfulness programmes, offering tailor-made mindfulness practices for school teachers, students, parents, nurses, yoga teachers, athletes, pregnant women, therapists, care-takers, coaches, organisational leaders and lawyers. This book offers an in-depth engagement with these different programmes, emphasising not only the theory and research but also the practice. Exercises and activities are provided to enable the reader to first understand the programme and then experience its unique approach and benefits. Handbook of Mindfulness-Based Programmes will enrich your knowledge and experience of mindfulness practice, whether you are a practitioner, researcher or simply interested in the application of mindfulness.

"Murmured Conversations" is the first complete and rigorously annotated translation of "Sasamegoto" (1463-1464), considered the most important and representative poetic treatise of the medieval period in Japan because of its thoroughgoing construction of poetry as a way to attain, and signify through language, the mental liberation ("satori") that is the goal of Buddhist practice. It is a fascinating document revealing the central place of Buddhist philosophy in medieval Japanese artistic practices. Shinkei (1406-1475), the author of the treatise, is himself a major poet, regarded as the most brilliant among the practitioners of linked poetry ("renga") in the Muromachi Period.
Along with the extensive annotations, Ramirez-Christensen's commentaries illuminate the significance of each section of the treatise within the context of "waka" and "renga" poetics, of the history of classical Japanese aesthetic principles in general and of Shinkei's thought in particular, and the role of Buddhism in the contemporary understanding of cultural practices like poetry. This is the most comprehensive presentation available in English of a major classical Japanese critical text.

Laugh aloud even as you look at life anew with these stories from the bestselling author of "Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung?"
In 108 brief stories with titles like "The Bad Elephant," "Girlfriend Power," and "The Happiness License," Ajahn Brahm offers up more timeless wisdom that will speak to people from all walks of life. Drawing from his own experiences, stories shared by his students, and old chestnuts that he delivers with a fresh twist, Ajahn Brahm shows he knows his way around the humorous parable, delighting even as he surprises us with unexpected depth and inspiration.

This title features the teachings of Jesus and Buddha about how to create an abundant life by focusing your attention on your connection with the vibrant presence of the divine within.

The author of The World's Religions and the award-winning author of The World's Wisdom present an incisive introduction to Buddhism that traces its history, teachings, and practices throughout the world. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

Dionysian Buddhism: Guided Interpersonal Meditations in the Three Yanas will assist readers in exploring their own emotional landscapes. This sequence of thirty guided meditations by the renowned spiritual teacher and psychotherapist Claudio Naranjo is structured to guide individuals towards acceptance of what is and to be fully present -- to meet pain with joy, expand awareness into consciousness and to learn how to share in the full presence of others. The "Dionysian" context of Buddhism provides a lens in which to interpret non-attachment through noninterference with the stream of life. Naranjo draws on a wide range of Buddhist traditions, from Theravada to Vajrayana, in order to create a work that emphasizes both the experiential and multifaceted aspects of meditation. As Naranjo says, Only a change of consciousness might save our world, and that in view of this collective shift in consciousness there is nothing more relevant we can do than start with ourselves.

"An Introduction to Buddhist Psychology" is a lucid, intelligible and authentic introduction to the foundations of Buddhist psychology. It provides comprehensive coverage of the basic concepts and issues in the psychology of Buddhism and thus it deals with the nature of psychological inquiry, concepts of mind, consciousness and behavior, motivation, emotions, perception, and the therapeutic structure of Buddhist psychology. For the fourth edition, a new chapter on "emotional intelligence" and its relationship with Buddhism has been added.

