1st Image text

Visible Here and Now: The Buddha's Teachings on the Rewards of Spiritual Practice by Ayya Khema This translation and commentary on the Samannaphala-sutta—one of the most important scriptures of the Pali canon—provides essential sustenance for Buddhist practitioners. The sutta—included here in the translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi—contains the Buddha's teachings on the rewards of spiritual life in response to questions posed by King Ajatasattu. Why, the king asked, should we give up the satisfactions of worldly life and devote ourselves to meditation? What are the tangible benefits to be gained from following the Buddha's way? In answering this question, the Buddha provides a compact synopsis of the entirety of the spiritual path, and Ayya Khema expands on this with her characteristic approach—simple, experiential, and compassionate. ~ 214 pages trade paperback ~

donation to receive this book $30 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

click image to enlarge

The Travels of Friar Odoric: A 14th-Century Journey of the Blessed Odoric of Pordenone by Odoric, introduction by Paolo Chiesa Odoric, a Franciscan monk from northeastern Italy, spent much of the early 14th century traveling throughout Asia. His adventures provided one of the most important—if at times wildly fantastical—Western accounts of life and culture in what is present-day Iran, India, Indonesia, China, Nepal, and Russia. Setting off only twenty years after Marco Polo's historic trip to the East, Odoric noted the religious and cultural customs of the places he visited, regarding their practices with his innate tolerance, respect, and curiosity. Here too are accounts of fantastic things—mountains of salt, impenetrable deserts, mice as big as dogs, trees that produce bread, magic fish, gigantic tortoises, men with dog heads, and women equipped with fangs. ~ 174 pages hardcover ~

donation to receive this book $30 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

Holy Journeys into the Spiritual Heart of India photographs by Peter Bialobrzeski with essays by Florian Hanag and Mick Brown Originally published at $45, this collection of photographs depict India as seen through the eyes of a German artist-photographer and spiritual seeker. Not to everyone's taste -- but certainly communicating something you won't find in the pages of National Geographic. The images grow on one with repeated viewings. Includes essays in German and English. ~ 112 pages hardcover ~

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

The Tibetan Book of the Dead translated by Francesca Fremantle & Chogyam Trungpa with a commentary by Chogyam Trungpa The best available translation of the Bardo Thotrol, a series of instructions on liberation through hearing, said to have been composed by Padmasambhava and written down by his wife. According to legend, Padmasambhava buried these texts in the Gampo hills in central Tibet, where they were later discovered by Karma-Lingpa, an incarnation of one of Padmasambhava's disciples. Trungpa Rinpoche and Francesca Fremantle bring scholarly precision, elegance, and a certain audacious directness to the text. The introduction and commentary are first-rate at illuminating the meaning and purpose of the Bardo Thotrol: "The fundamental teaching of this book is the recognition of one's projections and the dissolution of the sense of self in the light of reality" ~ Chogyam Trungpa. This is a very nice pocket-sized edition of the Tibetan Buddhist classic, hardcover with placemarker ribbon. 182 pages hardcover

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

Jung : A Biography by Gerhard Wehr This positive biography creates an interesting counterpoint to Jung's own autobiography ( Memories, Dreams, Reflections, 1963) by placing the inner man of the autobiography in social and historical context. Relying on Jung's quotations, letters, and stories, as well as on his friends and other biographers, Wehr gives us a complex portrait of the man who founded analytical psychology. Even those unfamiliar Jung's work will find the book satisfying and will probably want to read more by and about him. The book appears well documented, with extensive footnotes and an index of names. Of all the biographies and interview books on Jung, this one is the clearest -- and perhaps the longest. The author has also edited the works of Rudolf Steiner and Jakob Bohme. ~ 550 pages trade paperback ~

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion and Excess at San Francisco Zen Center by Michael Downing This book documents the infamous rise and fall of Richard Baker, the handpicked successor to Suzuki Roshi, founder and spiritual leader of the San Francisco Zen Center. According to one reviewer: "Baker, although married, had affairs with female students, ignored the monastic community to hobnob with the rich and famous, and started zen related businesses that, instead of providing money for the zen community, turned profitable because the monks provided practically free labor. People were working so hard in the businesses that they had little time or energy for meditation. Finally, Baker had one affair too many and people realized that they were slaving to provide him with a nice BMW, three houses, and a great lifestyle. He was asked to resign and the members of the community, after some initial floundering, hired management consultants, sold the businesses, and put limits on the power of future leaders. The men and women of the zen community deserve great credit for preserving Suzuki Roshi's legacy this crisis could have destroyed it." ~ 385 pages hardcover ~

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

Swallowing the River Ganges : A Practice Guide to the Path of Purification by Matthew Flickstein Reviewers say: "This is a cloudless and exceedingly matter-of-fact atlas for anybody who involves themselves with meditation practice. This book is truly a practice guide, as the title suggests. Although I would without hesitation recommend this book to beginners, it's honestly more for those of us more familiar with meditative practices. The author takes aim at what most of us commonly call vipassana (insight) meditation. He gives a pretty surprising investigation into both its benefits, and what sometimes can lead to actual drawbacks." "Matthew Flickstein's presentation of the Path of Purification is more concise and accessible than the more technical explanation found in the Vissuddhimagga -- the standard commentary on the Buddha's teachings. This is a fresh, contemporary presentation of a venerable and ancient teaching." "Given the enormity of the Visuddhimagga, Flickstein has managed to select what is essential and clarify this dense and complex material without watering it down." "It's a marvelously good piece of writing, a must-have for every Theravada practicer. You can avoid wasting your time trying to unravel the Vissudhimagga, the Vimuttimagga, the Patisambhaga, etc..." 180 pages trade paperback

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here

The Mystics of Islam by Reynold A. Nicholson A classic work for the reader new to the study Islamic mysticism. Dr. Nicholson gives a broad outline of Sufism and the religious philosophy of Islam, and describes some of the principles, methods, and characteristic features of the inner life as it has been lived by Muslims from the eighth century onwards. Many quotations and songs are included, chiefly in the author's own translations from the original Arabic and Persian. Chapters: "The Path," "Illumination and Ecstacy," "The Gnosis," "Divine Love," "Saints and Miracles," "The Unitive State." ~ 178 pages paperback ~

donation to receive this book $25 If you prefer to Mail your Donation Click Here