From Publishers Weekly
Buddhist teacher Kornfield offers the essence of Buddhist teachings on enlightenment and transcendence in this new edition of his classic compilation of verse, parables and meditations. The selected teachings, translated by Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Byrom and Gil Fronsdal, a Zen priest with whom Kornfield trained in Southeast Asia, come from both ancient texts of the Buddha’s lessons and the poetic instructions of bodhisattvas, or awakened teachers, from India, Tibet, China and Japan. Eschewing both luxury and asceticism, the Buddha discovered a "Middle Path" of inner and outer balance in his search for enlightenment. "The Dharma of the Buddha does not require a person to go into homelessness or to resign from the world, unless he or she feels called upon to do so," advises the teacher Ashvaghosha in "Living in the World," but instead it "requires every person to free themselves from the illusion of self, to cleanse one’s heart, to give up one’s thirst for pleasure, and lead a life of righteousness." Like other religious texts, many of the teachings focus on the basic steps toward spiritual awakening, such as mindfulness, generosity, and loving-kindness. These tend to be short, comprehensible and quietly poetic. On Virtue, the Buddha said: "Like garlands woven from a heap of flowers, Fashion from your life as many good deeds." There are parables whose messages are not as straightforward, of course, and there, readers are left to their own musings, since aside from Kornfield’s brief introduction, the book only presents the inspiring literature. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan

FROM OUR EDITORS

The words of Buddha have long offered a systematic way to clearly see the world, live wisely, and liberate both body and mind. Enlightenment or "Nirvana" was achieved through meditation. Traditional instruction on how to practice sitting meditation, cultivate calm awareness, and live with compassion are all offered in this revised and expanded edition of Teachings of the Buddha. In addition to Buddha's direct words of truth, this treasury of essential Buddhist writings includes the words of great Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan bodhisattvas, awakened beings who have followed and taught the spirit of the Buddha. This collection displays the full spectrum of 2,500 years of Buddhist teachings and meditations.

ANNOTATION

One of the best-known American-born meditation teachers draws from the most popular sources of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese writings to create a treasury of essential sayings and teachings from Buddhist literature that will appeal to anyone interested in the wisdom of the East.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This treasury of essential Buddhist writings draws from the most popular Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese sources. Some of the earliest recorded sayings of the Buddha on the practice of freedom, passages from later Indian scriptures on the perfection of wisdom, verses from Tibetan masters on the enlightened mind, and songs in praise of meditation by Zen teachers are among the selections. The book also includes traditional instruction on how to practice sitting meditation, cultivate calm awareness, and live with compassion. Jack Kornfield, one of the most respected American Buddhist teachers, has compiled these teachings to impart the essence and inspiration of Buddhism to readers of all spiritual traditions.

SYNOPSIS