Buddhist meditator and scholar Bhikkhu Analayo introduces the Buddhist backgrounds to mindfulness, ranging from mindful eating to its formal cultivation as satipatthana (the foundations of mindfulness). He also offers a historical survey of the development of mindfulness in different Buddhist traditions. Providing an accessible guide, he offers practical exercises on how to develop mindfulness. The orally transmitted early teachings examined here provide a range of perspectives on mindfulness, with a clear overarching focus on the role of mindfulness in the path to `awakening', to an understanding of reality as it is. Analayo shows how mindfulness is a central tool for recognizing the influence of greed, anger and delusion, and how to emerge from these to progress on the path of practice to liberation. He shows how mindfulness brings about a clear vision of reality, fostering a gradual freeing of the mind from these influences, and enabling us to be more fully in touch with what is taking place and remain in the present; we learn to slow down and come to our senses. As well as being directed within, Analayo demonstrates how mindfulness helps us discern how what we do impacts others, and thus naturally strengthens our compassion, helping us avoid harming others and ourselves. Mindfulness is something to be practised, and at the end of each chapter Analayo provides instructions for developing mindfulness step by step, bringing it into our personal experience.

This systematic introduction to Buddhist ethics is aimed at anyone interested in Buddhism, including students, scholars and general readers. Peter Harvey is the author of the acclaimed Introduction to Buddhism (Cambridge, 1990), and his new book is written in a clear style, assuming no prior knowledge. At the same time it develops a careful, probing analysis of the nature and practical dynamics of Buddhist ethics in both its unifying themes and in the particularities of different Buddhist traditions. The book applies Buddhist ethics to a range of issues of contemporary concern: humanity’s relationship with the rest of nature; economics; war and peace; euthanasia; abortion; the status of women; and homosexuality. Professor Harvey draws on texts of the main Buddhist traditions, and on historical and contemporary accounts of the behaviour of Buddhists, to describe existing Buddhist ethics, to assess different views within it, and to extend its application into new areas.

Adeu Rinpoche's story is not about the horrors he endured under the Communist takeover of Tibet--he himself notes that many other people underwent much worse hardships, not to mention all those that died--but rather the way in which he told his tale. While describing what happened to him and many others, how he survived and finally his release from prison he spoke in a straightforward, dignified manner without any resentment, anger or sadness. He never added mental anguish on top of an already untenable experience. He viewed what happened to him as a ripening of his own individual karma, he accepted responsibility for the abuse he suffered; in fact, he repeatedly stated that each person suffered according to their own karma, as he said, "I felt that whatever befalls you is a ripening of the specific karma that you created in the past."
Adeu Rinpoche took the trauma and suffering as an opportunity not only to accept the vicissitudes of life without bitterness but also to transcend the unjust treatment by not harboring ill-will against the perpetrators, instead developing compassion for them. In the end he turned suffering into happiness, for even while imprisoned he was able to meet many great masters, receive teachings from them and even do some serious practice. It is truly inspiring that people exist in our world with such profound realization and accomplishment--they are examples to us all.
This tale together with wonderful teachings presents a compassionate and wise face to the hardship Adeu Rinpoche and so many others endured and triumphed over. It is a banquet of realization, pith instructions and dignity.

This book deals with issues at the intersection of philosophy, theology, religious studies and Buddhist studies; in moral philosophy, philosophy of religion, and aesthetics. It is written by a philosopher but in a quasi-autobiographical style, reflecting the relations between the form of a person's life and the nature of their philosophical reflections. It deals with questions of spirituality, moral feeling, the distinction between theistic and nontheistic religion, the impact of the Death of God controversy, and the nature of Buddhist forms of meditation and their relation to perception and action.

