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Books can be helpful and intimate companions as you travel the way of the spirit. Here's a place where you can glimpse some of the best new works available. We've also added a sprinkling of first-rate selections that have proved the test of time.
Adventures with the Buddha
by Jeffery Paine
W. W. Norton & Company, 2004
Starred Review. "Many Buddhist books will edify you," Paine writes, "but will any entertain you?" Paine (Re-enchantment: Tibetan Buddhism Comes to the West) here offers up an enthralling anthology of nine Western "writer-adventurers" who journeyed to India, Tibet, Nepal, China and Japan to study the various incarnations of Buddhism. The first five writers, including a disaffected Frenchwoman and a Dutch mystery novelist, tell of their experiences in Asia during the first half of the 20th century, when there were still tantalizing unexplored "white spaces" on the map. They reverently describe a wild and woolly land filled with magic: lamas discoursing via mental telepathy; almost-naked gurus meditating in icy caves for years at a time; Shangri-La landscapes filled with clanging processions of gaily-dressed pilgrims. The book's second half features four contemporary American Buddhist writers such as Sharon Salzberg and Michael Roach. To one degree or another, they also share their experiences in Asia, but these writers' main focus is the interior realm: how Buddhism has affected their own day-to-day emotional and spiritual lives—a familiar theme in current Buddhist writing, but one which these writers make fresh. Paine's own contributions are limited to brief introductions, but these are lively and illuminating. Paine's real genius, however, is constructing a cohesive, potent anthology that informs, delights and fires the imagination, a work that both recalls a lost world and illustrates its continued relevance today. (Publisher's Weekly) Buy This Book
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Taming the Tiger Within
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Riverhead Books, 2004
Vietnamese Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh has authored three national bestsellers that deal with negative emotions: Anger, Going Home and No Death, No Fear. Here he distills some of the best quotations from those three books, offering advice on how to conquer rage, jealousy, fear and the desire for revenge. Often the thoughts are just a sentence long, and rarely more than three; the book is designed to be savored over time through deep reflection. Some of Hanh’s suggestions are practical (such as walking to diffuse anger or writing a love letter to a cherished individual), while others will require more rumination. One key to reducing anger, for example, is to practice "deep looking" and recognize that all beings are interconnected; the angry person is inextricably intertwined with the one she imagines is her enemy. Though spare, even Spartan, this book holds seeds of profound wisdom. However, more serious readers will want to delve into the three classics that this book draws upon, since they are already accessible, brief and easy to understand.
(Publisher's Weekly) Buy This Book
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The Lost Art of Compassion
by Lorne Ladner
HarperCollins Publishers, 2004
As the president of the Guhyasamaja Buddhist Center in Virginia, Ladner is a strong proponent of the Buddhist practice of compassion, which develops positive emotions through mental exercises. "Cultivating compassion is the single most effective way to make oneself psychologically healthy, happy and joyful," Ladner writes. "It is a direct antidote to prejudice and aggression." The author, who also works as a clinical psychologist, bemoans the lack of attention compassion receives in the West, and argues that most psychotherapists do little to help their patients increase their feelings of happiness. Nonetheless, Ladner does draw upon both Eastern and Western examples in this book, referring to sources as diverse as Jesus, T.S. Eliot, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama, as well as including numerous anecdotes from his clinical practice. Though the exercises that Ladner recommends are sometime quite elaborate-one them involves identifying your "narcissistic patterns," personifying them as enemies and battling against them-he carefully walks readers through them one chapter at a time and then organizes them into a helpful "Summary of Compassion Practices" at the end of the book. To inspire readers, Landner cites the many recent studies showing that aspects of practicing compassion can significantly improve people's stress levels and their communication and relationships with others. Readers eager to test those findings for themselves should appreciate this book's realistic, manageable approach to dispelling bitterness and anger and replacing it with empathy and patience. (Publishers Weekly) Buy This Book
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Re-Enchantment
by Jeffrey Paine
W.W. Norton & Company, 2003
