Written in Kashmir around 400 CE, Haribhatta's Jatakamala is a remarkable example of classical Sanskrit literature in a mixture of prose and verse that for centuries was known only in its Tibetan translation.
A richly illustrated tapestry of interwoven studies spanning some six thousand years of history, Daemons Are Forever is at once a record of archaic contacts and transactions between humans and protean spirit beings-daemons-and an account of exchanges, among human populations, of the science of spirit beings: daemonology.
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.
How Western notions of the Buddha have come to misrepresent his teachings and the traditional goals of Buddhist practice This book tells the story of the Scientific Buddha, "born" in Europe in the 1800s but commonly confused with the Buddha born in India 2,500 years ago.
An essential collection of Stephen Batchelor’s most probing and important work on secular Buddhism As the practice of mindfulness permeates mainstream Western culture, more and more people are engaging in a traditional form of Buddhist meditation.
This deft and lively study by Robert DeCaroli explores the questions of how and why the earliest verifiable images of the historical Buddha were created.
An illuminating record of dialogues between the Dalai Lama and some of today's most prominent scientists, philosophers, and contemplativesIn 2013, during a historic six-day meeting at a Tibetan monastery in southern India, the Dalai Lama gathered with leading scientists, philosophers, and monks for in-depth discussions on the nature of reality, consciousness, and the human mind.
In this first serious study of Hanshan (Cold Mountain), Paul Rouzer discusses some seventy poems of the iconic Chinese poet who lived sometime during the Tang dynasty (618907).
A provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world's most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and scienceBuddhism has become a uniquely favored religion in our modern age.
This multilayered historical ethnography of Bodh Gaya the place of Buddhas enlightenment in the north Indian state of Bihar explores the spatial politics surrounding the transformation of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex into a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002.
An engaging introduction to Zen Buddhism, featuring a new English translation of one of the earliest Zen texts Leading Buddhist scholar Sam van Schaik explores the history and essence of Zen, based on a new translation of one of the earliest surviving collections of teachings by Zen masters.
Miracles of Book and Body is the first book to explore the intersection of two key genres of sacred literature in medieval Japan: sutras, or sacred Buddhist texts, and setsuwa, or "e;explanatory tales,"e; used in sermons and collected in written compilations.
The Dalai Lama has represented Buddhism as a religion of non-violence, compassion, and world peace, but this does not reflect how monks learn their vocation.
The truth of Chan Buddhismbetter known as ';Zen'is regularly said to be beyond language, and yet Chan authorsmedieval and modernproduced an enormous quantity of literature over the centuries.
The now-classic exploration of the role of women and the feminine in Buddhist TantraThe crowning cultural achievement of medieval India, Tantric Buddhism is known in the West primarily for the sexual practices of its adherents, who strive to transform erotic passion into spiritual bliss.
This third volume of Princeton Readings in Religions demonstrates that the "e;three religions"e; of China--Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism (with a fourth, folk religion, sometimes added)--are not mutually exclusive: they overlap and interact with each other in a rich variety of ways.
How often do you hear the story of a man who was immaculately born from within a lotus flower with a thousand petals, in the middle of a lake, having been sent as a meteor from the heart of the Boudha of Boundless light?
Princeton Readings in Religions is a new series of anthologies on the religions of the world, representing the significant advances that have been made in the study of religions in the last thirty years.
Philip Whalen was an American poet, Zen Buddhist, and key figure in the literary and artistic scene that unfolded in San Francisco in the 1950s and '60s.
Medieval Churchmen heard the legend of Prince Siddhartha (the Bodhisattva, or Buddha-to-be) renouncing his wealth and seeking salvation as a monk, but they mistook it for the history of some Christian monk named Iodasaph (a corruption of Bodhisattva).
Thousands of readers--from prisoners to priests--have embraced Jerry Braza's insights in this book, adopting and integrating the mindful practices and habits it presents.
Introduction to Zen Training is a translation of the Sanzen Nyumon, a foundational text for beginning meditation students by Omori Sogenone of the foremost Zen teachers of the twentieth century.
For those searching for mindful moments or for a more engaged way of navigating life in the twenty-first century, Buddhism for Beginners opens the door to understanding Buddhism's key concepts and practices.
Awaken your heart and engage your mind with Buddhist Wisdom: Daily Reflections, a simple but powerful collection of Buddhist sayings and extracts that offer an easy way to incorporate the Buddha's greatest teachings into your everyday life.
As a teacher of meditation, Andrew Weiss found that students responded best when he broke down the process of mindfulness into discrete and progressive steps.
