Windhorse Publications – förlag

'Once upon a time there was a rich old man who lived in a vast mansion ...' Aware that whatever our age, we never lose our responsiveness to story, myth and drama, the Buddha often told stories and parables, and in the Mahayana phase of the development of Buddhism, the stories became ever more mythical and magical. In this volume, Sangharakshita introduces us to the strange and wonderful worlds of three of the best-loved Mahayana sutras, worlds from which - if we pay close attention - we can return with treasures in the form of teachings and advice. Thanks to Sangharakshita's imaginative and creative approach to these sutras, their gems, mythical or even magical though their origins may be, turn out to be exchangeable for hard currency - the practical business of how we are to live our lives in the everyday world. From the transcendental critique of religion and the means of unification offered by the Vimalakirti-nirdesa to the light shed on economics, ecology and politics by the Sutra of Golden Light, and the vision of life as a journey offered by the White Lotus Sutra, these commentaries offer a unique and transformative perspective on the value of human existence.

A clear, practical introduction to the Buddhist path for modern life. Structured as an eight-week journey, this book blends reflection, meditation, psychology, poetry and lived experience to guide readers through integration, emotional growth, transformation and spiritual insight - offering a grounded, compassionate map for genuine inner change.

In this volume are collected two works that complement each other very well, each being in its own way at the heart of Sangharakshita's writings. A Survey of Buddhism was first published in 1957, and Lama Anagarika Govinda wrote of that first edition, 'It would be difficult to find a single book in which the history and development of Buddhist thought has been described as vividly and clearly as in this survey. For all those who wish to know the heart, the essence of Buddhism as an integrated whole, there can be no better guide than this book.' The Survey, whose ninth edition is reproduced here, continues to provide an indispensable study of the entire field of Buddhist thought and practice, covering all major doctrines and traditions, and placing their development in historical and cultural context.The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path of course outlines the best-known formulation of the Buddha's teaching, and if its name sounds archaic, Sangharakshita's vivid explanation of how to follow that path provides a fresh and inspiring guide. Here, to the original text are added seminar extracts that give a range of helpful perspectives on the stages of the path.This volume includes a full section of endnotes locating the teachings to the suttas and sutras that inspired them, as well as a Foreword by Dharmachari Subhuti looking at these two texts from an inspirational and a critical perspective, and bringing out the inner connection between them.

For Buddhists everywhere, the Three Jewels - the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha - are at the heart of daily life and practice. But how can we engage with these precious ideals in a way that makes a difference to how we live? In this, the companion volume to The Three Jewels I, in which the nature of Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels is explored, are gathered three much-loved books: Who is the Buddha?, What is the Dharma?, and What is the Sangha? In this volume, Sangharakshita tackles a great range of subjects, offering original and imaginative perspectives on all the topics one might expect an introduction to Buddhism to cover - karma and rebirth, Nirvana and the spiral path, and the nature of Buddhahood itself, as well as clear and pragmatic guidance on matters of personal concern, such as individuality, fidelity, gratitude, parenthood and seeking a spiritual teacher. The teachings are underpinned by many references to the Pali canon and other sources, to provide an authentic guide to the Dharma life in all its aspects, and much encouragement and inspiration to live that life to the full.

Offering an introduction to Buddhism for Westerners who want to learn more about the religion as a path of spiritual growth, this revised and restructured edition explains the essential teachings and practices on which all mainstream Buddhists can agree. It also sets out to show how this ancient wisdom is more than ever relevant to the psychological, social and spiritual issues concerning men and women in the modern West.

This illuminating collection of previously unpublished talks traces the development of Sangharakshita's presentation of the Dharma in the West from 1965 to 2011. It includes some of his characteristic teachings in their earliest forms (the levels of Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels, for example), and makes other talks accessible for the first time in published form. We see the unfolding of the Buddhist movement he founded, from Sangharakshita's talks before the movement began, his early teachings that foreshadow aspects of its nature, and then its beginnings in a basement in 1960s London. Other talks cover development of the sangha over the years, and Sangharakshita's reflections on what would help it develop in the years to come. Drawing on a wide range of sources, from the Pali canon and The Tibetan Book of the Dead to Beowulf and William Wordsworth, there are many intriguing perspectives: an exploration of Buddhist psychology, the histories of great teachers like Padmasambhava and Atisa, reflections on going forth, creativity, the demons around and within us, the role of the will in the spiritual life, and much more. The final talks in the volume, given towards the end of Sangharakshita's life, are more personal, and they include reflections on dreams, old age and rebirth.