Memorable anecdotes, great storytelling and keen observations mark this cogent exploration of the explosive growth of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. Paine offers chapters on many famous Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama (who, refreshingly, doesn't appear until nearly the end of the book), the pioneering Lama Yeshe, who first taught Westerners, and the controversial rogue playboy Ch gyam Trungpa, Yeshe's character foil. Other chapters profile Westerners who discovered Tibetan Buddhism, like Tenzin Palmo (formerly a Cockney London girl named Diane Perry), who meditated alone for 12 years in an Indian cave and American lama Jetsunma (Catherine Burroughs), a much-married "tough bird from Brooklyn" who was the first Western woman to be recognized as a tulku (reincarnated Buddhist figure). Of course, there's a chapter on Hollywood, but Paine eschews a superficial chronicle of Tibetan Buddhism's sudden popularity among the glitterati in favor of a compelling analysis of why a Buddhist concept of reality might make sense to people whose lives revolve around the creation of impermanent "realities" like films. Throughout, Paine explores how Tibetan Buddhism has changed the American religious landscape, but also how it has been changed by America: in Tibet, for example, meditation was traditionally a very advanced practice, but in practical-minded America, practitioners "dive straight into meditation immediately." A final chapter introduces the only Tibetan Buddhist on death row; in a fascinating observation, Paine notes that famed Tibetan saint Milarepa was in fact a reformed criminal. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Buddha Book
by Lillian Too
Thorsons, 2003
In the Buddhist tradition, there are countless Buddhist deities - embodiments of enlightened wisdom - who also represent different aspects of the enlightened mind. These Buddhas can act as a sacred map for the reader, leading us towards experiencing the healing, compassion and hope they can bring into our daily lives. The nine chapters in this text include the Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni; the Five Dhyani Buddhas; the Purification Buddha; the Healing Buddhas; the Compassionate Buddhas; the Longevity Buddhas; the Mother Goddess; the Wealth Buddhas; and the Buddha of the Future. Each Buddha is illustrated and throughout are hundreds of prayers, commentaries by both Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lillian Too and meditations for each, along with holy mantras - simple yet powerful practices that require only good intent, the voice, mind and body. Also included are instructions on making tsa tsas, or miniature buddhas, mandala offerings, prayer flags and altars. (Amazon)
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The Zen of Creativity
by John Daido Loori
Ballantine Books, 2004
"Naturalness, spontaneity, and playfulness are all aspects of the ordinary mind that catches a glimpse of the world of things just as they are," writes Loori, the founder and abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery, in the Catskill Mountains. Loori, who was once a research scientist, had his first taste of what he describes during a weekend workshop decades ago with the great photographer Minor White. Thanks to the guidance of White, Loori's love of photography became a lens that allowed him to glimpse what it might mean to really awaken. Zen training followed, first with the Japanese Zen master and artist Soen Nakagawa and finally with Maezumi Roshi. In 1980, Loori established the Zen Arts Center in Mount Tremper, N.Y., which soon became a monastery offering formal Zen training. Through exercises, anecdotes and illustrations of his own work and the work of others, he illuminates how in Zen the seemingly different pursuits of awakening and creative expression are actually kindred, even twins. The real aim of artistic expression is to point the way to the truth, Loori shows. True originality can arise only from having a real contact with our origins, with the ground of our being—and this is the aim of Zen practice. "Give yourself permission to be yourself, and don't be frightened by the unknown," writes Loori, and here he is writing of creativity, of Zen and of life itself. Loori offers a superb overview of the spirit and meaning of the Zen arts. More than that, he has created a fresh and persuasive (for he obviously practices what he preaches) guide to the art of waking up to the beauty and mystery of our own lives. (Publisher's Weekly) Buy This Book
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Hardcore Zen
by Brad Warner
Wisdom Publications, 2003
Hardcore Zen is a truly revolutionary book. Brand Warner, although strongly grounded in essential Zen teachings, gives a totally novel take on what it means to live a Buddhist life. Tracing his own life through years of rebellion, punk music, and the graphical presentation of animated monsters, Warner connects with the reader on an intimate level. All readers, but especially the young will enjoy Warner's stories of life in the U.S. and Japan and how the most unlikely events can lead one to awareness. Hardcore Zen is written in an open, accessible style with biting humor that spares no one. (Wisdom Publications)
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The Tibetan Way of Life
by John Peacock
Element Books, Ltd., 2003
What's the difference between a lama and a tulku? Who is Tara? What are the four classes of tantra? In this lavishly illustrated book on
Tibetan spiritual wisdom, Peacock, a British professor of Indian religions, answers these questions as he analyzes Tibetan approaches
to life, death and rebirth. One unusual feature is the book's extended discussion of how Tibetan Buddhism has been informed by Bon, the
pre-Buddhist folk religion that is still practiced by many in Tibet. From Bon, Tibetan Buddhism has appropriated "preoccupation with
shamanic healing, demonic forces, and the fight between good and evil," contributing to Tibet's complex and esoteric form of Buddhism.
