The Buddhist view of inter-religious dialogue is significantly different from, say, that of Christianity. In Christianity Jesus Christ, being the only incarnation in the history, has an inexplicable uniqueness. It must be maintained even in the inter-faith dialogue. By contrast, in Buddhism Guatama Buddha is not the only Buddha, but one of many Buddhas. His uniqueness is realized in the fact that he is the first Buddha in human history. Furthermore, the Buddhist teaching of dependent co-origination and emptiness not only provides a dynamic common basis for various religions, but also will suggest a creative cooperation amongst world religions. The book clarifies such a Buddhist view and inter-religious dialogue from various perspectives.

Philosophy of The Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Introduction presents a complete philosophical guide and new translation of the most celebrated text of Hinduism. While usually treated as mystical and religious poetry, this new translation focuses on the philosophy underpinning the story of a battle between two sets of cousins of the Aryan clan. Designed for use in the classroom, this lively and readable translation: - Situates the text in its philosophical and cultural contexts - Features summaries and chapter analyses and questions at the opening and end of each of the eighteen chapters encouraging further study - Highlights points of comparison and overlap between Indian and Western philosophical concepts and themes such as just war, care ethics, integrity and authenticity - Includes a glossary allowing the reader to determine the meaning of central concepts Written with clarity and without presupposing any prior knowledge of Hinduism, Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Introduction reveals the importance and value of reading the Gita philosophically.

This study is an investigation of the moral percepts and codes of every day conduct by which ordained women regulated their lives. It takes as its basis the Bhiksuni Pratmoksa Sutras of the Dharmagupta school, preserved in Chinese translation, and the Mulasarvastivada school, preserved in Tibetan translation.

From His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Mutt's cartoonist and award-winning author Patrick McDonnell comes a powerful and timely gem of a book on how to heal our relationship with the planet and each other. At the Dalai Lama's residence in Dharamsala, India, an unusual visitor has arrived. His Holiness interrupts his morning meditation to greet a troubled Giant Panda who has travelled many miles to see him. Welcoming him as a friend, His Holiness invites the Panda on a walk through a cedar forest. There in the shadow of the Himalayas, surrounded by beauty, they discuss matters great and small . . . With a galvanizing message about the future of our planet-text by His Holiness accompanied by McDonnell's masterful illustrations-Heart to Heart calls for a Compassionate Revolution, reminding us that "we are indeed all members of a single family, sharing one little house." Told with whimsy, wisdom, and warmth, this beautiful book is deceptively simple in its approach and all the more powerful for it, as it elegantly and decisively conveys a message of joy, hope and change. "There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday, and one is called Tomorrow."

This new 4 volume collection is an authoritative anthology containing the best scholarship on aspects of religion in contemporary China. The articles will focus on religious beliefs, practices and organisations as well as on the interactive relations between religion and other dimensions of communal, social, political and economic life in Mainland China and overseas Chinese communities.

Here, in one compact volume, is the episode of the great Hindu epic the Mahabharata known as The Message of the Master or the Song of God, in which Krishna reveals himself to be a god and expounds on the duties of the warrior, the prince, and all those who wish to follow in the path of the divine. This 1907 volume is a compilation of the best English translations available at the turn of the 20th century edited by one of the most influential thinkers of the early New Age movement known as New Thought, which was intensely interested in all manner of spirituality and serves as a succinct introduction to Hindu philosophy. A beloved guide to living a fulfilling life, this is essential reading for those interested in global religion and comparative mythology.American writer WILLIAM WALKER ATKINSON (1862 1932) aka Theron Q. Dumont was born in Baltimore and had built up a successful law practice in Pennsylvania before professional burnout led him to the religious New Thought movement. He served as editor of the popular magazine New Thought from 1901 to 1905, and as editor of the journal Advanced Thought from 1916 to 1919. He authored dozens of New Thought books including Arcane Formula or Mental Alchemy and Vril, or Vital Magnetism under numerous pseudonyms, some of which are likely still unknown today.

This book explores the rise of the Great Goddess by focusing on the development of sakti (creative energy), maya (objective illusion), and prakrti (materiality) from Vedic times to the late Puranic period, clarifying how these principles became central to her theology.

This is the first book in a western language to treat these doctrines about Budda from a philosophical and thoroughly critical viewpoint.

Containing sixty translations from a large variety of texts, this is an accessible yet thorough introduction to the major concepts, doctrines, and practices of Taoism.

This book provides an interdisciplinary discussion of conflict studies, drawing on perspectives from psychology and Buddhist studies. The author combines current research in psychology, conflict and management studies, as well as moral narratives drawn from religious and cultural contexts, to offer useful guidance on dealing with conflict and dichotomies. Drawing on a vast corpus of Buddhist literature, this book examines complex teachings, ideas and doctrines to bring insight to how individuals and societies might lead peaceful and balanced lifestyles. In this ground-breaking study Padmasiri De Silva insists that the social studies need to develop dialectical methods and understanding in addition to the objective and analytical collection of facts. Chapters cover an array of subjects including economics, ecology, human wellbeing, prison reform, dialectical behaviour therapy, multiculturalism, and peace studies.

Sarasvati assumes different roles, a physical river and a river goddess, then as a goddess of speech and finally that of a goddess of learning, knowledge, arts and music. References to Sarasvati in the Vedas and the Brahmanas, the Mahabharata and the Puranas and her marked presence in other religious orders, such as Buddhism, Jainism and the Japanese religion, form the basis of discussion as regards her various attributes and manifestations. In Jainism, her counter-part is Sutra-devi, in Buddhism it is Manjusri and Prajnaparamita and in the Japanese religion, Benten is the representative goddess. The physical presence of Sarasvati in various iconic forms is seen in Nepal, Tibet and Japan. Tantrism associated with Sarasvati also finds reflection in these religious traditions. Sculptors and art historians take delight in interpreting various symbols her iconic forms represent. The book examines Sarasvati's origin, the course of her flow and the place of her disappearance in a holistic manner. Based on a close analysis of texts from the early Rig-Veda to the Brahmanas and the Puranas, it discusses different view-points in a balanced perspective and attempts to drive the discussions towards the emergence of a consensus view. The author delineates the various phases of Sarasvati's evolution to establish her unique status and emphasise her continued relevance in the Hindu tradition. The book argues that the practice of pilgrimage further evolved after its association with the river Sarasvati who was perceived as divinity personified in Hindu tradition. This, in turn, led to the emergence of numerous pilgrimage sites on or near her banks which attracted a large number of pilgrims. A multifaceted and interdisciplinary analysis of a Hindu goddess, this book will be of interest to academics researching South Asian Religion, Hinduism and Indian Philosophy as also the general readers.