This curated collection of primary texts and secondary scholarship offers an engaging and comprehensive view of Buddhism and its founder.The Wisdom of Buddha: Drawn from the sacred books of Buddhism, this collection reveals the core insights and beliefs of the world's fourth-largest religion. It covers the birth and death of the Buddha, as well as the major tenets of Buddhism, including karma and the middle doctrine.Hinduism and Buddhism: A...

Be the Change. Drawn from Gandhi's own words, this collection shares one man's philosophy that changed world history.When the Indian people, inspired by the words of Mahatma Gandhi, overthrew British rule, they proved that great political change could exist without violence. Revered both as a saint and a master politician in his native country, Gandhi proffered a philosophy that combined Thoreau's doctrine of civil disobedience with many Hindu beliefs. A c...

From the sacred texts of Judaism: ancient and lyrical reflections on the meaning of life, faith, and humanity.The Wisdom of the Kabbalah: Handed down in the oral tradition for thousands of years and transcribed in fourteenth-century Spain, the Kabbalah is the classical expression of Jewish mysticism. This collection draws from the main work of Kabbalah— Sepher ha-Zohar, or The Book of Splendor.The Wisdom of the Talmud: Dev...

From the I Ching to The Little Red Book: Two thousand years of wisdom from some of China's greatest philosophers and political thinkers.The Wisdom of Confucius: Whether considering his own life, human nature, or a society's responsibilities, Confucius's teachings emphasize morality, social relationships, justice, and sincerity. He pursued social and political reform, leaving a legacy of wisdom that remains vital today. Organized by topic a...

An inspirational anthology that draws on sacred texts to provide essential insight into Islam, one of the world's great religions.The Wisdom of Muhammad: This compelling examination of the life and sayings of Muhammad offers the modern reader a guide to the history and principles of the world's second largest religion. Covering a diverse range of topics, from marriage and civic charity to the individual's relationship to God and the afterlife, the Prophet's...

An A-to-Z compendium of Russell's writingOne of the great minds of the twentieth century, Bertrand Russell explored philosophy, mathematics, and a variety of other intellectual, political, historical, and social issues in his lifetime. In this indispensable and easily accessible guide, drawn from his books and essays, readers will find Russell's fundamental principles, from objectivity to ontological arguments to logical certainty, in his own words. Russell also ex...

Discover the ancient wisdom and historical influence of a cornerstone of JudaismThe Wisdom of the Talmud presents a thorough history and overview of the Talmud, the rabbinical commentary on the Torah that was developed in the Jewish academies of Palestine and Babylonia. From the close of the Biblical canon to the end of the fifth century, Jewish scholars studied the scripture and worked to develop—and debate—supplementary understandings of the Torah's dire...

Follow the renowned novelist's journey to his own peaceLeo Tolstoy was born to an aristocratic Russian family, became a world-famous influential novelist, and then chose to lead the simple life of a peasant. Dating from this last part of his life, Tolstoy's influential book, What I Believe, takes readers along on the path to a life modeled literally on Jesus Christ's "Sermon on the Mount" and the teachings of the Gospels. In revealing and frank essays he r...

How a great American president communicated a changing worldviewWhat made Franklin Delano Roosevelt an effective leader? His policies and decisions changed our nation's and the world's history. But more than his skill as a savvy politician and progressive thinker, FDR's ability to directly and eloquently voice his thoughts on national concerns, social change, and humanity spoke to and reached the hearts of his people. In this selection of quotes drawn from his spee...

An invaluable guide to Freud's terminology and work.Repression, ego, analysis, neurosis—the language of psychology permeates our modern vocabulary. The brilliant observations of Sigmund Freud form not only the basis for psychoanalysis but also much of our current understanding of the human condition. This essential and approachable guide offers an A-to-Z glossary of terminology defined in Freud's own words, including his diagnostic and treatment recommendations as w...

Beyond the Little Red Book: China's revolutionary leader and his philosophyIn this collection of essays, China's Chairman Mao Tse-Tung explains the interpretation of Marxism-Leninism ideology that became known as Maoism. This philosophy fueled the Chinese Revolution and the massive social and economic changes Mao instituted as the nation's leader. From examining the way contradictions can cause great shifts within a society, to the necessity of guerilla-based revol...

Beyond the Little Red Book: China's revolutionary leader and his philosophyIn this collection of essays, China's Chairman Mao Tse-Tung explains the interpretation of Marxism-Leninism ideology that became known as Maoism. This philosophy fueled the Chinese Revolution and the massive social and economic changes Mao instituted as the nation's leader. From examining the way contradictions can cause great shifts within a society, to the necessity of guerilla-based revol...