Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda Review

From Shambhala SunSpace

“The category of mindfulness fiction has been wide open, and now with Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda, writer Lauren Alderfer and illustrator Kerry Lee MacLean (author of Peaceful Piggy Meditation) have made a serious entry into the field. It’s not all that serious, though, since it is intended for children. While I’m certain children will love it, adults are going to enjoy it nearly as much. It’s a page turner. I’ve read it five times myself, and intend to read it again.”—Shambhala Sun

Click here to get your copy.

Moon By the Window

“A gorgeous production. “The calligraphy is some of the best I have ever seen and the remarks that go with each panel are deep and profound.”—Mu Soeng, author of The Heart of the Universe

Shodo Harada is internationally recognized both as a Zen teacher and as a world-class master of the fine art of Zen calligraphy. Harada regularly exhibits and gives calligraphy demonstrations in museums and universities in the U.S. and abroad. Accomplished Zen teachers from across the globe come to further plumb the depths of Zen through studying with him, earning him a reputation as “the roshi’s roshi”—which is to say, the master’s master.

Moon by the Window is a beautiful collection of 108 pieces of Shodo Harada’s calligraphic Zen masterpieces—assembled over decades, and drawn from the rich and poetic literature of the Zen tradition. Each work of art is accompanied by Harada Roshi’s sharp and glittering commentaries, making each page a spiritually edifying and aesthetically uplifting treasure.

 

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E. Gene Smith’s Green Books

From the TBRC blog

The Green Books (and a few black ones) comprise a collection of Tibetan texts that Gene Smith selected for his studies during the years he spent in India (1965-85). During these early days, the best way for him to browse seminal Tibetan works was to typewrite them in transliteration. In doing so, these texts became Gene’s personal notebooks that he marked up and annotated. The outcome is a collection of select works that has a number of editorial features that makes this set an extremely valuable research tool, in Gene’s own pen. This approach became the working basis, knowledge model and information design for the digital library Gene created at TBRC.

TBRC is seeking funds to digitize and make available the Green Books.  We are asking for contributions of $100 per volume until the $20,000 needed is raised. With a donation of 2 volumes or more, you will receive the entire set of scanned and searchable Green Books as PDFs.  You can make your contribution to the E. Gene Smith Library Fund, c/o TBRC.  Donate online at tbrc.org or by sending a check to: TBRC, 17 West 17^th Street, 9^th Floor, NY, NY 10011.  Donations are tax deductible.

For more info and to make a contribution click here.

New from His Holiness Sakya Trizin

Freeing the Heart and Mind

Introduction to the Buddhist Path

His Holiness Sakya Trizin, the head of the glorious Sakya lineage, one of the four primary schools of Tibetan Buddhism, presents here the essential Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths, universal compassion, and the proper motivation for practice. This book opens by sharing a private teaching His Holiness gave to a young newcomer seeking to understand this great master’s spiritual heritage. His Holiness’s advice inspires us to integrate the living power of these teachings into our daily lives.

Full of timeless wisdom, contains, in addition to this introduction, an explanation of the teaching Matchless Compassion by the Indian saint Virupa, and a selection of commentaries on the essential teaching called Parting from the Four Attachments. Developed as the first volume in a course of study for students of the Sakya tradition, it nonetheless stands alone as an excellent entry into the teachings of the Buddha.

Freeing the Heart and Mind includes a full-color photo insert of Sakya lineage masters.

For more info and to order you copy click here.

New from His Holiness the Dalai Lama

“We all have the same human mind—each and every one of us has the same potential. Our surroundings and so forth are important, but the nature of mind itself is more important… To live a happy and joyful life, we must take care of our minds.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama

At the heart of this book is The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel of the Oral Tradition, an accessible and nonsectarian treatise on penetrating the nature of mind by Khöntön Peljor Lhündrub, a teacher of the Fifth Dalai Lama. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s broad-ranging overview of this work insightfully distills some of the most central themes of Buddhism: why the mind is so essential to the tradition, what distinguishes the levels of consciousness, and how different schools of Tibetan Buddhism elaborate those distinctions. Profound and erudite, it brings the reader closer to a fresh and direct experience of Buddhism’s central truths.

Along with his lucid translations, José Cabezón provides an introduction to the root text and presentations of the life and works of Khöntön Rinpoché, all richly annotated.

Click here to get your copy and a free download of Khonton Rinpoche’s text in Tibetan.

Updates on Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Health

For regular updates on Rinpoche’s health you can visit the Kurukulla Center website.

