Buddhaliography: Pema Chodron
Ranked #4,046 in Culture & Society, #87,135 overall
Pema Chodron is the cover girl for the November issue of Shambhala SunSpace. There's an interesting Pema Chodron bio piece in the issue called Becoming Pema.
Nice pic of a 20-something Deirdre . . . you can see Pema peeking out at you.
Check PemaChodron.org and Wikipedia for more about her life and activities.
Wisdom of No Escape
Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears
Hardcover Shambhala (September 8, 2009)
In this pithy, inspiring book, Pema presents the Buddhist concept of shenpa-which can be translated as "getting stuck" or "getting hooked"-and shows us how we can liberate ourselves from it. Shenpa is that irritating sensation that arises in moments when life suddenly becomes disappointing, difficult, or painful. Perhaps someone criticizes your work, your appearance, or your child. Something within you tightens, shuts down. That's shenpa. After we tighten, we instinctively start to blame ourselves or others. We might get angry and lash out in words or actions. Or we might reach for a cigarette, a drink, or some other addictive substance to numb our pain. Pema shows us the way out of these habitual reactions that keep us locked in cycles of suffering.
In Taking the Leap she introduces a new way of responding to moments of shenpa: learning to stay present. Rather than running from life's hurts, you can actually stop and open your heart, and therein discover courage and compassion. This book presents the "four R's" of working with shenpa: recognizing it, refraining from acting out against ourselves or others, relaxing with the underlying feelings, and resolving to make this our way of life. With her characteristic warmth and encouragement, Pema offers transformational teachings and practices that readers can immediately put to use in their daily lives.
In Taking the Leap she introduces a new way of responding to moments of shenpa: learning to stay present. Rather than running from life's hurts, you can actually stop and open your heart, and therein discover courage and compassion. This book presents the "four R's" of working with shenpa: recognizing it, refraining from acting out against ourselves or others, relaxing with the underlying feelings, and resolving to make this our way of life. With her characteristic warmth and encouragement, Pema offers transformational teachings and practices that readers can immediately put to use in their daily lives.
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
Shambhala Classics Paperback Shambhala (September 26, 2000)
Much like Zen, Pema Chodron's interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism takes the form of a nontheistic spiritualism. In When Things Fall Apart this head of a Tibetan monastery in Canada outlines some relevant and deceptively profound terms of Tibetan Buddhism that are germane to modern issues. The key to all of these terms is accepting that in the final analysis, life is groundless. By letting go, we free ourselves to face fear and obstacles and offer ourselves unflinchingly to others. The graceful, conversational tone of Chodron's writing gives the impression of sitting on a pillow across from her, listening to her everyday examples of Buddhist wisdom.
The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
Shambhala Library Hardcover (August 9, 2005)
Amazon.com Review
Pema Chodron may have more good one-liners than a Groucho Marx retrospective, but this nun's stingers go straight to the heart: "The essence of bravery is being without self-deception"; "When we practice generosity, we become intimate with our grasping"; "Difficult people are the greatest teachers." These are the punctuations to specific teachings of fearlessness. In The Places That Scare You, Chodron introduces a host of the compassionate warriors' tools and concepts for transforming anxieties and negative emotions into positive living. Rather than steeling ourselves against hardship, she suggests we open ourselves to vulnerability; from this comes the loving kindness and compassion that are the wellsprings of joy. How do we achieve it? Through meditation, mindfulness, slogans, aspiration, and several other practices, such as tonglen, which is taking in the pain and suffering of others while sending out happiness to all--emphasis on the all. Chodron introduces each of these practices in turn, backing them up with succinct practical reasoning and a framework of ideas that offers fresh interpretations of familiar words like strength, laziness, and groundlessness. Chodron is the type of person you'd like to have with you in an emergency, and to deal with the extremes of daily life. In her absence, The Places That Scare You will do nicely. --Brian Bruya
