 The
Middle Way (Unabridged): The Story of Buddhism -
by Jinananda
"My
recommended (Audio book) is available from www.Audible.com
or
on CD from Amazon.com"
- Kusala Bhikshu
General
interest in Buddism has never been higher. The story
and teachings of a man who lived 2,500 years ago
have a special resonance for us today, perhaps because
he
taught a way of life that was not based on belief in
a creator
god
but rather on personal experience. "Test my words for
yourself," he said. But what lies behind those
distinctive images of the Buddha, seated with unshakeable
poise,
with eyes half-closed and a slight smile? How did Buddhism
develop,
from the austere style which governed the life of the
yellow-robed monks in ancient India to the more colorful,
even magical
expression of Tibet? And where does Zen fit in? Jinananda, a Western-born Buddhist, divides the subject
into the Three Jewels: the Buddha (a life of the historical
figure), the Dharma (an account of the fundamental teachings),
and the Sangha (the disciples, both lay and monastic, throughout
the world). With extracts from some of the main sutras,
Jinananda explains the key concepts that lie behind a system
of thought and behavior which, like the universe itself,
is continuously expanding.
 Zen
Training: Methods and Philosophy by
Katsuki Sekida - Available @ Amazon.com
"This book
was referred to in the Urban Dharma Podcast:
Buddhism in Everyday Life - Class 3 Part 1"
"
Written by a lay teacher with 60 years of
experience in zazan, this book provides everyone
from absolute beginner to experienced student with
detailed, progressive information and discussion
on breathing, posture, distraction, actions of mind,
physiology, mood, laughter, kensho, and samadhi."— Library
Journal "An extraordinarily important book.
It should be on the shelves of all libraries."— Choice "[Sekida's]
approach is radical in its attempt to define Zen
practice in terms of Western physiology and phenomenology."— New
Age Journal
Amazon.com Review - Best Book on
Zen Meditation - You won't find these in any other
book: explanation of how to create the necessary
tension in the tanden
to initiate samadhi (a definite prerequisite for
that state); and an explanation of awareness based
on the "three nen actions" involving reflections
on immediate prior conciousness resulting in a continuity
of awareness thus creating the illusion of a substantial
unchanging self. However, I do agree with a previous
reviewer who recommends the practice of Qigong as
an important support for meditation. Qigong will
most efficiently and powerfully supply the energy
the tanden requires to produce samadhi. You may not
find these two disciplines (Zen and Qigong) melded
anywhere, which is a pity since they compliment each
other perfectly and accelerate progress on the path.
Therefore, Sekida's book together with "Energy
Medicine..." (Hiew/Yap) and "Opening the
Energy Gates..." (Frantzis) will provide the
foundation for Samadhi.
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Free
Buddhist eBooks of Interest @ www.BuddhaBooks.info
To download these eBooks (PDF Files)
simply go
to www.BuddhaBooks.info
and scroll down the page until you find
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*
Buddhist Centers in California -- A
list of California Buddhist Centers - in PDF -- Updated
Jan. 2008
Daily
Readings -- Buddha's Words of Wisdom — by
Ven. S. Dhammika. - 284 Pages - (1.8 MB) --- For
over two thousand years the discourses of the Buddha have nourished
the spiritual lives of countless millions of people. This ebook
contains extracts of the early Buddhist discourses from the
Pali Tipitaka, and also from some post-canonical writings.
Presented so that one reading can be reflected upon each day
of the year. This ebook is an indispensable companion for anyone
trying to apply the Buddha's gentle message to their daily
life.
The
Seeker's Glossary of Buddhism: A Dictionary / Encyclopedia
of Buddhism - Sutra Translation Committee of USA/Canada
- 999 Pages - (* 4.7 MB) --- This
is a revised and expanded edition of 'The Seeker's Glossary
of Buddhism.' The text is a compendium of excerpts and quotations
from some 350 works by monks, nuns, professors, scholars and
other laypersons from nine different countries, in their own
words or in translation... How to use the Glossary: This book
can be used in threeways: to find the definition of unfamiliar
terms; to gain a broader
understanding of specific Buddhist concepts; and also as an introduction
to Buddhism. In the last instance, we suggest that readers begin
with the entry on Parables, then move on to Practice, Obstacles
to Cultivation and Ten Non-Seeking Practices. Other entries of
a more contemporary interest can be read with benefit by all.
These include: Birth Control, Organ Transplants, Vegetarianism,
Universe, Immortality.
