Beliefs > Buddhism

Gautama Buddha, by Vishvapani Blomfield.
While there is much we cannot say for certain about the historical Gautama, this persuasive new biography provides the fullest and most plausible account yet. Weaving ancient sources and modern understanding into a compelling narrative, Gautama Buddha places his birth around 484 BCE, his Enlightenment in 449 BCE and his death in 404 BCE, a century later than the traditional dates. Vishvapani Blomfield examines Gautama's words and impact to shed fresh light on his culture, his spiritual search and the experiences and teachings that led his followers to call him 'The Awakened One'. ... Gautama Buddha is a gripping account of one of history's most powerful personalities. (drawn from Syndetics book summary)

A profound mind : cultivating wisdom in everyday life, by The Dalai Lama ; edited by Nicholas Vreeland ; afterword by Richard Gere.
"The Dalai Lama is one of the most respected spiritual leaders and popular authors of our time. His industry - and the industry of those around him who place his ideas and writings before the reading public - is admirable, to say the least. This volume contains carefully edited versions of several talks the Dalai Lama gave between 2003 and 2007 on the Buddhist doctrine of selflessness, especially as seen in several ancient texts. These addresses are fascinating but not for the beginner - the Dalai Lama speaks as a Buddhist to other Buddhists. (drawn from Library Journal, courtesy of Syndetics)

Awake in the world : teachings from yoga & Buddhism for living an engaged life, by Michael Stone. Stone continues with the notions that informed his earlier book, uniting the insights of Buddhism with the merits of the practice of yoga. Stone's particular brief is that we be aware of the importance of participation in communities in ways that further justice and minimize harm to all human beings. ...Summary : Elegantly stated "sermons" from a born leader in Buddhism and yoga; perfect for explorers of Eastern traditions. (drawn from Library Journal, courtesy of Syndetics)

Heavenly Himalayas : the murals of Mangyu and other discoveries in Ladakh, by Peter van Ham. (2011)
"This volume presents for the first time in book form important and largely unknown treasures of Indo-Kashmiri Buddhism. ... This volume takes readers on a journey through these remote sites, focusing especially on the amazing temple complex of Mangyu. The chapels, shrines, and dazzling murals presented here not only reveal much about late Mahayana Buddhism in India-its art, culture, and history-but also help fill a gap in our knowledge of the development of early Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. (drawn from the publisher's description)

Mahamudra and related instructions : core teachings of the Kagyu school, translated by Peter Alan Roberts. (2011)
"The Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism began in the 11th century with such renowned figures as Marpa and Milarepa, and it continues today with the Karmapa and several best-selling authors, including Pema Chodron and Chogyam Trungpa. Mahamudra, the "Great Seal," is a central teaching of the Kagyu school, along with the so-called six dharmas of Naropa. Formulated as a systematic practice by Gampopa (1079-1153), the mahamudra teachings trace their source to earlier Indian materials and focus on the cultivation of profound insight into the nature of the mind." (Syndetics summary)

Zen radicals, rebels, and reformers by Perle Besserman and Manfred B. Steger. (2011)
The revolutionary figures in this book are those innovative, nonconformist Zen masters who often disguised their spiritual prowess by portraying themselves as lowly drifters, beggars, and Zen "madmen." ... This book contains stories of Zen "boat-rockers" and rebels that range from early 18th-century China all the way to the bustling streets of modern day America, with a stop in the middle to visit a courageous Zen master who made the ultimate sacrifice while resisting the brutal actions of the Japanese government in World War II. These remarkable masters remind us that the pursuit of spiritual awakening is not an insular process but rather a direct rebellion with the very foundations of suffering in the world. (drawn from book summary, courtesy of Syndetics)

In the shadow of the Buddha : secret journeys, sacred histories, and spiritual discovery in Tibet, by Matteo Pistono. (2010)
Starred Review* From Wyoming to Himalayan meditation caves to Capitol Hill, Pistono's account of his quest for spiritual illumination and political justice is heartbreaking and awe-inspiring. Pistono, raised with the belief that social activism is a core responsibility, began traveling to Tibet in 1999, ... Traveling as both a journalist and a Buddhist pilgrim, Pistono also found himself at the crossroads of spirituality and politics when he was asked to serve as a human-rights courier, carrying to the West hard evidence of China's systematic brutality in occupied Tibet. Pistono tells chilling cloak-and-dagger tales and offers mesmerizing descriptions of haunting landscapes and miracle-performing lamas... (Drawn from BookList review, courtesy of Syndetics)