From the Buddhist meditator and scholar, Bhikkhu Analayo, this is a thorough-going guide to the early Buddhist teachings on Satipatthana, the foundations of mindfulness, following on from his two best-selling books, Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization and Perspectives on Satipatthana. With mindfulness being so widely taught, there is a need for a clear-sighted and experience-based guide. Analayo provides it.

Reconnect with two old friends as they delve into the heart of Buddhism in "What Are You Waiting For?". Journalist Irmgard Kirchner and Buddhist nun Santacitta Bhikkhuni reunite after decades, sparking intimate and insightful conversations about life, spirituality, and the modern world. Irmgard's curious, often skeptical questions meet Santacitta's profound wisdom and personal journey, from a searching youth to co-founding a monastery for women.Through their engaging dialogue, they explore core Buddhist concepts like the Middle Way, emptiness, mindfulness, and karma within the context of everyday challenges. This book offers an accessible and relatable entry point into Buddhist philosophy for beginners and those already familiar with the teachings. It's a testament to the enduring power of friendship and the relevance of Buddhist wisdom today.

This beautifully illustrated new edition collects a number of Buddhist devotional rituals and verses. It features a revised translation of the Heart Sutra and enlarged typeface which is ideal for dimly lit rooms. This new edition also includes the traditional Pali and Sanskrit verses as well as English translations. What is a Puja? It is the chanting of devotional mantras and verses which has been performed by Buddhists worldwide for centuries. It is meant to encourage the arising of the Bodhicitta: the desire to seek enlightenment for the sake of all living beings.

'An inspiring and beautiful book about one of our most beloved elders, a modern Buddhist saint' - Jack Kornfield Read the life story and spiritual teachings of Dipa Ma, a major figure in contemporary Buddhism. She was the teacher of such well-respected western Buddhists as Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, Alice Walker, and Sylvia Boorstein, among others.

Reimagining Buddhism is a sparkling, deeply felt and penetrating account of the English Buddhist teacher, Sangharakshita - one of the most complex and brilliant figures in modern Buddhism. A key figure in Buddhism's arrival in western countries and its revival in India, for many years, Sangharakshita's sexual activity attracted controversy and coloured his reputation beyond Triratna The book offers a comprehensive account of Sangharakshita's understanding of Buddhism and perhaps the fullest account of any modern Buddhist teacher. Drawing on the whole of his vast output, it sets out to trace the contours of Sangharakshita's imagination, recognise the inner dimensions of his spiritual life and show how these forces shaped his life and his teachings. The book covers Sangharakshita's life as a poetically inclined scholar-monk in India, his equivocal embrace of the counter-culture in 1960s England, his inspired teachings in the West, his careful development of a Buddhist community and his continuing reflections in old age.Vishvapani presents Sangharakshita as a subtle and far reaching thinker and a creative prodigy with an intuitive understanding of the spirit or current of energy at Buddhism's centre. In the course of a long life he founded the Triratna Buddhist Community which grew into a worldwide movement, and wrote many volumes of Buddhist teaching and commentary as well as memoirs and poetry. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he drew on the whole Buddhist tradition rather than adapting one of its Asian forms, and developed modern expressions without embracing secularism. He insisted he was remaining faithful to the tradition, even as he recast it in fundamental ways. His supporters said he was revitalising Buddhist teachings while his critics said he distorted them.The learning, sensitivity and resonant prose of the acclaimed Gautama Buddha: the Life and Teachings of the Awakened One has been brought to this remarkable account of a unique Buddhist teacher. For those new to Sangharakshita's life and work, this is a wide-ranging introduction; for more experienced readers it presents his teachings as a whole and in their full depth.

