As Krishna Das points out in his introduction to The Near and the Dear, "When you read these stories about Maharaj-ji and his devotees you step into a place and a time that is outside the boundaries of your own memories. You meet people whose lives were forever changed by a word or a look from the great Indian saint Neem Karoli Baba." In The Near and The Dear, Dada Mukerjee tells his own story of time spent with Maharaj-ji, and relates stories about other sadhus and devotees who came to be...

By His Grace is a true story based on the belief that advanced souls, actual Divine Beings, come into our lives, unbeknownst to us at first, to help us advance spiritually: "We are not following the guru; the guru actually is following us. I say this because I have found it in my own life, my own personal experience, and I have seen it in the case of others, too. Babaji came to me himself, unsought, unknown." So begins the story of Dada Mukerjee, economics professor at respected Allahabad ...

"In 1967 I met Neem Karoli Baba, a meeting which changed the course of my life. In the depth of his compassion, wisdom, humor, power and love I found human possibility never before imagined...an extraordinary integration of spirit and form. I was with him only briefly for he left his body in 1973, still he entered my heart as living truth, and his presence continues to enrich and guide my life." -- Ram Dass "There can be no biography of him. Facts are few, stories many. He seems to have be...

"Now, though I am a beginner on the path, I have returned to the West for a time to work out karma or unfulfilled commitment. Part of this commitment is to share what I have learned with those of you who are on a similar journey. One can share a message through telling 'our-story' as I have just done, or through the teaching methods of yoga, or singing, or making love. Each of us finds his unique vehicle for sharing with others his bit of wisdom. For me, this story is but a vehicle for sha...

From the author of What Makes You Not a Buddhist comes a fresh look at the foundations of Tibetan Buddhist practice, with practical advice and guidance for the modern practitionerDo you practice meditation because you want to feel good? Or to help you relax and be “happy”? Then frankly, according to Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, you are far better off having a full-body massage than trying to practice the Dharma.Genuine spiritual practice, not least t...

This easily accessible translation and commentary by Thich Nhat Hanh on the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way To Live Alone, is the earliest teaching of the Buddha on living fully in the present moment. "To live alone" doesn’t mean to isolate oneself from society. It means to live in mindfulness: to let go of the past and the future, and to look deeply and discover the true nature of all that is taking place in the present moment. To fully realize this is to meet our appointment with life an...

All the things we do -- eating, walking, washing, working, talking -- everything can become very powerful methods for quickly achieving enlightenment. As we purify ourselves and collect extensive merit, we bring ourselves closer to enlightenment every minute of every day. In this way, we make our lives most beneficial, meaningful, satisfying and fulfilling. Through the Mahayana practice of offering the food we eat which is based on the Hinayana and adorned with the Vajrayana our lives beco...

In simple and straightforward language, Bhante Gunaratana shares the Buddha's teachings on mindfulness and how we can use these principles to improve our daily lives, deepen our mindfulness, and move closer to our spiritual goals.Based on the classic Satipatthana Sutta, one of the most succinct yet rich explanations of meditation, Bhante's presentation is nonetheless thoroughly modern. The Satipatthana Sutta has become the basis of all mindfulness meditation, and B...

An anthology of the most inspiring and instructive texts on spiritual enlightenment from great Tibetan masters—handpicked by a best-selling author and Tibetan Buddhist monkBuddhist monk Matthieu Ricard has selected and translated some of the most profound and inspiring teachings from the eight traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The selected teachings are from the Buddha himself, Nagarjuna, Guru Rinpoche, Atisha, Shantideva, and Asanga; the great masters of the past, T...

Learn to meditate with the most complete and easy to understand book on meditation available.

Thich Nhat Hanh offers powerful, direct, and uncompromising reflections on Zen thought, mindfulness, and the enlightenment inherent within us all.One of the key tenets of the Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism is that each one of us is already a Buddha—our enlightenment is inherent within us, and the practice of mindfulness is the tool to bring this truth to our full awareness. While it can bring much relief, this simple statement does not preclude the need for practi...

An accessible and practical introduction to Tibetan Buddhism as practiced in the Nyingma or 'ancient' tradition, The Buddhist Path presents for us the proper way of cultivating intellect and heart so that our true nature can manifest. The authors provide clear explanations and methods that reveal how the mind functions and what its essence, our primordial nature, is. They impart detailed instructions on how to meditate, using methods ranging from generating calm abiding to the tan...