Living Dharma : teachings and meditation instructions from twelve Theravada masters by Jack Kornfield. (2010)
Kornfield presents the heart of Buddhist practice as taught by twelve highly respected masters from Southeast Asia. These renowned teachers offer a rich variety of meditation techniques: the practices include traditional instructions for dissolving the solid sense of self, for awakening insight, for realizing Nirvana, and for cultivating compassion for all beings. The teachings in this volume are from Achaan Chaa, Mahasi Sayadaw, Sunlun Sayadaw, Achaan Buddhadasa, Achaan Naeb, Achaan Maha Boowa, Tuangpulu Sayadaw, Mohnyin Sayadaw, Mogok Sayadaw, U Ba Khin, Achaan Dhammadaro, and Achaan Jumnien. (drawn from Syndetics book summary)

The four immeasurables : practices to open the heart, by B. Alan Wallace ; edited by Zara Houshmand. (2010)
The Four Immeasurables-the cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity-is a rich suite of practices that open the heart, counter the distortions in our relationships to ourselves, and deepen our relationships to others. In this book, Alan Wallace presents a unique interweaving of teachings on the Four Immeasurables with instruction on meditative quiescence, or shamatha practice, to empower the mind. This book includes both guided meditations and lively discussions on the implications of these teachings for daily life. (Drawn from Syndetics summary)

No beginning, no end : the intimate heart of Zen, by Jakusho Kwong ; edited by Peter Levitt. (2010)
Zen Master Jakusho Kwong-roshi shows us how to treasure the ordinary activities of our daily lives through an understanding of simple Buddhist practices and ideas. The author's spontaneous, poetic, and pragmatic teachings - reminiscent of his spiritual predecessor Shunryu Suzuki transport us on an exciting journey into the very heart of Zen and its meaningful traditions. Because Kwong-roshi can transmit the most intimate experience in the most accessible way, we learn how to ignite our own vitality, wisdom, and compassion and awaken a feeling of intimacy with the world. It is like having a conversation with our deepest and wisest self. (Drawn from Syndetics summary)

What the Buddha thought, by Richard Gombrich. (2010)
Gombrich shows the ways the Buddha thought with his contemporaries in order to propose his own theory that karma is not ritualized action to achieve purity (Upanishadic thinkers) or liberation (Jain thinkers) but ethical, intentional action that transcends the boundaries of gender, caste, and society. Karma is a universalized ethic of intention that distinguishes good from bad actions and fruits of action and thus opens the path to Nirvana through wisdom, kindness, compassion, empathic joy, and equanimity. ... Remarkable for its clarity and depth, .... Summing Up: Highly recommended.. (Drawn from Choice, courtesy of Syndetics)

The courage to feel : Buddhist practices for opening to others, by Rob Preece. (2009)
Preece shares traditional meditations and practices for awakening the mind and heart including tonglen, but he also offers a Jungian perspective on these and his own sense-cultivated during many years' experience-of the ways in which Westerners may need to re-see these practices to benefit most from them. Preece's insightful fusion of East and West will help readers tap inner resources of compassion and integrity in order to flourish in times of uncertainty and ultimately generate the altruistic aspiration to realize the awakened mind for the benefit of all living beings. Meditation practices at the end of many chapters help the reader digest and integrate the book's information. (Book jacket.)

Practicing the jhanas : traditional concentration meditation as presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw by Stephen Snyder and Tina Rasmussen. (2009)
This is a clear and in-depth description of the jhanas, the traditional Theravadan concentration meditation practices, from two authors who have practiced these meditations in retreat with and under the close guidance of one of the great modern masters. Pa Auk Sayadaw is the abbot of Pa Auk Monastery in Burma. He is considered by many to be the leading teacher of the jhanas. (annotation courtesy of Syndetics)

Confession of a Buddhist atheist, by Stephen Batchelor. (2010)
On the dharma trail in India and Korea, and later as a lay resident at the nonsectarian Sharpham community in England, Batchelor was beset by doubts about traditional Buddhist teachings. Finally convinced that present-day forms of Buddhism have moved far beyond what founder Gotama had intended, Batchelor embarked on a study of the Pali canon (very early Buddhist texts) to find out what the Buddha's original message might have been. ...While Batchelor may exaggerate the novelty of his Buddhism without beliefs stance, this multifaceted account of one Buddhist's search for enlightenment is richly absorbing.(drawn from Publishers' Weekly, courtesy of Syndetics)

