Download or read book Approaching the Land of Bliss written by Richard Karl Payne and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The discourse of Buddhist studies has traditionally been structured around texts and nations (the transmission of Buddhism from India to China to Japan). And yet, it is doubtful that these categories reflect in any significant way the organizing themes familiar to most Buddhists. It could be argued that cultic practices associated with particular buddhas and bodhisattvas are more representative of the way Buddhists conceive of their relation to tradition. This volume aims to explore this aspect of Buddhism by focusing on one of its most important cults, that of the Buddha Amitabha. Approaching the Land of Bliss is a rich collection of studies of texts and ritual practices devoted to Amitabha, ranging from Tibet to Japan and from early medieval times to the present.
Download or read book The Three Pure Land Sutras written by and published by BDK America. This book was released on 2003 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The larger sutra on Amitāyus (Taishō volume 12, number 360) -- The sutra on contemplation of Amitāyus (Taishō volume 12, number 365) -- The smaller sutra on Amitāyus (Taishō volume 12, number 366).
Download or read book Finding Our True Home written by Thich Nhat Hanh and published by Parallax Press. This book was released on 2001-08-09 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Finding Our True Home presents a new definitive translation of the Amitabha Sutra along with Thich Nhat Hanh’s first commentary on one of the most practiced forms of Buddhism in the world, the Pure Land school. Introduced in the Buddha’s own lifetime, Pure Land practice puts us in touch with the beauty in our own world and brings us the security, solidity, and freedom we need in order to truly enjoy it. Realizing that Buddha is within us, we see that the Pure Land (paradise) is here and now, rather than in the future. Finding Our True Home will open a new Dharma door to many students of meditation.
Download or read book The Pure Land Handbook written by Shakya YongHua and published by . This book was released on 2014-10-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Pure Land Dharma Door is the most popular form of Buddhism in Asia, though it is largely unknown in the West. In this book, we introduce the Pure Land teachings to those who may not yet be familiar with this profound practice, hoping that more people will benefit from these methods. Furthermore, we will shed new light on the fundamentals of Pure Land, so even those who have grown up with and practiced Pure Land for years, can learn important points that are not commonlyknown. We present for you here a genuine, American, form of Pure Land Buddhism.
Download or read book The Natural Bliss of Being written by Jackson Peterson and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2013-05-13 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author designed his book to be a transformative journey that conclusively reveals one's own "enlightened self-nature" directly, leaving no room for doubt or uncertainty. For those who are serious about self-realization, this book offers explanations, insights and practical methods that can easily be applied without prior knowledge or experience with meditation or Eastern practices. The key teachings originate in the Tibetan wisdom tradition known as the "The Great Perfection", but are inclusive of other traditions such as Zen, that offer insights and methods into discovering our True Nature immediately and directly, not after months or years of study, meditation and practice. The author also studied deeply the teachings of the Sufis in Kashmir, India which revealed the wisdom of the Heart and Love, both necessary qualities in realizing one's true nature. The approach shared is very direct and capable of revealing immediate benefits. The overall goal is the acquisition of a completely new perspective on life that is grounded in spontaneity, freedom, joy and unconditional love for the benefit of oneself and others.The journey includes delving into the nature of thought, mind and ego-self to learn how we create our own suffering. From there we are introduced to our own inner jewel of enlightened awareness and knowingness that has always been present but never or rarely noticed. We then learn methods of how to broaden the "recognition" and how to stabilize and integrate this wisdom awareness into all aspects of our lives. Finally we are introduced to the nature of our spiritual Heart the seat of unconditional love and True Being. We learn how we are all just "one life", and with this recognition we find joy for ourselves and love for all beings. The author has spent over forty-seven years in pursuit of the wisdom teachings that can bring about enlightenment and liberation from personal suffering. As a result his travels to meet actual masters who were themselves accomplished in this path, took him to India, China, Nepal, Japan, Korea, Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. This book represents the essence of those teachings yet are presented in a completely generic and unique approach that anyone can benefit from. The author shares: "It is my hope that seekers of all types may find the realization of their goals fulfilled through the reading and application of the teachings as offered in this book and are able to realize the immediate presence of the Natural Bliss of Being for themselves as I have, and realize: 'Relishing and celebrating life's journey is the realization of Enlightenment itself!'"
