The Best Buddhist Writing 2007


Book Description

Containing writings that are variously wise, witty, heartfelt, and profound, this is the fourth volume in an annual series that brings together the year's most notable literature inspired by Buddhist philosophy and practice. Selected by the editors of the Shambhala Sun, North America's leading Buddhist-inspired magazine, the pieces in this anthology offer an entertaining mix of writing styles and reflect on a wide range of issues from a Buddhist point of view. The collection includes writings by the Dalai Lama, Matthieu Ricard, Dzongsar Khyentse, Diana Mukpo, Thich Nhat Hanh, Charles Johnson, Susan Piver, bell hooks, John Tarrant, Natalie Goldberg, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, Thinley Norbu, Karen Maezen Miller, Pema Ch�dr�n, and Norman Fischer, among others.




The Best Buddhist Writing 2005


Book Description

Wise and witty, heartfelt and profound, this second volume in an annual series brings together the year's most notable prose and verse inspired by the power and insight of Buddhist practice. Compiled by the editors of Shambhala Sun , North America's oldest and most widely read Buddhist magazine, the collection offers a lively array of styles, perspectives, and concerns of contemporary Buddhists. The twenty-five talented contributors include familiar favorites as well as some surprising voices who will delight and enlighten the reader, with pieces ranging from personal memoir, adventure travelogue, prison journal, and poetry, to advice for practitioners and wisdom teachings of the masters. Among this year's outstanding selections are: * Natalie Goldberg looks at the complex and troubled relationship with the two most important men in her life: her father and her Zen teacher. * The Dalai Lama explains Buddhism's signature doctrine of emptiness. * Dharma teacher Gaylon Ferguson writes on issues of self-worth and social justice for people of color. * Journalist Joan Duncan Oliver reflects on her struggle with twin addictions: "a drink and a man." * Thich Nhat Hanh offers personal meditations to help us lead a more wholesome and mindful life. * Cognitive psychologist Eleanor Rosch discourses on mind, meditation, and the creative process. * Peter Matthiessen ponders the longing for adventure as he travels the Antarctic. * Zen teacher John Tarrant tells how he applied a famed koan as his mother was dying. Contributors: Faith Adiele * Geoffrey Shugen Arnold * Rick Bass * Edward Espe Brown * Michael Carroll * Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche * Peter Coyote * John Daido Loori * H. H. the Dalai Lama * Scott Darnell * Gretel Ehrlich * Gaylon Ferguson * Norman Fischer * Gehlek Rimpoche * Natalie Goldberg * Joseph Goldstein * Jeff Greenwald * Erik Hansen * Sam Harris * Joan Duncan Oliver * The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche * Barbara Rhodes * Lewis Richmond * Eleanor Rosch * Andrew Schelling * Gary Snyder * John Tarrant * Thanissaro Bhikkhu * Thich Nhat Hanh * Claude Anshin Thomas * Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche * Francisco J. Varela




The Best Buddhist Writing 2008


Book Description

Features a collection of Buddhist-inspired writings on a wide range of issues by talented contributors, including the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, and Thich Nhat Hanh.




Hand Wash Cold


Book Description

It’s easy to think that meaning, fulfillment, and bliss are “out there,” somewhere outside of our daily routine. But in this playful yet profound reflection on awareness, the compelling voice of a contemporary woman reveals the happiness at the bottom of the laundry basket, the love in the kitchen sink, and the peace possible in one’s own backyard. Follow Karen Maezen Miller through youthful ambition and self-absorption, beyond a broken marriage, and into the steady calm of a so-called ordinary life. In her hands, household chores and caregiving tasks become opportunities for self-examination, lessons in relationship, and liberating moments of selflessness. With attention, it’s the little things — even the unexpected, unpleasant, and unwanted things — that count.




No Time to Lose


Book Description

The beloved Buddhist nun and bestselling author of When Things Fall Apart examines Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva, sharing “her ever-approachable and pithy instructions for daily life” for readers of all backgrounds (Parabola) Over the years, Pema Chödrön's books have offered readers an exciting new way of living: developing fearlessness, generosity, and compassion in all aspects of their lives. In this new book, she invites readers to venture further along the path of the “bodhisattva warrior,” explaining in depth how we can awaken the softness of our hearts and develop true confidence amid the challenges of daily living. In No Time to Lose Chödrön reveals the traditional Buddhist teachings that guide her own life: those of The Way of the Bodhisattva ( Bodhicharyavatara), a text written by the eighth-century sage Shantideva. This treasured Buddhist work is remarkably relevant for our times, describing the steps we can take to cultivate courage, caring, and joy—the key to healing ourselves and our troubled world. Chödrön offers us a highly practical and engaging commentary on this essential text, explaining how its profound teachings can be applied to our daily lives. Full of illuminating stories and practical exercises, this fresh and accessible guide shows us that the path of the bodhisattva is open to each and every one of us. Pema Chödrön urges us to embark on this transformative path today, writing, “There is no time to lose—but not to worry, we can do it.”




