Masters of Wisdom
3 primary works
Book 2
Masters of Wisdom: His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a jewelled casket of spiritual wisdom and practice to promote world peace and global happiness, love and compassion. The Dalai Lama writes clearly and concisely in a delightful, measured prose that inspires and uplifts everyone who reads it in whatever part of the world. His spiritual advice is profound, practical and helpful - a true panacea for the sufferings of a troubled world. His writings transcend all differences of religion and convey his eternal message of the best way to attain universal happiness and peace. The anthology covers the major themes of this great man's teaching, arranged in 25 chapters. Among them are Science and Religion, Compassion and the Individual, The Pillars of World Peace, Personal Responsibility, Buddhist Teaching and Opening the Eye of Awareness. You will also discover here His Holiness' learned advice on Caring for the Earth and his controversial thoughts on Tibet. The book includes a thorough Biography and an authoritative Introduction as well as a specially written foreword by his Holiness.
Book 3
This unique and important anthology offers a judicious, manageable and appealing selection from around 50,000 pages of work published originally in approximately 100 books. Alan Jacobs' choice includes the most telling speeches, news articles, letters, state documents and other writings, including autobiography. We gain an intimate picture of Gandhi's education and early life, his controversial marriage, his South African struggle, his deeply held religious and spiritual principles, his lively Ashram, and his strong political views. We are also told the story of Gandhi's momentous achievement in liberating India from British rule. The book starts with a full Introduction followed by a Biography giving us the main details of a life packed with significant incident. Part One of the selection, containing fascinating extracts detailing each period of Gandhi's eventful life in chronological order, reads like an enthralling narrative. Part Two assembles an assortment of many of his wise and inspired sayings on a vast range of subjects, from self-rule to self-righteousness, from God to public workers. A generous listing of books for further reading is included among the endmatter.
Book 4
This invaluable and engaging anthology captures the essence - and the charm - of Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) through his writings, both formal and informal (including his journals). The Introduction and substantial Biography offer a vivid portrait of this highly influential American genius, assessing his importance in literature, politics, spirituality and the history of ideas. Then in Part One of the book, appealing extracts from his voluminous writings are presented to give a clear picture of his everyday life and his unique views on everything from Transcendent Nature to the cause of civil disobedience (in which he prepared the way for Gandhi). The prose extracts are interspersed with some of his delightful lyrical poems. Part Two presents generous extracts from Walden, an uplifting book that gives an account of living alone in a cabin on a small plot near Concord, Massachusetts, through the seasons of a single year.
The book interweaves autobiography with spiritual and political philosophy and with close observations of nature - the migrations of birds, the conflicts between red and black ants, the struggle for survival that makes winter an endurance test for so many animals. Describing his experiment in 'home economics' with wonderful vividness, Thoreau shows how we can live a fulfilling life of self-reliance close to nature, showing respect for all forms of life. The selection concludes with a Bibliography offering suggestions for further reading.
The book interweaves autobiography with spiritual and political philosophy and with close observations of nature - the migrations of birds, the conflicts between red and black ants, the struggle for survival that makes winter an endurance test for so many animals. Describing his experiment in 'home economics' with wonderful vividness, Thoreau shows how we can live a fulfilling life of self-reliance close to nature, showing respect for all forms of life. The selection concludes with a Bibliography offering suggestions for further reading.