Pema Chodron may have more good one-liners than a Groucho Marx retrospective, but this nun's stingers go straight to the heart: "The essence of bravery is being without self-deception"; "When we practice generosity, we become intimate with our grasping"; "Difficult people are the greatest teachers." These are the punctuations to specific teachings of fearlessness. In The Places That Scare You, Chodron introduces a host of the compassionate warriors' tools and concepts for transforming anxieties and negative emotions into positive living. Rather than steeling ourselves against hardship, she suggests we open ourselves to vulnerability; from this comes the loving kindness and compassion that are the wellsprings of joy. How do we achieve it? Through meditation, mindfulness, slogans, aspiration, and several other practices, such as tonglen, which is taking in the pain and suffering of others while sending out happiness to all--emphasis on the all. Chodron introduces each of these practices in turn, backing them up with succinct practical reasoning and a framework of ideas that offers fresh interpretations of familiar words like strength, laziness, and groundlessness. Chodron is the type of person you'd like to have with you in an emergency, and to deal with the extremes of daily life. In her absence, The Places That Scare You will do nicely. --Brian Bruya
Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living
Amazon.com Review
Pema Chodron is a Buddhist nun for regular folks. Having raised a family of her own, she doesn't shy away from persistent troubles and the basic meatiness of life. In fact, in Start Where You Are, Chodron tries to get us to see that the faults and foibles in each of us now are the perfect ingredients for creating a better life. No need to wait for a quieter time or a more settled mind. The trick Chodron says is to repattern ourselves, to transform bad habits into good by first opening ourselves to the groundlessness of existence. When the cliff dissolves beneath our feet, fear has a way of actually lessening. Fearlessness opens the way to recognizing our pushy egos and that rather than being cursed with original sin, we are blessed with an original soft spot--the squishy feeling inside that we all have, that is the seat of true compassion, and that we all do our best to armor over. Chodron is the kind of teacher who has seen it all and keeps pushing us back into ourselves until there's no one left to wrestle with but a certain recalcitrant image in the mirror. --Brian Bruya
Pema Chodron is a Buddhist nun for regular folks. Having raised a family of her own, she doesn't shy away from persistent troubles and the basic meatiness of life. In fact, in Start Where You Are, Chodron tries to get us to see that the faults and foibles in each of us now are the perfect ingredients for creating a better life. No need to wait for a quieter time or a more settled mind. The trick Chodron says is to repattern ourselves, to transform bad habits into good by first opening ourselves to the groundlessness of existence. When the cliff dissolves beneath our feet, fear has a way of actually lessening. Fearlessness opens the way to recognizing our pushy egos and that rather than being cursed with original sin, we are blessed with an original soft spot--the squishy feeling inside that we all have, that is the seat of true compassion, and that we all do our best to armor over. Chodron is the kind of teacher who has seen it all and keeps pushing us back into ourselves until there's no one left to wrestle with but a certain recalcitrant image in the mirror. --Brian Bruya
The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving Kindness
'Pema's deep experience and her fresh way of looking at things are like mountain water -- clear and deep.' Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry. 'As one of Pema Chodron's grateful students, I have been learning the most pressing and necessary lesson of all: how to keep opening wider my own heart.' Alice Walker 'It is a lively and accessible take on ancient techniques for transforming terror and pain into joy and compassion.' O, the Oprah Winfrey magazine
Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion
Amazon.com Review
Comfortable with Uncertainty reads like a perfect companion guide to the traditional 108-day Buddhist retreat. In a day-by-day format, author Pema Chodron dives into the soothing wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism, reminding us that groundlessness is the only ground we have to stand on. Each of her 108 teachings are brief (about two pages), and all of them are excerpted from longer discussions in Chodron 's previous bestselling books (The Places That Scare You and When Things Fall Apart). Nonetheless, newcomers as well as seasoned fans of Chodron's writing will glean much from this training program for becoming a "warrior bodhisattva"--a term which, simply put, means one who aspires to act from an awakened heart.