Uncommon happiness : the path of the compassionate warrior, by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. (2009)
A testament to Rinpoche's compassionate and compelling style of teaching, saturated with advice from an adept practitioner. Rinpoche guides us through intelligent reasoning to identify our deluded perception of a truly existent self and shows us the key to awakening from this fundamental confusion. By clarifying the essential meaning of the Buddhist path and introducing skillful methods to use along the way, he reveals our wisdom mind and challenges us to meet our intrinsic enlightened capacity... (drawn from the publisher's description)

Land of beautiful vision : making a Buddhist sacred place in New Zealand, by Sally McAra. (2007)
"Land of Beautiful Vision is the first book-length ethnography to address the role of material culture in contemporary adaptations of Buddhism and the first to focus on convert Buddhists in New Zealand. Sally McAra takes as her subject a fascinating instance of an ongoing creative process whereby a global religion is made locally meaningful through the construction of a Buddhist sacred place. She uses an in-depth case study of a small religious structure, a stupa, in rural New Zealand to explore larger issues related to the contemporary surge in interest in Buddhism and religious globalization. ...book jacket. (courtesy of Syndetics)

You are here : discovering the magic of the present moment, by Thich Nhat Hanh ; translated from the French by Sherab Chodzin Kohn ; edited by Melvin McLeod. (2009)
This new book focuses on Buddhist techniques and practices we can use to cut through the busyness and anxieties of daily life and discover the simple happiness of living in the present moment. In our daily lives we are often lost in thought. We lose ourselves in our plans, in our anger, in our worries. The practice of mindfulness frees us from these obsessions, landing us firmly in the present moment - the only moment in which we can be truly alive and truly happy. ... - From publisher description.

The healing power of loving-kindness : a guided Buddhist meditation, by Tulka Thondup. (2009)
"Accompanied by a 118-page illustrated companion book, this audio is intended to guide listeners/readers through the meditation process. Author Thondup (The Healing Power of Mind), who narrates, begins by discussing the purpose of meditation for attaining the Buddhist view of loving-kindness. The presentation initially takes the form of a lecture; only by the second disc does Thondup address the actual steps necessary to meditation. Each of the tracks, some as long as 18 minutes, focuses on a different aspect of loving-kindness meditation. (drawn from Library Journal, courtesy of Syndetics)

Buddhism & science : a guide for the perplexed by Donald S. Lopez, Jr. (2008)
"Beginning in the nineteenth century and continuing to the present day, both Buddhists and admirers of Buddhism have proclaimed the compatibility of Buddhism and science. ... Lopez argues that by presenting an ancient Asian tradition as compatible with - and even anticipating - scientific discoveries, European enthusiasts and Asian elites have sidestepped the debates on the relevance of religion in the modern world that began in the nineteenth century and still flare today. As new discoveries continue to reshape our understanding of mind and matter, Buddhism and Science will be indispensable reading for those fascinated by religion, science, and their often vexed relation.". (Drawn from the book jacket, courtesy of Syndetics)

The best Buddhist writing 2010, edited by Melvin McLeod and the editors of the Shambhala sun. (2010)
The Best Buddhist Writing 2010 is an eclectic, inspiring collection of writings from the Buddhist perspective. Selected by the editors of the Shambhala Sun, North America’s leading Buddhist-inspired magazine, the essays, articles, and interviews in this anthology offer an entertaining mix of writing styles and reflect on a wide range of issues. (Drawn from the publisher's description)

This is getting old : Zen thoughts on aging with humor and dignity, by Susan Moon. (2010)
in this intimate and funny collection of essays on the sometimes confusing, sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious condition of being a woman over sixty, Susan Moon keeps her sense of humor and her reader fully engaged. Among the pieces she has included here are an essay on the gratitude she feels for her weakening bones; observations on finding herself both an orphan and a matriarch following the death of her mother; musings on her tendency to regret the past; thoughts on how not to be afraid of loneliness; appreciation for the inner tomboy; and celebratory advice on how to regard "senior moments" as opportunities to be in the here and now. (Book jacket)

Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka : a philosophical introduction, by Jan Westerhoff. (2009)
The Indian philosopher Acharya Nagarjuna (c. 150-250 CE) was the founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahayana Buddhism and arguably the most influential Buddhist thinker after Buddha himself. Indeed, in the Tibetan and East Asian traditions, Nagarjuna is often referred to as the 'second Buddha.' His primary contribution to Buddhist thought lies is in the further development of the concept of sunyata or 'emptiness.' For Nagarjuna, all phenomena are without any svabhaba, literally 'own-nature' or 'self-nature', and thus without any underlying essence. In this book, Jan Westerhoff offers a systematic account of Nagarjuna's philosophical position. He reads Nagarjuna in his own philosophical context, but he does not hesitate to show that the issues of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy have at least family resemblances to issues in European philosophy. (publisher's summary)