“Below you will find the latest news regarding our precious teacher, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, as he manifests an acute health problem at this time. The most latest news will always be at the top of this page. Beneath will be the practices, and resources for the practices, that have been advised and requested. Below that will be the calendar schedule for practices we are holding at Kurukulla Center.”

http://www.kurukulla.org/LZR-Update.php

New from the LOTC: Mahamudra and Related Instructions

“This collection is a treasury of ‘great seal’ teachings from the most renowned gurus of the Mahamudra lineage, each text precious beyond compare. Every page exudes freshness of realization, holding the keys to our own personal awakening. ” —Judith Simmer-Brown, Naropa University, and author ofDakini’s Warm Breath

“Those drawn to the profound insights and esoteric practices of the Kagyü tradition of Tibetan Buddhism long have been in need of an anthology of texts on major Kagyü teachings. With this wide-ranging collection, Peter Alan Roberts has fulfilled that need splendidly, bringing us fresh renderings of previously translated texts, as well as pioneering translations of new material, including Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s great overview of Buddhist tantra. The introduction provides a concise and scholarly summary of Kagyü history, while the translations are clear, accurate, and accessible. No anthology can give us every important text from a tradition as long-lasting and varied as the Kagyü, but the masters and works represented here truly are essential, and students who wish to understand the Kagyü in detail and depth will, from now on, have this rich compilation as their indispensable starting point.” —Roger R. Jackson, Carleton College

Click here to get your copy.

Appeal from H.H. the Dalai Lama concerning Kirti Monastery

April 15th 2011

 From the official website of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The current situation prevailing at Kirti Monastery in Ngaba in northeastern Tibet is extremely grim because of the stand-off between the Chinese military forces and the local Tibetans. The monastery, housing approximately 2,500 monks, is completely surrounded by Chinese armed forces, who at one point prevented vital food and other supplies from entering the monastic compound.

The local Tibetans fearing that this siege on Kirti Monastery is a prelude to large scale detention of the monks have surrounded the soldiers blockading the monastery and have filled the roads so as to prevent Chinese trucks and vehicles from either entering or leaving Kirti.

The local Chinese blockade of Kirti Monastery began on 16 March 2011, when a young Tibetan monk at the monastery tragically set himself on fire as a way of observing the third anniversary of the widespread peaceful protests that shook Tibet in 2008. Instead of putting out the flames, the police beat the young monk which was one of the causes of his tragic death. This act created huge resentment among the monks, which resulted in this massive blockade of Kirti Monastery.

Click here to read the entire message from His Holiness.

New: The Promise of Amida Buddha

A groundbreaking translation of the most important work by the founder of a major living Buddhist tradition.

“ This work is of inestimable value in understanding Honen’s seminal teaching in his own words. Atone and Hayashi’s translation is readable and clear. This book gives the spectrum of Honen’s thought, making evident the Pure Land tradition’s popular appeal. It will be of great benefit to scholars, students, and religious practitioners as well.” —Alfred Bloom, professor emeritus, University of Hawaii

“ Spreading to Japan from China, the Pure Land tradition is a form of Buddhism that can easily be understood and used by lay people. Atone and Hayashi’s English translation gives readers a chance to learn about the very first Pure Land teachings taught in Japan and still practiced there today. A key aspect of this Pure Land practice is nembutsu, a chant-like intonation of the name of Amida Buddha. Honen offers extensive testimony to the value of nembutsu in everyday life, and Dr. Atone places the practice in historical and doctrinal perspective. I am pleased to recommend this truly remarkable book.” —Glenn T. Webb, professor emeritus, Pepperdine University

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NEW: The Book of MU

The word “mu” is one ancient Zen teacher’s response to the earnest question of whether even a dog has “buddha nature”—and discovering for ourselves the meaning of the master’s response is the urgent work of each of us who yearns to be free and at peace. “Practicing Mu” is synonymous with practicing Zen, “sitting with Mu” is an apt description for all Zen meditation, and it is said that all the thousands and thousands of koans in the Zen tradition are really just further elaborations of Mu.

This watershed volume brings together over forty teachers, ancient and modern masters from across centuries and the full spectrum of the Zen world, to illuminate and clarify the essential matter: the question of how to be most truly ourselves.

Includes writings from: Dogen • Hakuin • Dahui • Thich Thien-An Zenkei Shibayama • Seung Sahn • Taizan Maezumi • Sheng Yen Philip Kapleau • Robert Aitken • Jan Chozen Bays • Shodo Harada Grace Schireson • John Daido Loori • John Tarrant Barry Magid • Joan Sutherland …and many more!

For more reviews and endorsements click here.