Gradually, Chodron guides readers beyond the tunnel vision of the self, expanding outward to include compassion for all of humanity. In the 12th teaching, "The Root of Suffering," Chodron writes: "What keeps us unhappy and stuck in a limited view of reality is our tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain, to seek security and avoid groundlessness, to seek comfort and avoid discomfort." In the 77th teaching, "Cool Loneliness," she suggests that the next time readers wake up in the morning feeling the "heartache of alienation" they try to "relax and touch the limitless space of the human heart." By the 101st teaching, Chodron speaks to "taking refuge in the Sangha," meaning becoming warriors who are not only committed to taking off their own armors of self-pity, but are also committed to gently helping others do the same. Student warriors will also appreciate the glossary, bibliography, and resource guide in the back. --Gail Hudson
Comfortable with Uncertainty reads like a perfect companion guide to the traditional 108-day Buddhist retreat. In a day-by-day format, author Pema Chodron dives into the soothing wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism, reminding us that groundlessness is the only ground we have to stand on. Each of her 108 teachings are brief (about two pages), and all of them are excerpted from longer discussions in Chodron 's previous bestselling books (The Places That Scare You and When Things Fall Apart). Nonetheless, newcomers as well as seasoned fans of Chodron's writing will glean much from this training program for becoming a "warrior bodhisattva"--a term which, simply put, means one who aspires to act from an awakened heart.
Gradually, Chodron guides readers beyond the tunnel vision of the self, expanding outward to include compassion for all of humanity. In the 12th teaching, "The Root of Suffering," Chodron writes: "What keeps us unhappy and stuck in a limited view of reality is our tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain, to seek security and avoid groundlessness, to seek comfort and avoid discomfort." In the 77th teaching, "Cool Loneliness," she suggests that the next time readers wake up in the morning feeling the "heartache of alienation" they try to "relax and touch the limitless space of the human heart." By the 101st teaching, Chodron speaks to "taking refuge in the Sangha," meaning becoming warriors who are not only committed to taking off their own armors of self-pity, but are also committed to gently helping others do the same. Student warriors will also appreciate the glossary, bibliography, and resource guide in the back. --Gail Hudson
The Pocket Pema Chodron
Shambhala Pocket Classics Paperback
Here is a treasury of short selections from the best-selling books of Pema Chödrön, the beloved Tibetan Buddhist nun. Sized to fit easily into a pocket or purse, this little book can be taken anywhere, providing on-the-go inspiration. Topics include opening the heart; becoming fearless; breaking free of destructive patterns; developing patience and joy; and discovering one's natural warmth, intelligence, and goodness.
Perfect Just as You Are: Buddhist Practices on the Four Limitless Ones--Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity
Shambhala Audio CDs (October 13, 2009)
"Spiritual practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better," teaches Pema Chödrön. "It is," she says, "about befriending who we are already." When we embrace this attitude, the walls of isolation, depression, and anger begin to crumble-and in its place feelings of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity shine forth.Here are Pema Chödrön's definitive teachings on the Buddhist practice called the "Four Limitless Ones"-a practice that helps us recognize and grow the seeds of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity already present in our hearts. In this comprehensive 8-CD program, Pema leads us step-by-step through the Four Limitless Ones practice. She offers four guided meditations, entertaining anecdotes, and helpful question-and-answer sessions that allow us to bring about genuine love and joy in our lives. The course is a wonderful way for those already somewhat familiar with Pema's teaching to go deeper, but it's also a perfect for beginners-no prior knowledge of Buddhism is required.
8 CDs.
8 CDs.
Don't Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment, and Other Destructive Emotions
Life has a way of provoking us with traffic jams and computer malfunctions, with emotionally distant partners and crying children-and before we know it, we're upset. We feel terrible, and then we end up saying and doing things that only make matters worse. But it doesn't have to be that way, says Pema Chodron. It is possible to relate constructively to the inevitable shocks, losses, and frustrations of life so that we can find true happiness. The key, Pema explains, is not biting the "hook" of our habitual responses. In this recorded weekend retreat, Pema draws on Buddhist teachings from The Way of the Bodhisattva to reveal how we can:stay centered in the midst of difficulty improve stressful relationships step out of the downward spiral of self-hatred awaken compassion for ourselves and others.
This Moment Is the Perfect Teacher: Ten Buddhist Teachings on Cultivating Inner Strength and Compassion
Shambhala Audio; Unabridged edition (April 22, 2008)
Lojong is a powerful Tibetan Buddhist practice created especially for training the mind to work with the challenges of everyday living. It teaches our hearts to soften, reframes our attitude toward difficulty, and allows us to discover a wellspring of inner strength. In this recorded retreat, Pema Chödrön introduces the lojong teachings and explains how we can apply them to any situation in our life-because, as Pema says, "every moment is an opportunity for awakening." In addition, Pema also leads a guided tonglen meditation, a practice aimed at developing courage and cultivating compassion for ourselves and others.
