THIS 182 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East: Medieval China, by Chuang-Tze . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610009X.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

1936. Confucius Said It First is the result of the author's conversation with the former president of a men's club near Boston. Dr. Hsieh was talking to the ex-president about great teachers and in the course of the conversation had dwelt at length on Confucius. Yes, said the Boston suburbanite, Confucius was indeed a great master. He was Italian was he not? Following this, Hsieh hurried to his home and dug out his articles on the sayings of Confucius, which were published in Colliers and reprinted in the Reader's Digest. He took them to the best Boston publishers and had them republished as this volume. It is a wonderful little book that you can slip into your pocket and, in subways, taxis, arm chairs and bed, discover that Confucius wasn't Italian and that he said, first, many of the words of wisdom that are still most honorable guide posts to peaceful and happy living. Contents: Confucius Said It First; Confucius Holds Mirror to Life; Sayings of Confucius; and Chinese Proverbs.

Tao Te Ching is the 2,500 years old source to Taoism, written by the legendary Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu. In 81 short chapters, he presented the world according to Tao, the Way, and how mankind should adapt to it. The book has become one of the foremost world classics of wisdom - maybe even more relevant today, than it was to Lao Tzu's contemporaries.This translation of the text focuses on the clarity and simplicity by which Lao Tzu expresses his fascinating cosmology and profound ethics.Except for a short foreword by the translator, Lao Tzu's text is uncommented in this edition, allowing it to speak for itself.Stefan Stenudd has also published an edition with extensive comments and explanations: Tao Te Ching. The Taoism of Lao Tzu Explained.

"Rollicking and well-researched...A story of scandal, financial shenanigans, bodily discipline, oversize egos and bizarre love triangles." -"Wall Street Journal"
More than fifteen million Americans currently practice yoga (according to "Yoga Journal"), but how many of them know the true story of how Downward Dog first captivated America? Resurrecting a fascinating and forgotten tale, journalist Robert Love returns to the Gilded Age, when Dr. Pierre Bernard (ne Perry Baker in Iowa) revived a discipline banned in Victorian India, packaged it for Americans, and taught legions of followers, who bankrolled his luxurious Hudson River ashram- the first in the nation. Filled with Jazz Age celebrities, heiresses, spies, and outraged clergy, "The Great Oom" is the enthralling life story of the unlikeliest of gurus, and a stunning saga of mysticism, intrigue, and the American dream.

The Golf Mystic is an allegorical presentation of everyday life through the game of golf. Written in conversational style, it is the story of the wayward golf pro (Geoff) who realizes he is failing in the most important parts of his life. His golf career is in disarray and his fiance, Claire has recently left him. Geoff is about ready to give up on the game when he encounters an obscure iconoclastic golfer and teacher in the person of Joe Burlington. While mainstream golf teaching pros have rejected this master, a desperate Geoff is inspired and seeks Joe out for help. After an inauspicious start, Geoff comes to understand that Joe is a rare and special teacher, solidly grounded and uncorrupted by the technical trends and material culture in modern golf and the world at large. His simple sage advice and methods of teaching transcend anything Geoff has experienced before. Joe demonstrates how learning to play the game of golf mirrors life. It is all about relationships, and being in the moment. To be successful, one must embody universal principles of freedom and trust. In golf, these qualities must be combined with sound swing strategies. Joe's prescriptive strategies show Geoff how to view things differently. His combination of practical mental and physical exercises create positive change that bring Geoff and the reader closer to success. Golf Mystic teaches how to blend and balance each moment in life and to understand that peace and joy are based on one's perspective. Woven through the story is a proven program of swing development that will provide golfers with strategies to overcome any physical or psychological problem they may face in golf.

The Tao Te Ching, Dao De Jing, or Daodejing, whose authorship has been attributed to Laozi, is a Chinese classic text. Its name comes from the opening words of its two sections: dao "way," Chapter 1, and de "virtue/power," Chapter 38, plus jing "classic." According to tradition, it was written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi (or Lao Tzu, "Old Master"), a record-keeper at the Zhou Dynasty court, by whose name the text is known in China. The text's true authorship and date of composition or compilation are still debated. The text is fundamental to the Philosophical Daoism (Daojia and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Religious Daoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Daoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Daodejing as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, aided by hundreds of translations into Western languages. The Wade-Giles romanization "Tao Te Ching" dates back to early English transliterations in the late 19th century, and many people continue using it, especially for words and phrases that have become well-established in English. The pinyin romanization "Daodejing" originated in the late 20th century, and this romanization is becoming increasingly popular, having been adopted as the official system by the Chinese government.

This book contains four essays on Internal Alchemy (Neidan) by Isabelle Robinet, originally published in French and translated here for the first time into English. The essays are concerned with the alchemical principle of "inversion"; the devices used by the alchemists to "give form to the Formless by the word, and thus manifest the authentic and absolute Dao"; the symbolic function of numbers in Taoism and in Internal Alchemy; and the original meanings of the terms "External Elixir" ("waidan") and "Internal Elixir" ("neidan").

