New Books
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THE TAMING OF THE DEMONS: Violence and Liberation in Tibetan Buddhism by Jacob P. Dalton 334 pp., 7 b&w illustrations, hardbound. #TADECL - $ 40.00 The Taming of the Demons examines mythic and ritual themes of violence, demon taming, and blood sacrifice in Tibetan Buddhism. Taking as its starting point Tibet's so-called age of fragmentation (842 to 986 C.E.), the book draws on previously unstudied manuscripts discovered in the "library cave" near Dunhuang, on the old Silk Road. These ancient documents, it argues, demonstrate how this purportedly inactive period in Tibetan history was in fact crucial to the Tibetan assimilation of Buddhism, and particularly to the spread of violent themes from tantric Buddhism into Tibet at the local and the popular levels. Having shed light on this" dark age" of Tibetan history, the second half of the book turns to how, from the late tenth century onward, the period came to play a vital symbolic role in Tibet, as a violent historical "other" against which the Tibetan Buddhist tradition defined itself. The Taming of the Demons challenges our tendency to romanticize or demonize the rich and ancient culture of Tibet. More ... | |
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THREE TEACHINGS by Venerable Tenzin Palmo 110 pp., paper. #THTETE - $ 16.00 Tenzin Palmo's Three Teachings, including Teachings on Retreat, Mahamudra Practice and Mindfulness are a delight to read. Transcribed from talks she gave in Singapore, the teachings are delivered in plain language, seasoned with plenty of audience participation. Each subject is discussed with humor, liveliness and compassion. She has the great gift of showing how the Dharma can be integrated into our everyday lives. More ... | |
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TIBET: A History by Sam van Shaik 352 pp., 38 b&w photos & illustrations, cloth. #TIHISA - $ 35.00 Situated north of the Himalayas, Tibet is famous for its unique culture and its controversial assimilation into modern China. Yet Tibet in the twenty-first century can only be properly understood in the context of its extraordinary history. More ... | |
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TIBETAN DREAM YOGA: The Royal Road to Enlightenment by Michael Katz 152 pp., paper. #TIBEDR - $ 14.95 Tibetan Dream Yoga: The Royal Road to Enlightenment builds on the foundation of the original Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light book by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, clarifying the distinction between common dreams, and a special class of dreams--"dreams of clarity "--with extraordinary examples. It clearly explains the importance of using the time spent asleep and dreaming for transpersonal purposes, most importantly during the passage through the Bardos of Death and Dying. This book is also noteworthy for summarizing essential advice of many great contemporary masters of Dream yoga, offering specific exercises to develop awareness within the dream and sleep states. It will appeal to all readers who are interested in their dream life, particularly those wishing to utilize lucid dream and trance work for personal transformation. More ... | |
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TIBETAN SOUND HEALING: Seven Guided Practices to Clear Obstacles, Cultivate Positive Qualities, and Uncover Your Inherent Wisdom by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche 102-page book includes 71 min. CD. #TISOPA - $ 14.95 One of the world's oldest unbroken spiritual traditions is that of the Bon people—the indigenous people of Tibet whose teachings predate the arrival of Buddhism. These traditions have survived political persecution and upheaval thanks to the efforts of a handful of dedicated lamas such as Bon lineage holder Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Now with Tibetan Sound Healing, practitioners can connect to the ancient sacred sounds of the Bon practice—and through them activate the healing potential of the natural mind. More ... | |
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A TORCH LIGHTING THE WAY TO FREEDOM: Complete Instructions on the Preliminary Practices by Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje, translated by Padmakara Translation Group Pre-order Now--Available November 2011. 384 pages, hardbound. #TOLIWA - $ 39.95 The foundations of Vajrayana practice are laid out with eloquence and precision here by one of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist masters of our age. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche's commentary on the preliminary practices (ngöndro) is informed by his profound realization and wide-ranging scholarship, and illuminated with an array of quotations from the Vinaya, Sutra, and Tantra traditions. In addition to the commentary on the outer and inner preliminary practices, he provides other invaluable instructions on the correct view, conduct, and activity of a practitioner. Dudjom Rinpoche taught that the realization of the teachings of the Great Perfection depends entirely on the practice of these preliminary practices, thus his compassionate exposition of them here makes this book a particularly precious resource for anyone who seeks to remove the obstacles between themselves and the total freedom of enlightenment. More ... | |
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TOWARD A TRUE KINSHIP OF FAITHS: How the World's Religions Can Come Together by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, edited by Thupten Jinpa and Jas Elsner 208 pp., paper. #TOTRUE - $ 15.00 In perhaps his most important book, the Dalai Lama shares his hopeful yet realistic views on how the world's religions must peacefully coexist. In our daily lives today no one is untouched by what happens in the rest of the world. New technology, environmental problems, economic gain and loss, nuclear weapons, and instant communication have all created unprecedented familiarity and closeness among the world's many cultures. All major religions confront the same perennial questions, and each has its own distinct answers. The diversity of these insights can inspire dialogue that can enrich everyone's pursuit of wisdom. More ... | |