4 CDs, 4 1/2 hours, unabridged.
4 CDs, 4 1/2 hours, unabridged.
Always Maintain a Joyful Mind (Book and CD): And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness (Hardcover)
Shambhala (July 31, 2007)
For centuries Tibetan Buddhists have relied on a collection of fifty-nine pith teachings (called lojong in Tibetan) to help them develop wisdom and compassion amid the challenges of daily living. In this book Pema Chodron introduces these transformative teachings and offers guidance on how to make them part of our everyday lives.
The lojong teachings include: "Always maintain only a joyful mind," "Don't be swayed by external circumstances," "Don't be so predictable," and "Be grateful to everyone." Each slogan is followed by Pema Chodron's accessible and succinct commentary on how to understand and apply it.
This book also features a forty-five-minute audio program entitled "Opening the Heart," in which Pema Chodron offers in-depth instruction on tonglen meditation, a powerful practice that anyone can undertake to awaken compassion for oneself and others.
The lojong teachings include: "Always maintain only a joyful mind," "Don't be swayed by external circumstances," "Don't be so predictable," and "Be grateful to everyone." Each slogan is followed by Pema Chodron's accessible and succinct commentary on how to understand and apply it.
This book also features a forty-five-minute audio program entitled "Opening the Heart," in which Pema Chodron offers in-depth instruction on tonglen meditation, a powerful practice that anyone can undertake to awaken compassion for oneself and others.
No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva
"Chodron's commentary on Shantideva's text is wise yet humble, and always encouraging."-Yoga Journal
"No Time to Lose represents the fruition of Chodron's years of practice and study: a traditional commentary in which passages from The Way of the Bodhisattva are interspersed with her ever-approachable and pithy instructions for daily life."-Parabola
"Chodron provides consistently clear expositions of Shantideva's sometimes convoluted verses and lines of argument, keeping her eye firmly on the question of how his discussion is relevant to the lives of ordinary people living in modern societies. A superlative presentation of the text."-Buddhadharma
"In this ambitious and profound work, Chodron hits high stride, creating a wide-ranging, accessible, and soul-stirring commentary on the classic Buddhist text The Way of the Bodhisattva."-Spirituality and Health
"Chodron is a clear teacher, explaining key terms and making things simple and characteristically plainspoken. She is also the right kind of motivator, telling readers immediately what's in it for them: this book can inspire those who want to make the world a better place."-Publishers Weekly
"Pema Chödrön's writings have been helpful to countless numbers of people trying to find some ground for their being in this chaotic world."-Bill Moyers
"No Time to Lose represents the fruition of Chodron's years of practice and study: a traditional commentary in which passages from The Way of the Bodhisattva are interspersed with her ever-approachable and pithy instructions for daily life."-Parabola
"Chodron provides consistently clear expositions of Shantideva's sometimes convoluted verses and lines of argument, keeping her eye firmly on the question of how his discussion is relevant to the lives of ordinary people living in modern societies. A superlative presentation of the text."-Buddhadharma
"In this ambitious and profound work, Chodron hits high stride, creating a wide-ranging, accessible, and soul-stirring commentary on the classic Buddhist text The Way of the Bodhisattva."-Spirituality and Health
"Chodron is a clear teacher, explaining key terms and making things simple and characteristically plainspoken. She is also the right kind of motivator, telling readers immediately what's in it for them: this book can inspire those who want to make the world a better place."-Publishers Weekly
"Pema Chödrön's writings have been helpful to countless numbers of people trying to find some ground for their being in this chaotic world."-Bill Moyers
Awakening Loving-Kindness (Shambhala Pocket Classics)
Shambhala; Paperback abridged edition edition (November 5, 1996)
"These teachings are simple, earthy, and alive. Pema's deep experience and her fresh way of looking at things are like mountain water-clear and refreshing, as good Dharma should be."-Jack Kornfield, co-author of Seeking the Heart of Wisdom
Practicing Peace in Times of War
"In her timely new book, Pema Chodron offers her insights on the origins of world conflict. Anger originates in our own hearts, she asserts, not on the battlefield. Only by checking our aggression on a personal level can we hope to sow the seeds of peace."-Body & Soul
My Life - One Mistake After Another
Chao Chou's heart pumped one for the weirdo in us all on reading Pema Chodron's story in The Wisdom of No Escape. Roughly lifted here from her book for our encouragement.
The Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism ... is sometimes called the "mishap lineage," because of the ways in which the wise and venerated teachers of this lineage "Blew it" time after time. First there was Tilopa, who was a madman, completely wild. His main student was Naropa. Naropa was so conceptual and intellectual that it took him twelve years of being run over by a truck, of being put through all sorts of trials by his teacher, for him to begin to wake up. He was so conceptual that if somebody would tell him something, he would say, "Oh yes, but surely by that you must mean this." He had that kind of mind. His main student was Marpa, who is famous for his intensely bad temper. He used to fly into rages, beat people, and yell at them. He was also a drunk. He was notorious for being incredibly stubborn. His student was Milarepa, Milarepa was a murder! Rinpoche used to say that Marpa became a student of the Dharma because he thought he could make a lot of money by bringing texts back from India and translating them into Tibetan. His student Milarepa became a student because he was afraid he was going to go to hell for having murdered people-that scared him.
Milarepa's student was Gampopa . Because everything was easy for him, Gampopa was arrogant. For instance, the night before he met Gampopa for the first time, Milarepa said to some of his disciples, "Oh, someone who is destined to be my main student is going to come tomorrow. Whoever brings him to me will be greatly benefited." So when Gampopa arrived in town, an old lady who saw him ran out and said, "Oh, Milarepa told us you were coming and that you were destined to be one of his main students, and I want my daughter to bring you to see him." So Gampopa , thinking, "I must be really hot stuff," went very proudly to meet Milraepa, sure that he would be greeted with great honor. However, Milarepa had had someone put him in a cave and wouldn't see Gampopa for three weeks.
As for Gampopa's main student, the first Karmapa, the only thing we know about him is that he was extremely ugly. He was said to look like a monkey. Also, there's one story about him and three other main disciples of Gampopa who were thrown out of the monastery for getting drunk and singing and dancing and breaking monastic rules.
We should all take heart. These are the wise ones ... to whom we prostrate when we do prostrations. We can prostrate to them as an example of our own wisdom mind of enlightened beings, but perhaps it's also good to prostrate to them as confused, mixed up people with a lot of neurosis, just like ourselves. They are good examples of people who never gave up on themselves and were not afraid to be themselves, who therefore found their own genuine quality and their own true nature.
The point is that our true nature is not some ideal that we have to live up to. It's who we are right now, and that's what we can make friends with and celebrate.
I Read All Pema's Books . . . Now What?
Read Books Mentioned in Her Bibliographies
Some of the bibliographic entries are citations for referenced works. Others explore a particular topic in greater detail. Others are offered for addition to your personal reading list for expanding your understanding of practice.
Peruse the bibs below. Enrich yourself with Pema's recommendations.
Bibiography from The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness
The Long Road Turns to Joy: A Guide to Walking Meditation
Thich Nhat Hanh
Tuck The Long Road Turns to Joy in your pocket and turn your walk into a joyful meditation. Thich Nhat Hanh teaches "walking just for walking." Learn to enjoy each step and each breath, to regain peace in difficult moments. Photographs of walking meditation from around the world are included.
kindle Edition available (wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet).
A Guide to Walking Meditation First Edition Fellowship Publications 1985 Paperback in Very Good condition. Minor wrinkles and corner curl. Clean and unmarked. Protected in mylar archival sleeve. Translated by Jenny Hoang and Nguyen Anh Huong. Illustrated by Yasuhide Kobashi.Minor wrinkles and corner curl. Clean and unmarked. Protected in mylar archival sleeve. Jenny Hoang and Nguyen Anh Huong. (Translators), Yasuhide Kobashi (Illustrator), Robert Aitken (Preface - Editior), Joseph Bobrow (Editor).
kindle Edition available (wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet).
