This anthology explores the intersection of humor and laughter with various faith, religious, and mythic traditions.Each chapter covers a unique case where humor and laughter have intersected with some part of a religious, cultural, or mythic tradition and explores how and why laughter and humor are important in those stories. The contributors also explore how the role of humor and laughter shaped and influenced the various religions, cultures, or myths and what th...

This book sheds new light on the relationship between religion and state in early modern Japan, and demonstrates the growing awareness of Shinto in both the political and the intellectual elite of Tokugawa Japan, even though Buddhism remained the privileged means of stately religious control.The first part analyses how the Tokugawa government aimed to control the populace via Buddhism and at the same time submitted Buddhism to the sacralization of the Tokugawa dynasty. The second p...

The Japanese Middle Ages were a period when forms of secrecy dominated religious practice. This fascinating collection traces out the secret characteristics and practices in Japanese religion, as well as analyzing the decline of religious esotericism in Japan.The essays in this impressive work refer to Esoteric Buddhism as the core of Japan’s "culture of secrecy". Esoteric Buddhism developed in almost all Buddhist countries of Asia, but it was of particular importance in Japan wher...

An inspirational collection of enlightening stories, quotes, and teachings to help you become a better you.Buddhism is all about training the mind, and boot camp is an ideal training method for this generation's short attention span. The chapters in this book are a collection of eight years' worth of letters and journal entries, which is why each chapter is only a page long and can be read in any order. The stories, inspirational quotes, and teachings offer mindfuln...

"This is the clearest and most precise exposition of Buddhism I have ever read. If you're looking for enlightenment rather than just scholarly knowledge, you'd better read this."—Robert Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle MaintenanceIn Buddhism Plain and Simple, Zen priest and longtime teacher Steve Hagen presents the heart of Buddhist teachings, pared down to its essence and explained in simple, everyday language. This best-sel...

"A terrific introduction to the Buddha's teachings." —Paul Blairon, California Literary ReviewThis indispensable volume is a lucid and faithful account of the Buddha's teachings. "For years," says the Journal of the Buddhist Society, "the newcomer to Buddhism has lacked a simple and reliable introduction to the complexities of the subject. Dr. Rahula's What the Buddha Taught fills the need as only could be done by one having a firm grasp ...

The Way of the Bodhisattva comes to life in this “must-have, must-read, must-contemplate” modern commentary on Shantideva’s essential treatise (Jamyang Khyentse, author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist)The Bodhicharyavatara, or Way of the Bodhisattva, composed by the eighth-century Indian master Shantideva, has occupied an important place in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition throughout its history. It is a guide to cultivating the m...

An engaging and practical guide to finding hapiness today, written by one of the most influential Buddhist leaders in the world.“I love the modern world; we have so many opportunities to be generous and inspire each other,” writes His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa in Everyday Enlightenment. And in this simple, powerful book based on ancient Buddhist teachings but framed to be relevant in today’s world, the Drukpa outlines ways for all to find that generosit...

Meditative practice lies at the heart of the Buddhist tradition. This introductory anthology gives a representative sample of the various kinds of meditations described in the earliest body of Buddhist scripture, the Pali canon.It provides a broad introduction to their traditional context and practice and supplies explanation, context and doctrinal background to the subject of meditation. The main themes of the book are the diversity and flexibility of the way that the Buddha teach...

In Mountain Mandalas Allan G. Grapard provides a thought-provoking history of one aspect of the Japanese Shugendo tradition in Kyushu, by focusing on three cultic systems: Mount Hiko, Usa-Hachiman, and the Kunisaki Peninsula. Grapard draws from a rich range of theorists from the disciplines of geography, history, anthropology, sociology, and humanistic geography and situates the historical terrain of his research within a much larger context.This book includes detailed ana...

This special LOVE edition of the popular book, IF NOT NOW, WHEN? comes in a complete new form with breathtaking new pictures to accompany the profound compilation of quotations from H.E. Tsem Rinpoche's teachings and personal text messages to his students. The emphasis in this edition focuses on love & relationships with additional quotes from His Eminence's personal blog. (blog.tsemtulku.com)This poignant collection of quotations from Tsem Rinpoche's teachings explores little trut...