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In a time of social distancing and isolation, a meditation on the beauty of solitude from renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor   A Los Angeles Review of Books “Best of the Year” selection   “Whatever a soul is, the author goes a long way toward soothing it. A very welcome instance of philosophy that can help readers live a good life.”—Kirkus Reviews   “Elegant and formally ingenious.”—Geoff Wisner, Wall Street Journal   When world renowned Buddhist writer Stephen Batchelor turned sixt...

Based on extensive cultural studies and long years of practice, this book explores meditation from the perspective of access to the subconscious and, in a distinct chapter on each form, outlines its physiology, world view, and traditional practice, then describes its medical adaptations and modern settings. In each case, it presents examples from the Buddhist, Daoist, and Hindu traditions, providing a comprehensive and analytical overview of the different modes and their concrete actualizations.

A collection of teachings on how to correctly practice the view and meditation of Dzogchen by one of its most accomplished and beloved masters of the twentieth century. This volume is a heartfelt, intimate presentation of the entire system of the Nyingma tradition from sutra to tantra to Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, and how through it, modern-day practitioners can succeed in attaining fully realized buddhahood. Inspiring stories of the great masters Longchenpa and Jigme Lingpa kindle th...

An idealized view of the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk might be described according to the doctrinal demand for emotional detachment and, ultimately, the cessation of all desire. Yet monks are also enjoined to practice compassion, a powerful emotion and equally lofty ideal, and live with every other human feeling - love, hate, jealousy, ambition - as they relate to other monks and the lay community. In this important ethnography of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Samuels takes an unprecedented loo...

Hokkeji, an ancient Nara temple that once stood at the apex of a state convent network established by Queen-Consort Komyo (701-760), possesses a history that in some ways is bigger than itself. Its development is emblematic of larger patterns in the history of female monasticism in Japan. In this volume, Lori Meeks explores the revival of Japan's most famous convent and the reestablishment of a nuns' ordination lineage in Japan. Meeks considers a broad range of issues surrounding women's engagem...

Minding Mind is an extraordinary compendium of instruction manuals dealing primarily with ways of attaining the mode of experience characteristic of the highest form of meditation in the Zen tradition—pure, clear meditation arriving at being-as-is. The seven meditation manuals included here are some of the greatest treasures of the Zen tradition. ·         The Treatise on the Supreme Vehicle is attributed to Hongren (602–675), who is known as the Fifth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism in China. The...

How do Buddha's teachings answer the most profound questions of our existence? What makes his thinking unique amongst other systems of thought? The answer lies in his teachings on "dependent origination," which hold the key to unlocking his doctrines of karma, rebirth, suffering, liberation, and compassion. Patterns in Emptiness shows how understanding this core Buddhist teaching of "dependent origination" can transform how we see the world and provide an antidote to the disordered thinking that...

Diamond Sky is an accessible and practical account of the Buddhist path for anyone wishing to understand the essential points of Buddhism and gain a deeper understanding of the path to enlightenment. Lama Jampa's account traces Buddhism from its origins to the present day, and explains in a clear and direct way the essential teachings of Buddhism, starting with 'taking refuge' in the Three Jewels of Buddha, dharma and sangha, and the four contemplations that create a grounding for the Buddhist...