Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish

Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish
Author:
Publisher: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2006-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 8185102155

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One of the great treasures of Buddhist literature, is mDo-mdzangs-blun or the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish as it is known to the Mongols. The text was translated to Mongolian from Tibetan as the Üliger-ün Dalai or Ocean of Narratives. It is one of the most interesting, enjoyable and readable Buddhist scriptures. For centuries, it has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration, instruction and pleasure for all who have been able to read it. The history of this unusual scripture is still uncertain. Legend has it that the tales were heard in Khotan by Chinese monks, who translated them (but from what language?) into Chinese, from which it was translated into Tibetan, then into Mongolian and Oirat. The Narratives are Jatakas, or rebirth stories, tracing the causes of present tragedy in human lives to events which took place in former lifetimes. The theme of each narrative is the same: the tragedy of the human condition, the reason for this tragedy and the possibility of transcending it. But unlike Greek tragedy, Buddhist tragedy is never an end in itself, i.e. a catharsis, but a call to transcend that which can be transcended and need not be endlessly endured. The people we meet in the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish, although supposedly living in the India of the Buddha’s time, might also be living at present in New York City, a small rural town or Leningrad, and the problems they face are the same problems that men have had to face always and everywhere. Herein lies the timeless appeal of this profound Buddhist scripture.

The Life of Shabkar

The Life of Shabkar
Author: ?abs-dkar Tshogs-drug-ra?-grol
Publisher: SUNY Press
Total Pages: 752
Release: 1994-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780791418352

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The Life of Shabkar has long been recognized by Tibetans as one of the master works of their religious heritage. Following his inspired youth and early training in his native province of Amdo under the guidance of several extraordinary Buddhist masters, Shabkar Tsodruk Rangdrol devoted himself to many years of meditation in solitary retreat. With determination and courage, he mastered the highest and most esoteric practices of the Tibetan tradition of the Great Perfection. He then wandered far and wide over the Himalayan region expressing his realization. His autobiography vividly reflects the values and visionary imagery of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the social and cultural life of early nineteenth century Tibet.

A Flock of Fools

A Flock of Fools
Author:
Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Total Pages: 217
Release: 2007-12-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0802199275

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“These teachings from the heart of Buddhism ring true . . . a sumptuous meal of wild and comic dharma. Enjoy!” (Enkyō O’Hara, Soto priest and teacher). One hundred illuminating tales of the foibles and follies of everyday fools, this elegant, humorous, and masterful little book of wisdom is a welcome addition to the Buddhist canon. “The One Hundred Parable Sutra” is known as the most humorous sutra in all of Buddhist literature. Here, Kazuaki Tanahashi, the celebrated translator, calligrapher, and Dōgen scholar, and Peter Levitt, an award-winning poet, storyteller, and Zen practitioner, have translated and retold these jewel-like parables with storytelling panache for students, teachers, and seekers everywhere. With appropriate commentary, each tale becomes a simple lesson for everyday living. From the potter who seeks fame to the woman who possesses great lust, these tales are told with a gentle clarity that magnifies our appetites and delusions. In doing so, they become an accurate mirror of the human condition. Illustrated with seventeen original brushwork drawings by Tanahashi, A Flock of Fools is a perfect little book of wisdom, laughter, and compassion. “Translator Kaz Tanahashi and storyteller Peter Levitt have given these stories a subtle American-Zen flavor, and although this collection has a 1500-year pedigree . . . its messages ring clear and true today.” —Shambala Sun “Funny, strange, wise, informing, this marvelous book celebrates the wild heart of Buddhism.” —Roshi Joan Halifax, Zen Buddhist teacher “Nothing breaks apart dualism and sanctimoniousness like a good laugh! . . . lively reminders of the power of humor to enrich our understanding, and to help us let go of our attachments.” — Enkyō O’Hara, Soto priest and teacher

Naked Awareness

Naked Awareness
Author: Karma Chagme
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2000-03-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781559391467

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In this classic seventeenth-century presentation of the union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Karma Chagmé, one of the great teachers of both these lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, begins with an overview of the spirit of awakening and the nature of actions and their ethical consequences. Next, drawing from his enormous erudition and profound experience, Chagmé gives exceptionally lucid instructions on the two phases of Dzogchen practice—the "breakthrough" and the "leap-over"—followed by an accessible introduction to the practice of the transference of consciousness at the time of death. The concluding chapters of this treatise present a detailed analysis of Mahamudra meditation in relation to Dzogchen practice. This tour de force of scholarly erudition and contemplative insight is made all the more accessible by the lively commentary of the contemporary Nyingma Lama Gyatrul Rinpoche. Although this book stands alone, it is the concluding section of a single body of teachings by Karma Chagmé, the earlier section published under the title A Spacious Path to Freedom. Karma Chagmé was a major teacher of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and his writings have also become central to the Payul Nyingma order, making him an ideal figure to integrate these two great meditation systems.

The Tibetan Book of Everyday Wisdom

The Tibetan Book of Everyday Wisdom
Author: Jinpa Thupten
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2018-04-24
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1614295131

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Enjoy popular Tibetan collections of advice, fables, and aphorisms for following the way of the wise and avoiding the paths of fools. The Tibetan Book of Everdyay Wisdom: A Thousand Years of Sage Advice presents a genre of Tibetan works known as “wise sayings” (lekshé). While most Tibetan literature focuses on the Buddhist path, “wise sayings” literature has traditionally been a centerpiece of secular education in Tibet and in the cultivation of social mores and an honorable way of life. Drawing inspiration from classical Indian literature on human virtue and governance (nitisastra), including the folktales in the Pañcatantra, the authors of these Tibetan works strove to educate young minds in the ways of the civilized world, especially by distinguishing the conduct of the wise from that of the foolish. This anthology includes some of the best-loved classics of Tibetan literature, such as Sakya Pandita’s Jewel Treasury of Wise Sayings, Panchen Sönam Drakpa’s Ganden Wise Sayings, and Gungthang’s Treatise on Trees and Treatise on Water. The final work is the intriguing Kaché Phalu’s Advice. Ostensibly written by a wise Tibetan Muslim, this versified text enjoys great popularity within Tibetan-speaking communities, such that most people are able to recite at least a few verses from memory.

The Written Image

The Written Image
Author: Miyeko Murase
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2002
Genre: Art, Japanese
ISBN: 1588390683

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This lovely catalog accompanies an exhibition of the same name held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 2002-2003. The exhibition features Japanese calligraphy and paintings and sculpture of Buddhist and Shinto themes. Full descriptive entries accompany the plates of each work. Three essays introduce the catalog: a history of the collection and an essay on viewing calligraphy by Barnet and Burto, and an introduction to the calligraphy in their collection by Murase (a consultant on Japanese art at the museum). Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR