DescriptionWho knew the path to enlightenment could start with a cup of tea? Learn the hidden significance behind the deceptively simple Zen tea ceremony - one which can lead directly to Buddhahood and its absolute truth. D.T. Suzuki, once Japan's leading authority on Zen Buddhism, describes the tearoom and the tea ceremony and explains the guiding principles of harmony, reverence, purity, and tranquility. Explore with him the essential concepts of wabi and sabi, which lead to the subjective and objective appreciation of poverty and imperfection which are so vital to establishing a Zen mindset. Zen and the Art of Tea is part of a series of programs taken from Suzuki's Zen and Japanese Culture .
DescriptionWhat Is Zen is the quintessential beginner's guide to achieving enlightenment. In simple, often poetic language, the author offers a general introduction to the concepts and philosophy of Zen Buddhism. He describes what it is, how it began and evolved, and how its emphasis on simplicity and self-effacement have helped shape an aesthetic found throughout Japanese culture. D.T. Suzuki lived to the age of 95 and was Japan's foremost authority on Zen Buddhism. What Is Zen is the first in a series of programs taken from Suzuki's Zen and Japanese Culture .
DescriptionIn 1979, 24-year-old Irish-American Maura O'Halloran moved to Japan and became the first woman ever admitted to Toshoji Temple. Soshin-san (O'Halloran's monastic name) labored through 3 hard years of intense work and study in preparation for becoming a dharma teacher. Her life ended abruptly during a trip to Thailand, and today Soshin-san is revered as a Buddhist saint. The writings in this program are from her private and heartfelt journals and letters. They eloquently describe the rigors, hardships, and ultimate joys of Zen training and temple life, while providing a unique insight into the soul of a beloved, spiritual woman.
DescriptionCompleted just four years after his escape from Tibet and four years after completing his religious education, the Dalai Lama's classic text on Buddhist philosophy is a thorough but succinct overview of Buddhist doctrines as they have been practiced in Tibet for a thousand years. Among the many topics the Dalai Lama discusses in his work are the need for religious peace, the path to achieving meditative stabilization, reincarnation, and the importance of kindness and compassion. This invaluable handbook provides a compendium of Buddhist doctrine and practice that is both dense and rich - serving at once as a summation of knowledge and as an invitation to further study.
DescriptionWhy meditate? To live in the moment. To dwell in the harmony of things. To awaken. Those moments in your life when there is an openness, a spacious quality to your existence - those are the moments that truly make life remarkable. Creating those moments is the focus of this program by Ram Dass, a spiritual teacher who has studied and practiced meditation for many years.