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TRAGEDY IN CRIMSON: How the Dalai Lama Conquered the World but Lost the Battle with China by Tim Johnson 350 pages, hardbound, 2 maps. #TRINCR - $ 26.99 As the Dalai Lama enters the twilight of his life, China patiently waits for him to die. The endgame for Tibet is quickly approaching. In Tragedy in Crimson, award-winning journalist Tim Johnson shows how China's leaders are tightening their chokehold on Tibet even as they bring epochal economic growth to China. More ... | |
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THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING AND THE PATH OF LIBERATION by Chogyam Trungpa, compiled and edited by Judith L. Lief 176 pages, paper. #TRSUPA - $ 14.95 This in-depth exploration of the Four Noble Truths—the foundational Buddhist teaching about the origin of suffering and its cessation—reveals the subtlety and sophistication that lie beneath these deceptively simple teachings. Chogyam Trungpa shows us how we can join view (intellectual understanding) of the teachings with practical application to interrupt suffering before it arises. More ... | |
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TSONGKHAPA'S PRAISE FOR DEPENDENT RELATIVITY by Lobsang Gyatso and Geshe Graham Woodhouse Pre-order Now--Available October 2011. 160 pp. #TSPRDE - $ 16.95 Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), the author of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and the teacher of the First Dalai Lama, is renowned as one of the greatest scholar-saints that Tibet has ever produced. He composed his poetic Praise for Dependent Relativity the very morning that he abandoned confusion and attained the final view, the clear realization of emptiness that is the essence of wisdom. English monk Graham Woodhouse, a long-time student of Buddhism who lives near the Dalai Lama's residence in northern India, translates Tsongkhapa's celebrated text and conveys for modern readers the teachings he received from his teacher, the late Venerable Lobsang Gyatso. More ... | |
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VEGGIYANA: The Dharma of Cooking, with 108 Deliciously Easy Vegetarian Recipes by Sandra Garson, illustrated by Michelle Antonisse 320 pp., two-color throughout. #VEDHCO - $ 19.95 "Wholesome Food from the Whole Wide World." The kitchen is the most vital place on Earth, because even now in the age of iPads and Hadron Colliders, survival still depends on wholesome, nutritious food. In keeping with this simple truth, Veggiyana provides 108 tasty, beloved, and simple recipes from around the world—one for every bead on a mala. And generously sprinkled throughout are perfectly spiced morsels of time-tested wisdom on how to live a life that nourishes both body and spirit. Veggiyana brings the vitality of the world's kitchens to your own kitchen with timeless wisdom and recipes to nourish, delight, and inspire. More ... | |
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WHEN THE CHOCOLATE RUNS OUT: A little book of wisdom by Lama Yeshe, edited by Josh Bartok and Nicholas Ribush 180 pp., pocket-sized, cloth. #WHCHRU - $ 9.95 "We love chocolate. Perhaps so much so that on some level we may believe, 'As long as I have chocolate, I'll be happy.' This is the power of attachment at work. And based on this attachment, we create a chocolate-based philosophy and order our life prioritizing chocolate. But sometimes, we can't get our hands on any chocolate. And when the chocolate disappears, we get nervous, upset: 'Oh no! Now I'm unhappy!' But of course it's not the absence of chocolate that's making us unhappy; it's our fixed ideas, and our misunderstanding the nature of chocolate." More ... | |
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WHY THE DALAI LAMA MATTERS: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World by Robert Thurman 256 pp., paper, 25 color images. #WHDAMA - $ 14.00 Since the illegal Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 1950s, Tibetans have seen their culture repressed, their ecosystem compromised, and the systematic oppression of anyone who professes loyalty to the Dalai Lama. Despite all this, the Dalai Lama continues to be a resolute proponent of peace. Why the Dalai Lama Matters explores why he has earned the world's love and respect, and how restoring Tibet's autonomy within China is not only possible, but also highly probable. More ... | |
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WISDOM'S PILL: A Tibetan Folk Tale by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya 24 pp., paper, 7" x 9", 21 color illustrations, has Tibetan text as well. #WIPITI - $ 6.95 Here is an old Tibetan folk tale which has not been published. The tale tells us about a time when all the animals, including men, lived together, and how a wisdom's pill granted by God changed everything. It tell us about how humans became as we are; why rabbit has a cleft lip; why it is said that Demong, a Tibetan bear has a short intestine etc. The book is bilingual, Tibetan and English with color illustrations. More ... | |
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YOGA FOR EMOTIONAL BALANCE: Simple Practices to Help Relieve Anxiety and Depression by Bo Forbes 224 pp., 35 b&w photos, paper. #YOEMBA - $ 19.95 When we feel emotionally overwhelmed, we often talk about what's bothering us with a friend or therapist. Here is a new approach--balance your mind with your body. Bo Forbes, a clinical psychologist and yoga instructor, found that when our body is relaxed and balanced, our emotions also become in tune. This observation inspired her to introduce a blend of yoga and relaxation into her psychotherapy practice, with positive results. The simple yoga practice she developed is ideal for when we feel stressed out or slightly depressed, though it is also a helpful tool for people with more serious anxiety or depression. More ... | |
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ZHANG ZHUNG: Images from a Lost Kingdom by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, translated from the Tibetan by Andriano Clemente, compiled and collated by Alex Siedlecki 104 pp., paper, 40 color and b&w images and maps. #ZHZHIM - $ 34.00 The Kingdom of Zhang Zhung, with the venerated Mount Kailash as its center and heart, was an ancient realm which originated more than three thousand years ago, corresponding geographically to the western Tibet of today. Rooted in Bon, the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet, the kingdom was famed in its time, but subsequently its name became virtually unknown even to Tibetans, who regarded it only as the unreal setting of myths or legends. However, this realm was the true cradle of Tibetan culture. More ... | |