A Guide to Walking Meditation First Edition Fellowship Publications 1985 Paperback in Very Good condition. Minor wrinkles and corner curl. Clean and unmarked. Protected in mylar archival sleeve. Translated by Jenny Hoang and Nguyen Anh Huong. Illustrated by Yasuhide Kobashi.Minor wrinkles and corner curl. Clean and unmarked. Protected in mylar archival sleeve. Jenny Hoang and Nguyen Anh Huong. (Translators), Yasuhide Kobashi (Illustrator), Robert Aitken (Preface - Editior), Joseph Bobrow (Editor).
Black Elk Speaks
Nicholas Black Elk and John G. Neihardt
Black Elk Speaks is widely hailed as a religious classic, one of the best spiritual books of the modern era and the bestselling book of all time by an American Indian. This inspirational and unfailingly powerful story reveals the life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) and the tragic history of his Sioux people during the epic closing decades of the Old West. In 1930, the aging Black Elk met a kindred spirit, the famed poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881-1973) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota elder chose Neihardt to share his visions and life with the world. Neihardt understood and today Black Elk is known to all.
Black Elk's remarkable great vision came to him during a time of decimation and loss, when outsiders were stealing the Lakotas' land, slaughtering buffalo, and threatening their age-old way of life. As Black Elk remembers all too well, the Lakotas, led by such legendary men as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, fought unceasingly for their freedom, winning a world-renowned victory at the Little Bighorn and suffering unspeakable losses at Wounded Knee.
Black Elk Speaks however is more than the epic history of a valiant Native nation. It is beloved as a spiritual classic because of John Neihardt's sensitivity to Black Elk's resounding vision of the wholeness of earth, her creatures, and all of humanity. Black Elk Speaks is a once-in-a-lifetime read: the moving story of a young Lakota boy before the reservation years, the unforgettable history of an American Indian nation, and an enduring spiritual message for us all.
Black Elk's remarkable great vision came to him during a time of decimation and loss, when outsiders were stealing the Lakotas' land, slaughtering buffalo, and threatening their age-old way of life. As Black Elk remembers all too well, the Lakotas, led by such legendary men as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, fought unceasingly for their freedom, winning a world-renowned victory at the Little Bighorn and suffering unspeakable losses at Wounded Knee.
Black Elk Speaks however is more than the epic history of a valiant Native nation. It is beloved as a spiritual classic because of John Neihardt's sensitivity to Black Elk's resounding vision of the wholeness of earth, her creatures, and all of humanity. Black Elk Speaks is a once-in-a-lifetime read: the moving story of a young Lakota boy before the reservation years, the unforgettable history of an American Indian nation, and an enduring spiritual message for us all.
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Shunryu Suzuki
Amazon.com Review
A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the koan books and answers your questions face to face. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers as recorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicy excerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience of the world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation, Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognition that our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, we dedicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaining anything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and we discover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to know our true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian BruyaAmazon.com Review
A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the koan books and answers your questions face to face. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers as recorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicy excerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience of the world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation, Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognition that our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, we dedicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaining anything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and we discover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to know our true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian Bruya
Audio download from audible.com available.
A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the koan books and answers your questions face to face. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers as recorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicy excerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience of the world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation, Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognition that our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, we dedicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaining anything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and we discover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to know our true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian BruyaAmazon.com Review
A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from the pages of the koan books and answers your questions face to face. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers as recorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicy excerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience of the world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation, Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognition that our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, we dedicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaining anything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and we discover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to know our true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian Bruya
Audio download from audible.com available.
Born in Tibet
Chogyam Trungpa
Chogyam Trungpa-meditation master, scholar, and artist-was identified at the age of only thirteen months as a major tulku, or reincarnation of an enlightened teacher. As the eleventh in the teaching lineage known as the Trungpa tulkus, he underwent a period of intensive training in mediation, philosophy, and fine arts, receiving full ordination as a monk in 1958 at the age of eighteen. The following year, the Chinese Communists invaded Tibet, and the young Trungpa spent many harrowing months trekking over the Himalayas, narrowly escaping capture. Trungpa's account of his experiences as a young monk, his duties as the abbot and spiritual head of a great monastery, and his moving relationships with his teachers offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of a Tibetan lama. The memoir concludes with his daring escape from Tibet to India. In an epilogue, he describes his emigration to the West, where he encountered many people eager to learn about the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism.