Peacock also describes how tied Tibetan religion is to the landscape of Tibet, "the land of snows"--a particularly important issue in the
past fifty years, when Tibetan Buddhism has flourished in exile. Every page is garnished with full-color illustrations, and there are
numerous informational sidebars. (Publishers Weekly)
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Anger
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Berkley Publishing Group, 2002
In an age of road rage, Americans would do well to cool down with prolific Buddhist monk Hanh (Living Buddha, Living Christ). There is plenty in this small volume worth skipping, such as Hanh's tedious call for "Healing the Wounded Child Within." And some of his advice is banal (e.g., if a husband is angry at his wife, he should tell her). But some of Hanh's suggestions cut refreshingly against the grain. He dissents, for example, from the popular therapeutic wisdom to "express our anger": when we beat a pillow to get rid of our feelings, he insists we are merely "rehearsing" our anger, not "reducing" it. Hanh reminds us that anger begins and ends with ourselves we may feel that we are mad at our wife or son, but really we are the direct objects of our rage. Hanh doesn't limit his task to discussing anger between families and friends; he also deals with anger among countries and between citizens and governments. That expansive vision is not surprising (Hanh, after all, is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee) but it is refreshing, lifting this book out of the self-absorbed self-help pile. Like Hanh's other books, this is not weighed down with Buddhist terminology. The appendices, which contain meditations designed to help release anger, give it the specifically Buddhist spice that some readers will appreciate. The meat of the book, however, will be accessible to a broad, ecumenical audience. (Publishers Weekly)
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No Beginning, No End
by Jakusho Kwong
Harmony Books, 2003
The "Big Mind" that Zen Buddhist master Shunryu Suzuki Roshi so poetically described in his classic Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind shines throughout this collection of talks by Kwong, a disciple and authorized successor of Suzuki's. Appropriately for someone erasing the usual dualistic lines that separate self and other, Kwong's voice is strikingly reminiscent of his teacher's, from the traditional stories and poems he cites to the same central figures of speech and simple diction he uses. The book is also organized like Zen Mind into three parts with quotes pulled out to head each chapter. It even includes 10 of Kwong's calligraphic illustrations, while Zen Mind opens with calligraphy facing its title page. Unlike his teacher, however, the California-born Kwong speaks the language of Zen with an American accent. He is intimately familiar with the American lexicon of words and values, which gives him direct experience-important in Zen-to bring to the cultural meeting of modern American and Japanese Zen minds. He uses "living words"-concrete nouns and simple examples from everyday observation or experience-rather than abstract concepts to make plain and understandable the teasing and logic-confounding contradictions found in Zen. Culled from a lifetime of teaching and studying, the book is persuasive. It is the fruit of a ripened mind, hardened by practice but also softened by the compassionate wisdom drawn from those same long years of experience. (Publishers Weekly)
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Letting Go
by Lama Surya Das
Broadway Books, 2003
Das, an American-born lama in the Dzogchen lineage of Tibet and author of the bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within, here explores the losses and changes that inevitably mark our lives. He argues that what is important is not that difficult things happen (Buddhism's first truth, after all, is that life is suffering), but how we deal with them. Pure detachment from loss and sorrow is not sufficient, he says; the goal is non-attachment to circumstances that are by nature impermanent. Despite losses and pain, we still need to be fully engaged with the world: "Spiritual detachment or equanimity should never be equated with indifference or complacent resignation." One of the strongest sections of the book is Das's simple chronicle of various losses he has suffered, both enormous (the death of his father) and mundane (a stolen bike). Thus acknowledged, his echoing pain prevents the book from being self-help pabulum about how bad things make good people stronger. The writing style, composed mostly of short, choppy sentences, seems well suited for effective public speaking, but unpolished for a book. Many of Das's recommendations-meditating, journal writing, "naming" your feelings, visualizing attachments, chanting a healing mantra-are fairly standard self-help ideas, as are the classic and familiar Buddhist anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. But there are also great and original nuggets of wisdom here, as when Das advocates the ancient Tibetan practice of chod, a hero's quest-like ritual to confront personal fears. (Publishers Weekly)