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements, vii

1. The World Upside Down in Taoist Internal Alchemy, 1
2. The Alchemical Language, or the Effort to Say the Contradictory, 17
3. Role and Meaning of Numbers in Taoist Cosmology and Alchemy, 45
4. On the Meaning of the Terms "Waidan" and "Neidan," 75

Tables and Pictures, 103
Appendix: Works by Isabelle Robinet, 113
Glossary of Chinese Characters, 117
Works Quoted, 123

Karma has become a household word in the modern world, where it is associated with the belief in rebirth determined by one's deeds in earlier lives. This belief was and is widespread in the Indian subcontinent as is the word "karma" itself. In lucid and accessible prose, this book presents karma in its historical, cultural, and religious context. Initially, karma manifested itself in a number of religious movements?most notably Jainism and Buddhism?and was subsequently absorbed into Brahmanism in spite of opposition until the end of the first millennium C.E. Philosophers of all three traditions were confronted with the challenge of explaining by what process rebirth and karmic retribution take place. Some took the drastic step of accepting the participation of a supreme god who acted as a cosmic accountant, others of opting for radical idealism. The doctrine of karma was confronted with alternative explanations of human destiny, among them the belief in the transfer of merit. It also had to accommodate itself to devotional movements that exerted a major influence on Indian religions. The book concludes with some general reflections on the significance of rebirth and karmic retribution, drawing attention to similarities between early Christian and Indian ascetical practices and philosophical notions that in India draw their inspiration from the doctrine of karma.

The best-selling author of T"he Healing Power of Mind" presents a historical overview and detailed explanation of the phenomenon of incarnate enlightened beings, known as "tulkus" in Tibetan. A tulku, out of kindness for beings, is born again and again as a teacher who dedicates his or her life to serving others, specifically through sharing the teachings of the Buddha. He or she is usually recognized by those well-trained friends and students who were close to the previous incarnation and who have the appropriate insight to recognize their deceased master in the form of a very young child. Throughout the history of Tibetan Buddhism, tulkus have been the standard-bearers of the tradition and providers of spiritual and social guidance for both the ordained and the lay people of that culture.
The book covers the following topics: the fundamental principle of the tulku; the three kinds of tulkus; the methods for recognizing tulkus; stories of tulkus' miracles and clairvoyance; the goals fulfilled by them; the roles tulkus have played in history; and the attainments they have displayed at death.

2011 Reprint of 1922 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This book, subtitled "An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man," is a good starting point among the hundreds of books written by Rudolf Steiner. He sees a tripartate model of the individual here: body, soul and spirit, cautioning us that these are only approximate terms. In the course of this short two hundred page book we explore higher realities which have eluded the scientific method: planes of seething elemental spirits, zones wandered by reincarnating entities, and more abstract 'places' where Platonic Archetypes dwell. He explains how auras are one modality of these higher existences which we can view in our present form. Steiner provides a precise, phenomenological description of his own supersensible experiences and the supersensible phenomena revealed by them. "Theosophy" is organized in four parts. First, Steiner builds up a comprehensive understanding of human nature, beginning with the physical bodily nature and moving up through the soul nature to our spiritual being: the "I" and the higher spiritual aspects of our being. This then leads to the experience of the human being as a sevenfold interpenetrated being of body, soul, and spirit. Secondly, Steiner gives an extraordinary overview of the laws of reincarnation and the workings of karma as we pass from one life to the next. Thirdly, Steiner shows the different ways in;which we live, during this life on earth and after death, in the three worlds of body, soul and spirit, as well as the ways in which these worlds in turn live into us. Fourthly, a succinct description is given of the path of knowledge by which each one of us can begin to understand the marvelous and harmonious complexity of the psycho-spiritual worlds in the fullness.

1895. Having written a book on Confucius, Alexander turns his attention to another Chinese classical subject-the life and teaching of the most distinguished of Confucius's contemporaries, Lao-tsze, the Great Thinker. Believing that knowledge of Lao-tsze is to be gained from the thoughts to which he gave utterance in his one great work, the Tao-tih-King, Alexander has made a translation of this piece the focal point of this volume. The Contents are divided into the following three Parts: Origins and Antecedents; Lao-Tsze and His Period; and The Tao-Tih-King.

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.

THIS 182 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East: Medieval China, by Chuang-Tze . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610009X.

Lao Tzu was the father of Taoism. In his "Tao Te Ching," Lao Tzu outlined the basic concept of Tao. Chuang Tzu and Lieh Tzu were Lao Tzu's most important followers who expounded and expanded the basic principles set forth by Lao Tzu. Together, the sayings of these three sages, which make up this volume, are the foundations for the philosophy of Tao.
The translations of the works of these ancient Chinese sages by Lionel and Herbert Giles are very highly regarded and considered by many to be the definitive English translations. Lionel's translation of The Sayings of Lao Tzu (1905), taken from the "Tao Te Ching" and logically re-ordered, is remarkable for its clarity of expression, particularly given the complexity of the subject. Herbert's translation of "The Sayings of Chuang Tzu," presented here, with an introduction by Lionel, was originally published as "Musings of a Chinese Mystic" (1906). Lionel's translation of "The Sayings of Lieh Tzu" was originally published as "The Book of Lieh Tzu, Teachings in Taoism" (1912).
Individually the works of these Chinese sages are classics. Together, they are a master resource of the history of Tao.