Download or read book Pure Land written by Charles B. Jones and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2021-05-18 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introductory guide to the beliefs and key concepts of Pure Land Buddhism, the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in East Asia. Pure Land is a brief introduction to the history and practices of Pure Land Buddhism, a popular and growing global tradition. Pure Land practices center on Amitābha Buddha, rebirth in his pure buddha-land, and the guaranteed attainment of buddhahood. It constitutes the dominant tradition of most Buddhists in East Asia and is the most common form of practice within immigrant Buddhist communities in America, yet it remains elusive to many general readers of Buddhism. This brief introduction summarizes the core teachings of this tradition and charts its growth throughout the world. Part of the Buddhist Foundations series, Pure Land covers the spiritual tenets behind the tradition before describing how prayer and devotion to Amitābha allow for rebirth in a realm free from suffering and ideal for progress on the path to enlightenment. It then outlines specific Pure Land practices, all the while providing historical context to account for its widespread popularity throughout East Asia. The author also covers contemporary Pure Land traditions, providing a useful touch point for modern readers. Pure Land practitioners and readers interested in Asian-American Buddhist communities now have a concise guide to the ideas, practices, and origins of this widely popular spiritual tradition.
Download or read book Opening the Hand of Thought written by Kosho Uchiyama and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2005-06-10 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over thirty years, Opening the Hand of Thought has offered an introduction to Zen Buddhism and meditation unmatched in clarity and power. This is the revised edition of Kosho Uchiyama's singularly incisive classic. This new edition contains even more useful material: new prefaces, an index, and extended endnotes, in addition to a revised glossary. As Jisho Warner writes in her preface, Opening the Hand of Thought "goes directly to the heart of Zen practice... showing how Zen Buddhism can be a deep and life-sustaining activity." She goes on to say, "Uchiyama looks at what a person is, what a self is, how to develop a true self not separate from all things, one that can settle in peace in the midst of life." By turns humorous, philosophical, and personal, Opening the Hand of Thought is above all a great book for the Buddhist practitioner. It's a perfect follow-up for the reader who has read Zen Meditation in Plain English and is especially useful for those who have not yet encountered a Zen teacher.
Download or read book The Geography of Bliss written by Eric Weiner and published by Twelve. This book was released on 2008-01-03 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now a new series on Peacock with Rainn Wilson, THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS is part travel memoir, part humor, and part twisted self-help guide that takes the viewer across the globe to investigate not what happiness is, but WHERE it is. Are people in Switzerland happier because it is the most democratic country in the world? Do citizens of Qatar, awash in petrodollars, find joy in all that cash? Is the King of Bhutan a visionary for his initiative to calculate Gross National Happiness? Why is Asheville, North Carolina so damn happy? In a unique mix of travel, psychology, science and humor, Eric Weiner answers those questions and many others, offering travelers of all moods some interesting new ideas for sunnier destinations and dispositions.
Download or read book The Path to Bliss written by Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho and published by Snow Lion Publications, Incorporated. This book was released on 2003 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clear, eloquent, simple, and profound, His Holiness's teachings are easily accessible to beginning practitioners yet richly nourishing to those more advanced in practice. In The Path to Bliss, the Dalai Lama shows how visualization, reason, and contemplation can be systematically crafted to enhance personal development. Beginning with practices designed to create an effective mental outlook, His Holiness skillfully guides the student to more advanced techniques for developing the mind's deepest potential and happiness. An impeccable attention to the correctness of detail, yet manages at the same time to convey a sense of playfulness, a balance of specific technical guidance, and delightful asides. It exemplifies the sophistication and elegance of Tibetan Buddhist methods for spiritual development.
Download or read book Critical Readings on Pure Land Buddhism in Japan written by Galen Amstutz and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-06-08 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pure Land was one of the main fields of mythopoesis and discourse among the Asian Buddhist traditions, and in Japan of central cultural importance from the Heian period right up to the present. The pieces reproduced in this set have been chosen as linchpin works accentuating the diversity and evolution of Pure Land Buddhism. These selections of previously published articles will serve as an essential starting-point for anyone interested in this perhaps underestimated area of Buddhist studies.