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Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart
by Mark Epstein
Random House, Inc., 1999
Over 200 years ago, philosopher John Locke proposed that the human mind was a blank slate waiting to be filled up with ideas. Locke's ideas developed into the Western psychological notion of self-fulfillment. In order truly to be self-fulfilled, ones mind literally must be filled to its brim with ideas and desires. Buddhist psychotherapist Epstein (Thoughts Without a Thinker) offers a radically different way of understanding the self in his latest book. Beginning with the Buddhist doctrine that no self is the key to self, Epstein divides his book into four parts "based on the nicknames that Tibetan Buddhists sometimes give to their spiritual practices." These nicknames derive from the activity of falling in love, for in such activity one "simultaneously forgets and discovers oneself." Thus, in "Looking," Epstein advises that we learn how to live with the emptiness of self and to surrender to the void rather than rushing to fill the void with the trivial thoughts of everyday life. In "Smiling," he offers guidance on developing a meditation practice that will help center the self and connect with the universe's harmony. Finally, in "Embracing," Epstein urges moving from the solitude of meditation to the fabric of relationship, and in "Orgasm," he shows how all the threads of the self are woven into a passionate practice. Using stories drawn from his own Buddhist practice and that of his patients, as well as insights from great Buddhist teachers like Chogyam Trungpa and Ram Dass, Epstein shows through sparkling prose and effervescent wit how spiritual practice can transform our everyday lives. (Publishers Weekly)
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What Is Love?
by Taro Gold
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2003
Don't be fooled by the gifty, attractive look and feel of this little square hardback. It may appear similar to any number of frothy books
on spirituality and relationships, but it rises above the genre to offer some reflective and even profound wisdom about Buddhism and
romance. Although the Buddha himself left his family for an itinerant life, and Buddhism stresses non-attachment, Gold says that Buddhism is primarily about "living a joyful life," which includes satisfying romantic relationships. He draws on a variety of Buddhist teachings (particularly from the Nichiren tradition, and its lay movement, Soka Gakkai), sprinkling dharma quotes throughout his own text. The short chapters help readers distinguish between love and illusion, take responsibility for creating their own happiness, overcome fears of pain and loss, and focus on inward change. This is a beautifully illustrated, accessible and perceptive guide. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Art of Happiness at Work
by Dalai Lama
The Putnam Publishing Group, 2003
It should come as no surprise that the Dalai Lama, who is believed by his followers to be the human incarnation of the Buddha of Compassion, would take a compassionate interest in helping Westerners find happiness in the daily grind. Still, this slim follow-up to the 1998 bestseller The Art of Happiness will be a revelation to those who aren't yet familiar with the thought of the brilliant Buddhist monk. Attitude and a sense of meaning are the keys to happiness at work, the exiled Tibetan leader tells psychiatrist Cutler in the course of conversations that took place over several years. What will surprise many is the prime importance the Dalai Lama places on reason and analysis, and on the need to acquire "a sense of self that is grounded in reality, an undistorted recognition of one's abilities and characteristics." Cutler presents the findings of various Western researchers, including the concept of "flow," that state of blissful absorption in an activity that allows people to lose track of time and self-identity. The Dalai Lama compares flow to meditative experience, yet downplays it. In order to achieve the kind of happiness that can be sustained even in the hardest times, he says, we must engage in the slow, steady work of training our hearts and minds, rooting out negative habits and cultivating basic human values like kindness and compassion. The Dalai Lama avoids generalization, emphasizing the complexity of individual situations. He won't condemn the manufacture of weapons, for example, because, he says, although they are destructive, "nations do need weapons for security purposes." At a time when Western spiritual seekers are flocking to books telling them that all they really need to be happy and good is to enter into a blissful meditative communion with the now, it is provocative and moving to be urged to think and to know oneself by the man who is arguably the greatest living symbol of the developed spirit in action. And what may be most moving is this: if the Dalai Lama is right, and if people do as he suggests-if they learn to see themselves impartially and to analyze their work in light of how many people it touches-they will begin to see, whether they are picking oranges or writing a novel, that the highest purpose of work and, indeed, of life is the helping of others. (Publishers Weekly)