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
Chogyam Trungpa
In this modern spiritual classic, the Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa highlights a common pitfall to which every aspirant on the spiritual path falls prey: what he calls spiritual materialism. The universal human tendency, he shows, is to see spirituality as a process of self-improvement-the impulse to develop and refine the ego when the ego is, by nature, essentially empty. "The problem," Trungpa says, "is that ego can convert anything to its own use, even spirituality." His incisive, compassionate teachings serve to wake us up from this trick we all play on ourselves, and to offer us a far brighter reality: the true and joyous liberation that inevitably involves letting go of the self rather than working to improve it. It is a message that has resonated with students for over thirty years and remains fresh as ever today.
This edition includes a foreward by Chögyam Trungpa's son and lineage holder Sakyong Mipham.
This edition includes a foreward by Chögyam Trungpa's son and lineage holder Sakyong Mipham.
First Thought, Best Thought
Chogyam Trungpa
Here is a unique contribution to the field of poetry: a new collection of works by America's foremost Buddhist meditation master, Chogyam Trungpa. These poems and songs -- most of which were written since his arrival in the United States in 1970 -- combine a background in classical Tibetan poetry with Trungpa's intuitive insight into the spirit of America, a spirit that is powerfully evoked in his use of colloquial metaphor and contemporary imagery.
Most of the poems were originally written in English -- clearly the result of the author's own perceptions of new forms and media offered to him by a different culture. Each poem has its own insight and power, which come from a skillful blend of traditional Asian subtlety and precision combined with a thoroughly modern vernacular. Several of the author's calligraphies accompany the collection.
Most of the poems were originally written in English -- clearly the result of the author's own perceptions of new forms and media offered to him by a different culture. Each poem has its own insight and power, which come from a skillful blend of traditional Asian subtlety and precision combined with a thoroughly modern vernacular. Several of the author's calligraphies accompany the collection.
Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior
Chogyam Trungpa
"Trungpa's warrior is a most appealing figure, embodying qualities that every spiritual tradition would hold dear. The principal discipline recommended here-being genuine moment after moment-allows one to discover the magic inherent in phenomena, where the synchronization of body and mind becomes an attunement to the natural order."-Yoga Journal
"Trungpa's clear-headed vision shows us that celebrating life is based on appreciating ourselves. This book is a masterpiece of clarity and insight."-East West Journal
"Shambhala provides a clear depiction of the results and, thus, the reasons for meditation practice as a source of strength for daily living and spiritual growth."-Body, Mind & Spirit
Bibliography from Comfortable with Uncertainty
Note: page numbers are given when only a specific section of a book covers the teaching it is listed under. General Teachings on Bodhichitta
The Four Limitless Qualities
The Lojong Slogans
Tonglen Practice
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def. bud * dha * li * og * ra * phy
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Check buddha-book.info for the ever evolving list of referenced items.
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Zen Stains: drinkin' & headed home
Chao Chou's Swampland Flowers
Chao Chou That's me. I'm the bookstore dog at the itty-bitty buddha bookstore The Boss says my name is a play on the koan where Zen master Chao Chou is asked if a dog has Buddha nature . . . he says no.
So here I be - nature that is no nature. Out in the marketplace buying, selling and scouting out hard to find books for people who need them.
When I'm slacking I find all sorts of interesting reads. I post the gems here. Sometimes some of my own dogger-roll will stain your screen.
So here I be - nature that is no nature. Out in the marketplace buying, selling and scouting out hard to find books for people who need them.
When I'm slacking I find all sorts of interesting reads. I post the gems here. Sometimes some of my own dogger-roll will stain your screen.
CHOU CHAO'S ANNEX
Best Spiritual Books of the Century
Boss let Chao have his own spot for books. You look. You buy. Hope to get big fortune. Go to sunny dry clime. Drinks with umbrellas in. Saha world lookout. Got sights on you. For liberation purposes only . . . of course.Check best books since the press at Chou Chao's Annex & future tiki hut. And maybe you buy?
by Chao-Chou
I'm the bookstore dog at the itty-bitty buddha bookstore The Boss says my name is a play on the koan where Zen master Chao Chou is asked if a dog has Buddha... more »
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