THIS 20 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East: Medieval China, by Chuang-Tze . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610009X.

While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of Equilibrium. When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of Harmony. This Equilibrium is the great root from which grow all the human actings in the world, and this Harmony is the universal path which they all should pursue.

1929. This volume consists of five books entitled: The Youth of the Wise Men; Confucius Weds; Confucius and Lao-Tsze; Confucius as Counsellor; and The Old Age of the Wise Men. See other works available by this author from Kessinger Publishing.

This classic work of Chinese mysticism was written over 2500 years ago. It author was Li Er, an enlightened sage and scholar known to the world as Lao Tzu (Venerable Master), who espoused a philosophy of the Way, or 'Tao' a method of non-striving existence, an effortless 'going with the flow'. Poetic, Humorous, Wise, Deep-hearted, and at times frustratingly enigmatic, the 'Tao Te Jing' is required reading for any student of mysticism and philosophy. It is also the perfect antidote to our contemporary materialist culture of acquisition and self-aggrandisement.

China now attracts global attention in direct proportion to its increasing economic and geopolitical power. But for millennia, the philosophy which has shaped the soul of China is not modern Communism, or even new forms of capitalism, but rather Confucianism. And one of the most striking phenomena relating to China's ascendancy on the world stage is a burgeoning interest, throughout Asia and beyond, in the humanistic culture and values that underlie Chinese politics and finance: particularly the thought of Confucius passed on in the Analects. In this stimulating conversation, two leading thinkers from the Confucian and Buddhist traditions discuss the timely relevance of a rejuvenated Confucian ethics to some of the most urgent issues in the modern world: Sino/Japanese/US relations; the transformation of society through education and dialogue; and the role of world religions in promoting human flourishing. Exploring correspondences between the Confucian and Buddhist world-views, the interlocutors commit themselves to a view of spirituality and religion that, without blurring cultural difference, is focused above all on the 'universal heart': on harmony between people and nature that leads to peace and to a hopeful future for all humanity.

1895. Having written a book on Confucius, Alexander turns his attention to another Chinese classical subject-the life and teaching of the most distinguished of Confucius's contemporaries, Lao-tsze, the Great Thinker. Believing that knowledge of Lao-tsze is to be gained from the thoughts to which he gave utterance in his one great work, the Tao-tih-King, Alexander has made a translation of this piece the focal point of this volume. The Contents are divided into the following three Parts: Origins and Antecedents; Lao-Tsze and His Period; and The Tao-Tih-King.

2011 Reprint of 1957 English Translation. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. "Journey to the East" is written from the point of view of a man who becomes a member of "The League," a timeless religious sect whose members include famous fictional and real characters, such as Plato, Mozart, Pythagoras, Paul Klee, Don Quixote, Tristram Shandy, Baudelaire, and the ferryman Vasudeva, a character from one of Hesse's earlier works, Siddhartha. A branch of the group goes on a pilgrimage to "the East" in search of the "ultimate Truth." The conclusion of the short novel is a stroke of Hesse's typical Eastern mysticism at its finest. Hermann Hesse was born in Calw in the Black Forest on July 2, 1877, and from an early age was obsessed with the mystery of existence and humanity's place in the Universe. The Journey to the East is Hesse's tale of inner pilgrimage, an allegory on human desire for enlightenment and the long road that must be traveled to that ultimate goal. Using remarkably clear and accessible language, the book brings together the experience and conclusions of many years of spiritual struggle.

Originally written for Chinese readers, this book provides a clear description of the Taoist practice of Internal Alchemy, or Neidan. The author outlines the four stages of the alchemical practice and clarifies several relevant terms and notions, including Essence, Breath, and Spirit; the Cinnabar Fields; the "Fire Times"; and the Embryo. The book is based on the system of the "Wuzhen pian" (Awakening to Reality), one of the main sources of Internal Alchemy, and contains about two hundred quotations from original Taoist texts.

Table of Contents

Foreword, vii

INTRODUCTION, 1
The Basis: Essence and Spirit, 3

STAGES OF THE ALCHEMICAL PRACTICE IN "AWAKENING TO REALITY," 11
The Four Stages, 13
"Laying the Foundations," 15
Main Points in the Practice of "Laying the Foundations," 20
The Functions of Essence, Breath, and Spirit, 36
Terms Related to the "Coagulation of the Three Treasures," 52
Conclusion of the Stage of "Laying the Foundations," 63
"Refining Essence to Transmute it into Breath," 65
"Refining Breath to Transmute it into Spirit," 99
"Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness," 109

CONCLUSION, 119
The "Arts of the Way," 121

Tables, 123
Glossary of Chinese Characters, 133

THIS 20 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East: Medieval China, by Chuang-Tze . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610009X.