Tantric techniques, by Jeffrey Hopkins ; edited by Kevin Vose. (2009)
Deity yoga is the meditative practice of imagining oneself as an ideal being fully endowed with compassion, wisdom, and their resultant altruistic activities. The idea is that by imagining being a Buddha, one gets closer to actually achieving Buddhahood. Tantric Techniques will give the reader a dynamic sense of the potential of the human mind for self-transformation through step-by-step use of the imagination. (Drawn from the book jacket, courtesy of Syndetics)

For the benefit of all beings : a commentary on The way of the Bodhisattva, by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama ; foreword by Tulku Pema Wangyal ; translated from the Tibetan by the Padmakara Translation Group. (2009)
Many people consider the Dalai Lama to be a living embodiment of the spiritual ideal of the bodhisattva - someone who dedicates their life to freeing all beings from suffering and confusion. Here this beloved teacher presents a detailed manual of practical philosophy based on the best-known text of Mahayana Buddhism, "The Way of the Bodhisattva" ("Bodhicharyavatara"). He explains and amplifies the text, illuminating its message of putting others before oneself and showing how anyone can develop a truly "good heart." (Drawn from the Syndetics annotation)

Wisdom of the Buddhist masters : common and uncommon sense, edited and with commentary by Robert Sachs ; with a foreword of an excerpt from H.H. Dalai Lama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. (2008)
A collection of responses to a questionnaire given to nine different Buddhist thinkers, including Robert Thurman, Ajahn Amaro, Thubten Chodron and others covering : war, terrorism, global warming, fundamentalism, and so on. .... Interestingly, in spite of the title, Sachs puts forth that the book is not exclusively about Buddhism.... If anything, Sachs sees Buddhism not simply as a set of beliefs, but as a form of social activism, and these interviews serve to illustrate his point" (drawn from www.elephantjournal.com

Zen in plain English : experience the essence of Zen by Stephan Schuhmacher. (2009)
"An excellent, practical introduction to Zen meditation. ... The book emphasizes the importance of receiving good instruction and of finding groups to practice with, yet it lays out the necessary steps to practice Zen meditation on your own. The book includes easily followed exercises to help the reader along." (drawn from publisher's description)

Unlimiting mind : the radically experiential psychology of Buddhism, by Andrew Olendzki. (2010)
Arranged thematically, this explores important concepts that underly Buddhist teachings - karma, self and no-self, interconnection, and interdependence. Each brief chapter stands alone presentating a particular idea.

Encyclopedia of Buddhism by edited by Damien Keown, Charles S. Prebish. (2007)
This tome aspires to be a single-volume desk reference on Buddhism for serious students and scholars. In this aim it succeeds brilliantly. ... The encyclopedia thus presents Buddhism as a living and evolving religion, rather than just treating its texts, tenets, and history. .... Unfortunately, the index is insufficient. It would have benefited from being more complete and from better use of see references between important Sanskrit and Pali terms and their English translations. ... This weakness aside, the quality and clarity of the articles is excellent. This work is a crucial source for specialists. Summing Up: Highly recommended. (drawn from Choice, courtesy of Syndetics)

The art of happiness in a troubled world, by Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler. (2009)
Sequel to: The art of happiness :­ a handbook for living
"How can we expect to find happiness and meaning in our lives when the modern world seems such an unhappy place? His Holiness the Dalai Lama has suffered enormously throughout his life, yet he always seems to be smiling and serene. How does he do it?... Dr. Howard Cutler walks listeners through the Dalai Lama's philosophy on how to achieve peace of mind and come to terms with life's inherent suffering." (publisher's description)

Mahāyāna Buddhism : the doctrinal foundations, by Paul Williams. (2009)
"As a reference book, which guides readers through the labyrinth of the enormous Buddhist textual tradition, this work is unsurpassed. Williams (Univ. of Bristol, UK) integrates the latest textual discoveries into discussions of various doctrinal issues and carefully weighs the various positions of contemporary scholars. ... with 39 percent of the book devoted to endnotes and bibliography, this work will be very valuable to more advanced students of Buddhism." -- (Drawn from Choice book review, courtesy of Syndetics).