Turning the Wheel


Book Description

"Were it not for the Buddhadharma, says Charles Johnson in his preface to Turning the Wheel, "I'm convinced that, as a black American and an artist, I would not have been able to successfully negotiate my last half century of life in this country. Or at least not with a high level of creative productivity." In this collection of provocative and intimate essays, Johnson writes of the profound connection between Buddhism and creativity, and of the role of Eastern philosophy in the quest for a free and thoughtful life. In 1926, W. E. B. Du Bois asked African-Americans what they would most want were the color line miraculously forgotten. In Turning the Wheel, Johnson sets out to explore this question by examining his experiences both as a writer and as a practitioner of Buddhism. He looks at basic Buddhist principles and practices, demonstrating how Buddhism is both the most revolutionary and most civilized of possible human choices. He discusses fundamental Buddhist practices such as the Eightfold Path, Taming the Mind, and Sangha and illuminates their place in the American Civil Rights movement. Johnson moves from spiritual guides to spiritual nourishment: writing. In essays touching on the role of the black intellectual, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Ralph Ellison, Johnson uses tools of Buddhist thinking to clarify difficult ideas. Powerful and revelatory, these essays confirm that writing and reading, along with Buddhism, are the basic components that make up a thoughtful life.




Authenticity


Book Description

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by junk? Is your house full of stuff you don�t know what to do with? Do you eat too much unhealthy food? Are you involved in destructive relationships? Do you find yourself surrounded by trivialities or engaged in meaningless conversation? Do you feel there's little of value in your life? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then you need to read Authenticity.




Teachings on Love


Book Description

Thich Nhat Hanh’s timeless meditations on love, family, and friendship—with step-by-step practices for cultivating intimacy in your relationships. Weaving together traditional stories, personal experiences, and a deep understanding of the Buddha’s way of mindful living, Thich Nhat Hanh provides step-by-step practices that foster understanding and intimacy in any relationship and extend our love even to those that cause us pain. Teachings on Love is a treasure-trove of guidance for couples, co-workers, or friends who wish to nourish the gift and strength of their relationships and deal creatively with their weaknesses and difficulties. We all yearn to experience a love that is deeper and more joyful. Teachings on Love provides a time-tested path that anyone can follow to nurture the deepest love in ourselves and others.




Sit Down and Shut Up


Book Description

In 2003, Brad Warner blew the top off the Buddhist book world with his irreverent autobiography/manifesto, Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, and the Truth about Reality. Now in his second book, Sit Down and Shut Up, Brad tackles one of the great works of Zen literature, the Shobogenzo, by thirteenth-century Zen master Dogen. Illuminating Dogen’s enigmatic teachings in plain language, Brad intertwines musings on sex, meditation, death, God, sin, and happiness with an exploration of the punk rock ethos. In chapters such as “Evil Is Stupid,” “Kill Your Anger,” and “Enlightenment Is for Sissies,” Brad melds the antiauthoritarianism of punk with that of Zen, mixing in a travelogue of his triumphant return to Ohio to play in a reunion concert of Akron punk bands. For those drawn to Buddhist teachings but scared off by their stiff austerity, Brad writes with a sharp smack of truth, in teachings and stories that cut to the heart of reality.




Basic Teachings of the Buddha


Book Description

In Basic Teachings of the Buddha, Glenn Wallis selects sixteen essential dialogues drawn from more than five thousand Pali-dialect suttas of the Buddhist canon. The result is a vibrant introductory guide to studying Buddhist thought, applying its principles to everyday life, and gaining a deeper understanding of Buddhist themes in modern literature. Focusing on the most crucial topics for today’s readers, Wallis presents writings that address modern psychological, religious, ethical, and philosophical concerns. This practical, inspiring, and engaging volume provides an overview of the history of Buddhism and an illuminating analysis of the core writings that personalizes the suttas for each reader. “Glenn Wallis brings wisdom and compassion to this work of scholarship. Everyone should read this book.” –Christopher Queen, Harvard University “A valuable sourcebook with a good selection of the fundamental suttas enhanced by an eloquent introduction and comprehensive notes–altogether a very useful text.” –Peter Matthiessen (Roshi), author of The Snow Leopard and Nine-Headed Dragon River “Glenn Wallis’s new and accessible translations of some of the Buddha’s lectures to his original students, along with Wallis’s elegant guide to the texts, gives twenty-first-century readers in the modern West a fresh chance to learn from this teacher.” –Charles Hallisey, University of Wisconsin-Madison