Kirjahaku

The issue of ideal types, or saints, in Buddhism is a difficult and complicated problem in Buddhology. In this magisterial work, Reginald Ray offers the first comprehensive examination of the figure of the Buddhist saint in a wide range of Indian Buddhist sources.

Indestructible Truth is one of the most thorough introductions to the Tibetan Buddhist world view ever published; at the same time it is also one of the most accessible. The author presents complex and sophisticated teachings and practices in nontechnical language, using engaging stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate his points. Indestructible Truth presents Tibetan Buddhism in its traditional form but also shows how the Tibetan traditions are applicable to the problems and challenges of modern life in the West. In Indestructible Truth, Tibetan Buddhism is introduced not as an exotic religion, but rather as an expression of human spirituality that is having a profound impact on the modern world. In addition, it presents the point of view of meditation and the practice of the spiritual life, paying special attention to contemplative practice and meditation as taught in the Kagyu and Nyingma schools.

This book provides an entree into the Tantric (or Vajrayana) Buddhism of Tibet, as conveyed by Tibetan masters teaching in the West, and as received by their Western students. The Tantric tradition is a unique collection of lesser-known texts, concepts, and meditation practices that are usually made available only to experienced and specially initiated practitioners. The "Vajra World" ( "vajradhatu" in Sanskrit) is a realm of indestructibility, the level of reality beyond all thought and imagination, all impermanence and change, which a fully realized person knows and inhabits. Used metaphorically, "Vajra World" refers to the traditional culture of Tibet and the unique spirituality that is its secret strength. Topics include: - The tantric view of human nature and the external world - The special role of the guru, or tantric mentor - The preliminary practices that prepare the student for full initiation - The major dimensions of Vajrayana practice, including visualizations, liturgies, and inner yogas - The tradition of the "tulku," or incarnate lama - The lore surrounding the death of ordinary people and of saints - The practice of solitary retreat, the epitome of traditional Tibetan Buddhism "Secret of the Vajra World " is the companion volume to the author's earlier book, "Indestructible Truth: The Living Spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism. " While that book focuses on the history, cosmology, philosophy, and practice of the more public, exoteric side of Tibetan Buddhism, this work treats its more hidden and esoteric aspects as they take shape in Vajrayana. Together, the two volumes provide a broad introduction to the major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

A senior Buddhist teacher offers six fundamental body-based meditation practices that show the reader that enlightenment is as close to you as your own body. Many of us experience life through so many conceptual filters that we never recognize the freedom and joy that are inherent in us--and are in fact the essence of who we are. We can grow old not realizing that one of the most powerful tools to escape the painful knots we tie ourselves in is, literally, at our fingertips: our body. Here, Reggie Ray cracks open the shell of the mind-body dichotomy and presents six fundamental body-based practices that connect us back to who we really are. These practices cut through the mental fabrications through which we experience our world and lead us directly to the richness of living a fully present, embodied human life. Includes a link to free downloads of recorded guided practices.

Short inspirational selections from the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism, past and present--now part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series. Alternately sage and humorous, eloquent and pithy, these inspirational selections illustrate a central affirmation of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition: through the cultivation of self-knowledge, humility, and compassion for others, we can bring about positive and necessary change in ourselves and even in the world around us. Featuring many great masters past and present, including Milarepa, the Dalai Lama, Sogyal Rinpoche, Patrul Rinpoche, Ch gyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and others, this compact volume offers wisdom on a variety of topics--bringing a light to the darkness for those seeking guidance. This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

What does it mean to "meditate with the body"? Until you answer this question, explains Reggie Ray, meditation may be no more than a mental gymnastic —something you can practice for years without fruitful results. In Touching Enlightenment, the esteemed author of five books about Buddhist history and practice guides you back to the original practice of the Buddha: a systematic process that results in a profound awareness in your body rather than in your head. Combining the scholarship that has earned him international renown with original insights from nearly four decades practicing and teaching meditation, Reggie Ray invites you to explore: How to enter fully into communion with your embodied nature • The insights of Tibetan yoga, from guidance on breathing and working with discomfort to its challenge to modern practitioners on the path to realization • Why "rejected" experience becomes imprinted in the body —and how to receive it anew to reconstitute your human way of being • Karma of cause and karma of result —taking full responsibility for your life • Your three bodies—the physical, the interpersonal, and the cosmic "To be awake, to be enlightened, is to be fully and completely embodied. To be fully embodied means to be at one with who we are, in every respect, including our physical being, our emotions, and the totality of our karmic situation," writes Reggie Ray. In Touching Enlightenment, he offers you a map of unprecedented clarity and power for embarking on the journey toward ultimate realization in and through the body.