This is the first book-length study in any language of Jo kei (1155-1213), a prominent Buddhist cleric of the Hosso (Yogacara) school, whose life bridged the momentous transition from Heian (794-1185) to Kamakura (1185-1333) Japan. "Kamakura Buddhism" has drawn notable scholarly attention, largely because it marks the emergence of new schools-Pure Land, Nichiren, and Zen-that came to dominate the Buddhist landscape of Japan. Although Jokei is invariably cited as one of the leading representatives of established Buddhism during the Kamakura period, he has been seriously neglected by Western scholars.
In this book, James L. Ford aims to shed light on this pivotal and long-overlooked figure. Ford argues convincingly that Jokei is an ideal personage through which to peer anew into the socio-religious dynamics of early medieval Japan. Indeed, Jokei is uniquely linked to a number of decisive trends and issues of dispute including: the conflict between the established schools and Honen's exclusive nenbutsu movement; the precept-revival movement; doctrinal reform efforts; the proliferation of prominent "reclusive monks" (tonseiso); the escalation of fundraising (kanjin) campaigns and popular propagation; and the conspicuous revival of devotion toward Sakyamuni and Maitreya. Jokei represents a paradigm within established Buddhism that recognized the necessity of accessing other powers through esoteric practices, ritual performances, and objects of devotion. While Jokei is best known as a leading critic of Honen's exclusive nenbutsu movement and a conservative defender of normative Buddhist principles, he was also a progressive reformer in his own right. Far from defending the status quo, Jokei envisioned a more accessible, harmonious, and monastically upright form of Buddhism.
Through a detailed examination of Jokei's extensive writings and activities, Ford challenges many received interpretations of Jokei's legacy and the transformation of Buddhism in early medieval Japan. This book fills a significant lacuna in Buddhist scholarship

This landmark collection is the definitive introduction to the Buddha's teachings - in his own words. The American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, whose voluminous translations have won widespread acclaim, here presents selected discourses of the Buddha from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of what the Buddha taught. Divided into ten thematic chapters, "In the Buddha's Words" reveals the full scope of the Buddha's discourses, from family life and marriage to renunciation and the path of insight. A concise, informative introduction precedes each chapter, guiding the reader toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow.
"In the Buddha's Words" allows even readers unacquainted with Buddhism to grasp the significance of the Buddha's contributions to our world heritage. Taken as a whole, these texts bear eloquent testimony to the breadth and intelligence of the Buddha's teachings, and point the way to an ancient yet ever-vital path. Students and seekers alike will find this systematic presentation indispensable.

This book presents a new answer to the question: what is nirvana? Part One distinguishes between systematic and narrative thought in the Pali texts of Theravada Buddhism, looking at the place of nirvana in both. Part Two explores other Buddhist utopias and relates Buddhist utopianism to studies of European and American utopian writing. Steven Collins discusses these issues in relation to textuality, world history, and ideology in premodern civilizations, aiming to contribute to a new vision of Buddhist history that integrates the inside and the outside of texts.

In this book, Julia Ching offers a magisterial survey of over four thousand years of Chinese civilisation through an examination of the relationship between kingship and mysticism. She investigates the sage-king myth and ideal, arguing that institutions of kingship were bound up with cultivation of trance states and communication with spirits. Over time, these associations were retained, though sidelined, as the sage-king myth became a model for the actual ruler, with a messianic appeal for the ruled. As a paradigm, it also became appropriated by private individuals who strove for wisdom without becoming kings. As the Confucian tradition interacted with the Taoist and the Buddhist, the religious character of spiritual and mystical cultivation became more pronounced. But the sage-king idea continued, promoting expectations of benevolent despotism rather than democratisation in Chinese civilisation.

In this book, Julia Ching offers a survey of over 4,000 years of Chinese civilization through an examination of the relationship between kingship and mysticism. She investigates the sage-king myth and ideal, arguing that institutions of kingship were bound up with cultivation of trance states and communication with spirits. Over time, the sage-king myth became a model for the actual ruler. As a paradigm, it was also appropriated by private individuals who strove for wisdom without becoming kings. As the Confucian tradition interacted with the Taoist and the Buddhist, the religious character of spiritual and mystical cultivation became more pronounced. But the sage-king idea continued, promoting expectations of benevolent despotism rather than democratization in Chinese civilization.

This practical guide introduces readers to the Zen principles Tom Crum has lived by and taught for many years. As a black belt in aikido, a motivational speaker, and an instructor in everything from mathematics to skiing, Crum learned that the key to success in any endeavor is mastering the art of "centering". He teaches here the vital techniques for achieving a more relaxed, energized, and integrated approach to our lives.

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.

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.