Download or read book Bliss More written by Light Watkins and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2018-01-23 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From one of America’s top meditation teachers and mindfulness experts comes a revolutionarily simple approach to everyday practice—especially if you don’t think you have the time or the patience. Imagine you’re sitting on a cushion with your legs crossed, ready to tap into unlimited joy. There’s just one problem: You can’t get comfortable (let alone still), and your head is full of way too many thoughts. The problem is not with meditation, or you, though—the issue may be with your approach. When properly understood and practiced, meditation should feel easy, calming, and comfortable. In Bliss More, maverick instructor Light Watkins provides the tools for making it E.A.S.Y. (Embrace, Accept, Surrender, Yield), dispels the biggest myths and misunderstandings, and shares real-world tips and straight talk for hacking into this ancient practice. The result: a happier and healthier you, inside and out. Watkins also shares candid testimonials from people whose lives have been enriched through his method, and extensive resources for transforming a daily chore into an enjoyable activity. Even the biggest skeptic will look forward to sitting for meditation every day. Whether you’re a novice or experienced practitioner, Bliss More will shed light on the path to a clearer mind, better sleep, and more bliss in everyday life. Praise for Bliss More “With Light Watkins as your guide, you will unlock the secrets to establishing a regular and powerfully healthy daily practice.”—Deepak Chopra, M.D. “Bliss More is one of the best meditation books I’ve ever come across for getting you started. Light Watkins has the gift of being able to demystify meditation in a way that will make you want to meditate, even if you feel your mind is too busy.”—Frank Lipman, M.D., author of 10 Reasons You Feel Old and Get Fat “If you’re ready to start a solid meditation practice, look no further.”—Rosario Dawson, actress “Light takes the world’s most powerful practice and turns it into something you can’t wait to do, something you’re actually excited about.”—Pam Grout, author of E-Squared and Thank & Grow Rich “Bliss More is a treasure trove of powerful, practical, and priceless techniques to finally master your meditation practice.”—Davidji, meditation teacher and author of Sacred Powers
Download or read book Clear Light of Bliss written by Kelsang Gyatso and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within all of us lies a source of infinite bliss, clarity of wisdom, and compassion for others. In this unique and highly praised book, based on Buddhaʹs Tantric teachings, the contemporary Buddhist Master, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, presents authentic methods for discovering this inner wealth for ourselves. In a clear and precise way, he explains step-by-step how we can generate a deeply peaceful and concentrated mind by harnessing the subtle energy system within our body. With this blissful awareness we can uncover our true nature, destroy ignorance and suffering at its root, and swiftly become a source of inspiration and benefit for others. -- Publisher description.
Download or read book Thinking of Amitabha Buddha written by Rulu and published by Author House. This book was released on 2012-01-20 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mahayana Buddhist doctrine teaches that all sentient beings have Buddha nature and will eventually attain Buddhahood. For the spiritual training of those who are resolved to become Buddhas to benefit themselves and others, Sakyamuni Buddha recommends a Pure LandAmitabha Buddhas Land of Ultimate Bliss. To be reborn in that land, one must have faith, resolve, and training. In that splendid environment and in the excellent company of advanced Bodhisattvas, one will attain Buddhahood with Amitabha Buddhas training and support. The Pure Land School, originated in China, is founded on five sutras and one treatise. This book, Rulus second, presents these six texts and four other sutras in English, all translated from texts in the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Five of these ten English translations have never before been published in book form. To help readers, the translators introduction provides an organized presentation of Pure Land teachings; another chapter tells the life stories of the patriarchs of the Pure Land School. Buddhist terms are explained in the glossary. This book will benefit readers at all levels and serve as a basis for scholarly research. For those who aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land, it is the only English guidebook available.