Buddhist
Pilgrimage / 40 Color Photos + Maps — Chan Khoon
San - 158 Pages - (3.26 MB) --- The
aim of this book is to share my experience and knowledge with
fellow Buddhists about the benefits of undertaking a pilgrimage
to the Eight Great Places with the correct mental attitude...
The idea of a pilgrimage came from the Buddha himself. Before
He passed into Mahaparinibbana, the Buddha advised pious disciples
to visit four places that may be for their inspiration after
He was gone... They are Lumbini, where He was born; Buddhagaya,
where He attained Supreme Enlightenment; Deer Park in Sarnath,
where He preached
the First Sermon; and Kusinara, where He passed into Mahaparinibbana.
The pious disciple should visit these places and look upon them
with feelings of reverence, reflecting on the particular event
of the Buddha's life connected with each place. Since the Mahaparinibbana
of the Buddha, these four shrines of Buddhism have become the
focal points for pious disciples to rally around and seek inspiration.
By the time of King Asoka, four more places, namely: Savatthi,
Sankasia, Rajagaha and Vesali, that were closely associated with
the Buddha and scenes of His principal miracles, were added to
the pilgrimage itinerary. Together they make the Eight Great
Places of pilgrimage.
News
From True Cultivators — Heng Sure & Heng
Ch'au. - 352 Pages - Text and Photos - (1.6 MB) --- The
letters of Heng Sure and Heng Ch'au... Three steps and a
bow. That's how they walked it. Two monks on a pilgrimage
of
peace that took them through a series of wide-ranging encounters
and extraordinary experiences -- within and without. These letters
and photos are a record of their amazing journey... Two American
Buddhist monks on a journey of a lifetime, from downtown Los
Angeles to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talamage,
California. A journey of more than 800 miles that took two years
and nine months to complete. They bowed in peace, and for peace.
Touching their foreheads to the ground, opening their hearts
with one wish for the world. Peace. For everyone, everyday, everywhere.
Hello
- With Love & Other Meditations — Ven. Visuddhacara.
- 58 Pages - (2.77 MB) -- The
three most important things in life are love, kindness and wisdom.
If we have made these three values the priorities of
our life, then our life will have been well-lived. When we die
we can only have happiness when we look back and not regrets.
Wealth, fame, power, status, worldly success and pleasures — these
are insignificant compared to love, kindness and wisdom. Cultivate
the latter. If we spend our life cultivating this trio, our birth
and life will have been worthwhile; it will not have been in
vain. In this booklet, Ven. Visuddhàcàra shares
his understanding of this practice of mindfulness and lovingkindness
with a view to encourage all of us to walk the path.
The
Noble Eightfold Path — by Bhikkhu Bodhi -122 Pages
- (1.2 MB) --- "One
of the best explanations of the Eightfold path in print today!" The
present book aims at contributing towards a proper understanding
of the Noble Eightfold Path by investigating
its eight factors and their components to determine exactly what
they involve. Bhikkhu Bodhi is concise, using as the framework
for his exposition the Buddha's own words in explanation of the
path factors, as found in the Sutta Pitaka of the Pali Canon.
Treasury
of Truth - 'Dhammapada' with Commentary - (Text Only)— Ven.
W. Sarada Maha Thero. - 1250 Pages - (3.8 MB) --- "This
is an amazing version of the Dhammapada!" This
(text only) edition lends itself readily to an in-depth study
of the Dhammapada. It has Pali verse with an English word for
word translation, and a commentary for each verse which sheds
light on the true nature of the Buddha's teachings. This is the
text version of the Illustrated Dhammapada by Ven. Sarada Maha
Thero. It will be of use to anyone new to Buddhism, or seeking
a deeper understanding of Early Buddhism. This version of the
Dhammapada is a large file size, if you use a phone modem it
may take a few minutes to download, but it's worth the wait.
___
___ ___
Mindfulness
In Plain English - by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana
-- Free on Urban
Dharma -- Now
available in PDF
From the introduction: The subject of this book is Vipassana meditation practice. Repeat,
practice. This is a meditation manual, a nuts-and-bolts, step-by-step
guide to Insight meditation. It is meant to be practical. It
is meant for use.
There are already many comprehensive books on Buddhism as a
philosophy, and on the theoretical aspects of Buddhist meditation.
If you are interested in that material we urge you to read those
books. Many of them are excellent. This book is a 'How to.' It
is written for those who actually want to meditate and especially
for those who want to start now.
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