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365 Nirvana: Here and Now
by Josh Baran
Element, 2003
Enlightenment is often imagined as something for only the elite, requiring many years of spiritual practice. This book suggests that the awakened state is actually immediately present and available to everyone. Josh Baran, a former Zen priest, spent ten years gathering 365 of the most powerful and inspiring examples of this insight--illuminating the abundance and grace that is here right before our eyes and in every breath. (Element)
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Buddhist Symbols
by Mirabai Blau
Mirabai Blau Tatjana Blau
Sterling Publications, 2003
Images of enlightenment and beauty that offer a universal system of values: these Tibetan Buddhist symbols, and the instructions for incorporating them into everyday life, will please the eye, mind, and soul. (Amazon.com)
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Monk Dancers of Tibet
by Matthieu Ricard
Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2003
Tibetan Buddhism, the most symbolic and esoteric of all Buddhist traditions, has a rich history of sacred dance in which every mask,
costume, sound and gesture has spiritual significance. Most Tibetan dances, says Ricard, a French Buddhist monk, are based in the exploits of masters and great teachers, and seek to preserve their legacy. Since the Chinese occupation of Tibet, however, the dances have been restricted, and are now found mostly in exile communities in India, Nepal and Bhutan. The color photographs and illustrations are the real highlight of this book, which discusses the role of sacred dance in Tibetan Buddhism and, most interestingly, profiles what life is like for the monk dancers. The book makes it clear that dance is a meditative practice, and even the crafts associated with it - such as
the making of masks and elaborate costumes - are sacred acts. A final section explores the ritual cycle of Tibetan Buddhism, and outlines
which dances are performed for holidays and festivals. (Publishers Weekly)
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Tibetan Prayer Flags
by Diane Barker, Dru-Gu Choegyal Rinpoche
Connections Book Publishing Ltd, 2003
This attractive package consists of an illustrated hardcover and a long, colorful Tibetan prayer flag, packaged together in a lovely gift box. This set offers a superior book as part of the package. In it, Barker presents an accessible history of the role of prayer flags, explaining the symbolism of the five colors and the customary invocations that accompany the flags. Barker's approach is practical, advising readers about the most auspicious places and times to hang their flags, and helping them to understand the symbolism of the most popular designs. The book's best attribute is its beautiful full-color photography, showing images of the flags' use in the lives of ordinary Tibetans, as well as famous lamas. (Publishers Weekly)
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Buddhist Wisdom: Daily Reflections
by David Crosweller
Charles E Tuttle Co, 2003
This day-by-day collection of Buddhist wisdom invites readers to explore brief, pithy statements, many of which are drawn from the Dhammapada. Crosweller advises readers to "give themselves time to absorb" the short meditations contained here, since at first glance they seem deceptively simple: an aphorism here, a platitude there. The tiny, square paperback format may also lull the unsuspecting into imagining that this is a trite, undemanding introduction to Buddhism. But readers who are willing to dig a little deeper will find that this carefully selected collection has much to offer. In addition to the daily meditations, the book has an unusual appendix of sacred observances and holidays in the Buddhist year, and tools for further exploration in the form of books and organizations. (Publishers Weekly)
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When Things Fall Apart
by Pema Chödrön
Shambhala, 1996
In recent years Pema Chödrön has become one of the most beloved Buddhist teachers in America. In this collection of talks, she talks about that most difficult of topics: suffering and how to face it. Her view, inspired by Buddhist teachings, is that if we can somehow go directly into the suffering, feeling it as fully as possible and even relaxing into it, we can find a strange sense of liberation, energy, and even joy.