A clear and practical guide to Buddhist psychology, exploring the Abhidharma analysis of mind and mental events. Through detailed examination of the fifty-one mental factors, this book shows how craving, anger and delusion arise-and how positive states can be cultivated to support meditation, insight and spiritual transformation.

One of the seminal texts in the Buddhist literary canon, "The Dhammapada" presents the timeless wisdom of the Buddha. This edition is introduced and translated by the founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order and is annotated for ease of understanding. It can be taken as a straightforward and practical summary of the essential teachings of the Buddha, but - much more than that - the "Dhammapada" is a poetic representation of a sublime spiritual ideal.

In this volume are collected two works that complement each other very well, each being in its own way at the heart of Sangharakshita's writings. A Survey of Buddhism was first published in 1957, and Lama Anagarika Govinda wrote of that first edition, 'It would be difficult to find a single book in which the history and development of Buddhist thought has been described as vividly and clearly as in this survey. For all those who wish to know the heart, the essence of Buddhism as an integrated whole, there can be no better guide than this book.' The Survey, whose ninth edition is reproduced here, continues to provide an indispensable study of the entire field of Buddhist thought and practice, covering all major doctrines and traditions, and placing their development in historical and cultural context.The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path of course outlines the best-known formulation of the Buddha's teaching, and if its name sounds archaic, Sangharakshita's vivid explanation of how to follow that path provides a fresh and inspiring guide. Here, to the original text are added seminar extracts that give a range of helpful perspectives on the stages of the path.This volume includes a full section of endnotes locating the teachings to the suttas and sutras that inspired them, as well as a Foreword by Dharmachari Subhuti looking at these two texts from an inspirational and a critical perspective, and bringing out the inner connection between them.

Sangharashita has established a successful Buddhist movement, pioneering a living Buddhism that seems well suited to our times. In this book, one of his closest disciples offers an account of Sangharashita's evolution as a thinker and teacher.

Ever since the Buddha's lifetime, people have been trying to express the ultimate meaning of Buddhism in a form that makes complete rational sense. The Prajnaparamita or "Perfection of Wisdom" teachings offer a giddying counterbalance to this exercise, and a sophisticated slap in the face to anyone undertaking it. Emerging 2000 years ago as the core-teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, texts such as the Ratnaguna-samcayagatha, the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra were to give new impetus to the ideal of the Bodhisattva, one whose entire energies are dedicated to the attainment of enlightenment for the sake of all beings. They are unique, extraordinary teachings, addressing the practical, everyday concerns of Buddhists, but in a way that can leave the rational mind spinning. Sangharakshita has a rare combination of scholarship, intellectual clarity and insight. As founder of the Western Buddhist Order he is necessarily alive to the immediate concerns of Buddhists practising in the West. This perspective is crucial in a guide to texts that seem to express the goal and justification for Buddhist practice in a "breath of nonsense, a touch of Lewis Carroll".

The phenomenon known as "Buddhism" embraces an uninterrupted process of communication through which the Buddha's followers have been guided and inspired for 25 centuries. Communication is a living, evolving thing, and for all its continuity the Buddhist tradition presents the modern student - and practitioner - with a bewildering array of cultural, philosophical and practical forms. This work describes and correlates these diverse manifestations - in Buddhism's homeland of India, and in its spread across Asia, from Mongolia to Sri Lanka and from Japan to the Middle East. Drawing on recent historical and literary research, the author explains the basic concepts of Buddhism from all periods of its development, and places them in an historical framework.

What is the meaning of life? How can we be truly happy? Buddhism answers these questions through the Dharma, which is a traditional term meaning both "the truth" and "the path", and is the subject of this book, which offers a starter-kit of Buddhist teachings and practices.

A Zen monk strides empty-handed into a tiger's cage. An Indian master empties a bag of gold dust into the air. A young woman lays down the burden of her dead child and asks the Buddha to accept her as his disciple. These are some of the scenes evoked in this collection of Buddhist stories.

