The mystical romance Madhumalati tells the story of a prince, Manohar, and his love for the beautiful princess Madhumalati. When they are separated they have to endure suffering, adventure, and transformation before they can be reunited and experience true happiness. A delightful love story, the poem is also rich in mystical symbolism and the story of the two lovers represents the stages on the spiritual path to enlightenment. Madhumalati was written in the sixteenth cent...

Dhammapada, a collection of verses; being one of the canonical books of the Buddhists Translated from Pali by F. Max MullerThe Dhammapada is a versified Buddhist scripture traditionally ascribed to the Buddha himself. It is one of the best-known texts from the Theravada canon. Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: The Book of the Spiritual Man offers a profound synthesis of ancient Indian philosophy and practical guidance for spiritual practice. Written in a concise and aphoristic style, the text is composed of 195 sutras that explore the eightfold path of yoga, integrating ethical precepts (Yamas and Niyamas), physical postures (Asanas), breathing techniques (Pranayama), and meditative practices. Patañjali's work not only articulates the intricacies of the mind and con...

The Tibetan Book of the Dead is one of the texts that, according to legend, Padma-Sambhava was compelled to hide during his visit to Tibet in the late 8th century. The guru hid his books in stones, lakes, and pillars because the Tibetans of that day and age were somehow unprepared for their teachings. Now, in the form of the ever-popular Tibetan Book of the Dead, these teachings are constantly being discovered and rediscovered by Western readers of many different backgrou...

The Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) is considered as one of the most significant scriptures of Hinduism, and also one of the most important philosophical classics of the history of the world. This workbook contains all the 729 verses of this classic, and as it encourages the readers to write their interpretations of the teachings, the books creates a deep contemplative atmosphere for readers, and gives writing tips to enforce the creative process when filling the spaces for interpretations. Th...

The Religion Of The Sikhsby Dorothy FieldThis entry in the Wisdom of the East series is the only one devoted to the Sikh religion. This volume, written by a sympathetic westerner at the turn of the 20th century, includes background on the history, beliefs and sacred texts of the Sikh religion. This includes an extensive, and moving, selection from the Granth Sahib, the central text of Sikhism. This book serves as a succinct introduction to the Sikh religion and people.

Lily Adams Beck studied the occult knowledge throughout her life and with this books she gives back some of her insights to the reader. What she writes was very visionary at her time, especially when she talks about the other dimensions and planes.

In the first four essays in this collection, D. T. Suzuki reads Meister Eckhart with the eye of a master, pointing out where his understanding deeply coincides with that of Zen Buddhism. Next, he takes on a subject Christians often find difficult, the question of transmigration or reincarnation. Suzuki then compares the dimensionality of the crucifixion with that of enlightenment. In the later essays, Suzuki moves on to the Pure Land tradition of Buddhism, and in particular to the works of...

The poems of Rabindranath Tagore are among the most haunting and tender in Indian and world literature, expressing a profound and passionate human yearning. His ceaselessly inventive works deal with such subjects as the interplay between God and mortals, the eternal and the transient, and the paradox of an endlessly changing universe that is in tune with unchanging harmonies. Poems such as "Earth" and "In the Eyes of a Peacock" present a picture of natural processes unaffected by human concer...

This is a short story set in the first century CE during the height of Buddhism in India. Carus uses the story as a frame to discuss Buddhist concepts of God, non-violence and religious tolerance.