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Dzogchen: The Self-Perfected State
by Namkhai Norbu
Snow Lion, 1996
Dzogchen, the "Great Perfection," is considered to be the pinnacle of Tibetan Buddhist practice. In this concise, highly readable work, Dzogchen master Namkhai Norbu sets out the essence of this teaching. It’s all about relaxing in a state of primordial awareness; an accomplished Dzogchen practitioner is capable of doing this in the midst of daily life as well as in meditation. It’s said that you have to be directly introduced to this state of consciousness by a qualified teacher, but Namkhai Norbu’s work gives you as clear an idea of it as a book can convey.
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The Miracle of Mindfulness
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Beacon Press, 1992
Few spiritual teachings offer as much advice on being aware in daily life as does Buddhism. This book by the noted Vietnamese monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh is a clear and gentle introduction to Buddhist teachings on mindfulness. Sometimes it’s a matter of meditative practice: for example, sitting quietly with your awareness focused on the breath (a practice that is said to go back to the Buddha himself). But it also can — and should — be attempted in every moment of waking life. This book offers some wonderful suggestions about how to increase mindfulness from moment to moment.
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The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
by Sogyal Rinpoche
HarperSanFrancisco.
In medieval Europe it was called the ars moriendi — the "art of dying." Although we tend to avoid death as a morbid topic, most religions say that we should constantly remember the fact of our own mortality. This is not only to put daily life in perspective but to help ready ourselves for facing the end of earthly existence. Tibetan Buddhism has a well-developed tradition for preparing for death and even for trying to help souls who have already departed. This account of these teachings by the Tibetan teacher Sogyal Rinpoche has been hailed as the most accessible introduction to these unfamiliar but powerful ideas.
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Breath Sweeps Mind
by Jean Smith (editor)
Riverhead, 1998
A nice introduction to the practice and theory of meditation, including posture, breathing, and potential problems. All traditions are represented, with short pieces by a wide variety of teachers and ancient and contemporary texts from the words of the Buddha to contemporary teachers such as Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Dalai Lama. (Library Journal)
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Crooked Cucumber
by David Chadwick
Riverhead, 1999
From 1959 until his death in 1971, Zen master Shunryu Suzuki taught the principles and practice of Zen Buddhism to receptive audiences in San Francisco. In 1961, Suzuki founded the San Francisco Zen Center, where he taught hundreds of students hungry for the master's words on Zen. Chadwick, who studied with Suzuki from 1966 to 1971, collects stories from the master, or roshi's, many students about Suzuki's life and work and weaves them into a lively biography. (Publishers Weekly)
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Dharma Family Treasures
by Sandy . Eastoak (editor)
North Atlantic Books, 1994
When Buddhists become parents, they sometimes encounter conflicts between their practice and the demands of childrearing. How can time be found to meditate? The 155 essays, poems, and stories in this book will be of value both to Buddhist parents seeking answers and non-Buddhists who want to combine a sense of spirituality with everyday activities regarding children. 20 line drawings. (Ingram)
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Love Dharma
by Geri Larkin & Geraldine Larkin
Charles Tuttle Co., 2003
Combining ancient Buddhist texts and personal anecdotes, Larkin--herself an ordained dharma teacher--offers fascinating stories of Buddhist women who achieved enlightenment 2,500 years ago. She then presents lighthearted, humorous "crazy wisdom" to readers looking for new ways to deal with their relationships. (Alibris.com)
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Natural Liberation
Commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche, translated by B. Alan Wallace.