Download or read book Pure Lands in Asian Texts and Contexts written by Georgios T. Halkias and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2019-03-31 with total page 808 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This diverse anthology of original Buddhist texts in translation provides a historical and conceptual framework that will transform contemporary scholarship on Pure Land Buddhism and instigate its recognition as an essential field of Buddhist studies. Traditional and contemporary primary sources carefully selected from Buddhist cultures across historical, geopolitical, and literary boundaries are organized by genre rather than chronologically, geographically, or by religious lineage—a novel juxtaposition that reveals their wider importance in fresh contexts. Together these fundamental texts from different Asian traditions, expertly translated by eminent and up-and-coming scholars, illustrate that the Buddhism of pure lands is not just an East Asian cult or a marginal type of Buddhism, but a pan-Asian and deeply entrenched religious phenomenon. The volume is organized into six parts: Ritual Practices, Contemplative Visualizations, Doctrinal Expositions, Life Writing and Poetry, Ethical and Aesthetic Explications, and Worlds beyond Sukhāvatī. Each part is introduced and summarized, and each translated piece is prefaced by its translator to supply historical and sectarian context as well as insight into the significance of the work. Common and less-common issues of practice, doctrine, and intra-religious transfer are explored, and deeper understandings of the meaning of “pure lands” are gained through the study of the celestial, cosmological, internal, and earthly pure lands associated with various buddhas, bodhisattvas, and devotional figures. The introduction by the volume editors ties the diverse themes of the book together and provides a historical background to Pure Land Buddhist studies. Scholars of Buddhism and Asian religion, including graduate and post-graduate students, as well as Buddhist practitioners, will appreciate the range of translated materials and accompanied discussions made accessible in one essential collection, the first of its kind to center on the formerly-neglected topic of Buddhist pure lands.
Download or read book Fetishizing Tradition written by Alan Cole and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2015-09-21 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes how religious tradition is established as available within a text, free from ritual and observance, in Buddhism and Christianity. This innovative work documents the literary gesture that “fetishizes tradition,” making long-standing religious traditions appear present and available through the reading experience. Taking as examples Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the Gospel of Mark, the Sūtra on the Land of Bliss (Sukhāvatīvyūha), and the Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch (Liuzu tanjing), Alan Cole shows how these texts invite readers into the fantasy that they can leave behind tradition’s established rites, rituals, sacrifices, institutions, and festivals in order to take up just the text and its narrative as the key to salvation. Ironically, then, one’s salvation is determined by how one receives the (new) message of salvation. Crucial to making these more virtual forms of tradition appear plausible is the reconstruction of tradition’s “truth-fathers”—God or the Buddha, as the case may be—so that they appear to endorse the legitimacy of these new ways of being traditional. Relying on a wide body of critical theory, this book presents an intriguing way to rethink key elements in Christian and Buddhist thought. Alan Cole is an independent scholar and the author of Fathering Your Father: The Zen of Fabrication in Tang Buddhism; Text as Father: Paternal Seductions in Early Mahāyāna Buddhist Literature; and Mothers and Sons in Chinese Buddhism.
Download or read book The Land of Bliss The Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light written by Luis O. Gomez and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 1996-05-01 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a free translation of two Buddhist texts on what is arguably the most popular of all Buddhist conceptions of an ideal world, the "Land of Bliss" of the Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. The two texts, known to Western students of Buddhism as the "Smaller" and "Larger" Sukhavatiyuha Sutra, explain the conditions that lead to rebirth in the Pure Land and the manner in which human beings are reborn there.
Download or read book Buddhism in Practice written by Donald S. Lopez, Jr. and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2015-11-24 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This anthology, first published in 1995, illustrates the vast scope of Buddhist practice in Asia, past and present. Re-released now in a slimmer but still extensive edition, Buddhism in Practice presents a selection of thirty-five translated texts--each preceded by a substantial introduction by its translator. These unusual sources provides the reader with a sense of the remarkable diversity of the practices of persons who over the course of 2,500 years have been identified, by themselves or by others, as Buddhists. Demonstrating the many continuities among the practices of Buddhist cultures widely separated by both history and geography, Buddhism in Practice continues to provide an ideal introduction to Buddhism and a source of new insights for scholars.