Wisdom Publications, 1998
Natural Liberation is concerned with taking the commonplace events of life and death and turning them into opportunities for the highest liberation. In this work, Padmasambhava, the great 9th century Indian master who established Buddhism in Tibet, describes in detail six life-processes and shows how to transform them into vehicles for enlightenment. (Ingram)
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Skillful Means
by Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing, 1978
A dynamic three-step approach combining theory and exercises leads to inner freedom, effective communication, and joyful sharing. Dharma Publishing's best-selling book.(From the Publisher)
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Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
by Shunryu Suzuki
Weatherhill Press, 1970
In one of the best and most succinct introductions to Zen practice, the important teacher Shunryu Suzuki discusses posture and breathing in meditation as well as selflessness, emptiness, and mindfulness. (Library Journal)
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Turning the Mind into an Ally
by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Riverhead Books, 2003
Is the mind our enemy? It can be, suggests Shambhala International's director Mipham in his first book. The key to peaceful and sane living, says Mipham, is training our minds. Without that training, people live "at the mercy of our moods." Meditation is the tool that can help spiritual seekers master, rather than be mastered by, their own minds. This book blends a philosophically savvy explanation of why meditation is necessary with an artful and accessible introduction to the basics of meditation. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Search for the Buddha
by Charles Allen
Carroll & Graf, 2003
Allen weaves an engrossing tale of the process by which some of Britain's brightest military men, civil servants and employees of the powerful East India Company began in the late 18th century to uncover both the existence of Buddhism and its enormous impact on ancient Indian history. (Amazon.com)
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Female Buddhas
by Glenn H. Mullin
Clear Light Publishing, 2003
Whereas the art of most Buddhist countries features a preponderance of male images, the art of Tibet has traditionally emphasized what the authors call "the strong role of the feminine." This book, one of the first Western titles ever to analyze this unique artistic tradition, is the companion volume to a touring art exhibit about female buddhas. Mullin, a Tibet expert and Buddhist scholar, writes that feminine imagery in Tibetan frescoes and tangkas reinforces the notion of the personification of wisdom and meditative consciousness. (Publishers Weekly)
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Zen for Christians
by Kim Boykin
Jossey-Bass, 2003
In Zen for Christians, author Kim Boykin-- who has personally experienced the gifts of Buddhism in her own Christian faith and has taught this subject in a variety of settings-- offers Christians a way to incorporate Zen practices into their lives without compromising their beliefs and faith. (Amazon.com)
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The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Broadway Books, 1999
Thich Nhat Hanh's introduction begins with the Turning the Dharma Wheel Sutra, the classic tale of Buddha's announcement in the Deer Park of his awakening. Nhat Hanh then proceeds through a series of laundry-list definitions of core Buddhist terminology: Four Noble Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, The Three Dharma Seals, The Three Doors of Liberation, The Twelve Links of Causation, The Three Jewels, The Six Harmonies, The Five Powers, The Five Wonderful Precepts and The Four Immeasurable Minds. Despite the tedium of the list, Nhat Hanh does present Buddhism as way of thinking and a well-traveled path toward enlightenment. Buddhism, he teaches, is not only about the individual's attainment of enlightenment but also about the community, past and present, which has fostered the possibility of an individual's enlightenment. As an introduction to Buddhism, this is a masterful inventory of the basic accouterments of a well-furnished Buddhist life. (Publishers Weekly)
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The Office Sutras
by Marcia Menter
Red Wheel/Weiser, 2003
Menter contends that the job you have right now, for all its imperfections, may be just the spiritual challenge you need to confront the most important issues of life--issues like self-worth and fulfillment and paying your way in the world. Office Sutras will help readers find opportunities for growth and peace in even the most stultifying of work situations. (Amazon.com)
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