How often do we have no time for reflection? Or little time to care for others, or even ourselves? Adrift in our lives, we are pulled further and further away from a sense of who we are. Paramananda speaks directly to our hearts about what is truly important to us, whether we are making a cup of tea or sitting at the bedside of a dying friend. Using simple exercises, reflections and meditations, we can awaken to the magic of being fully present in each moment of our day-to-day activities. Paramananda draws on his experience as a hospice worker and his many years as a Buddhist meditation teacher in both an imaginative and down-to-earth way. He offers us courage, kindness and joy in our search for meaning.

Queens and old crones, Buddhas and goddesses, mothers and wild women. Female deities in Buddhism take many forms to inspire, beguile, rouse and protect us. Enter the magical realm of gently compassionate Kuan Yin from China, meet the elusive golden goddess from India representing Perfect Wisdom, and tangle with the energetic embodiments of freedom, the fearless sky-dancing dakinis of Tibet. Respected Western Buddhist teacher Vessantara invites us to learn more about ourselves as women and men by reflecting on these figures, for within us lie the seeds of love, wisdom and freedom that these figures symbolise in their fullness, qualities we can nurture through contemplating the beauty of these enlightened beings. Engage not just with your head but with your heart .. Follow your intuition ... enrich your life.

Growing the seed to happiness Kindness is one of the most basic qualities we can possess, and one of the most powerful. In Buddhism it is called metta - an opening of the heart to all that we meet. Any friendly feeling contains the kernel of metta. It is a seed that is waiting to be developed, right here amidst the conditions of our daily life. Living with Kindness is a pithy commentary on the Buddha's teaching of metta in the Karaniya metta sutta. In it, Sangharakshita, a teacher of Buddhism for over fifty years, shows us how to cultivate many of the facets of kindness in ordinary, everyday life. Outlining the nurturing conditions the seed of kindness needs to grow, he encourages us to follow the path that leads to a warm and expansive heart - and beyond. And with_that heart, we can be happier and more fulfilled in ourselves and empathise with the joys and sufferings of all living beings. An excellent companion to Living with Awareness, also by Sangharakshita, which is a commentary on the Satipattana Sutta (Living with Awareness, ISBN 1899579389)

Drawing from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of approaching and preparing for death, this work offers descriptions of the attitudes, the practices and the considerations that surround death, caring for those dying and also care-givers. It is aimed at those seeking a positive yet realistic coming to terms with death.

In the breath Vessantara, who has been meditating on the breath for over 30 years, writes engagingly for both newcomers to meditation and those with some experience, giving us: Clear instruction on how to meditate on the breath; Practical ways to integrate meditation into our lives; Suggestions for deepening calm and concentration; Advice on how to let go and dive into experience; Insights into the lessons of the breath; This is an incredibly useful combination of practical instruction on the mindfulness of breathing with much broader lessons on where the breath can lead us. Unique and so very useable for meditators as well as their teachers.

This is the second volume in our new "What Buddhism can offer" series which is looking at how Buddhism can help us in our daily lives. It is unique in that it is not about being a good parent but about spiritual growth through parenting. Of course, positive loving parenting is hopefully a consequence of this but this is not the primary focus of the book. As alluded to above, the focus of the book is the parents' spiritual growth and well-being as opposed to being directly child-focused which is something of a new departure. It is easy to connect with based on numerous interviews with personal stories and experiences. It includes extracts and reflections for fathers and also for parents with teenagers as opposed to focusing solely on mothers with very young children, which is often the limitation of similar books. It is practical and experience based. It is broadly relevant across religions and spiritual beliefs - anyone with an interest in spiritual growth could engage and connect with the book.

Explore the potential of your heart and discover a warmer, more loving you. The second in this "Art of Meditation" series by Western Buddhist meditation teacher Vessantara after "The Breath", this book shows us how cultivating more warmth, more kindness, and more happiness is possible for all of us. Through the loving-kindness meditation, the gentle and encouraging approach of the author helps us to discover the positive wonder of what is already in our hearts. Accessible for those new to or experienced in meditation as well as teachers, this book provides clear instruction with suggestions for integrating meditation and what we can learn from it into our lives.

This work features tools which are teachings, exercises and reflections which can be applied to everyday life. The tools draw on the Buddhist tradition to guide us along a progressive path of ethics, meditation and wisdom in the context of our day-to-day living. The tools are drawn from the author's rich experience of guiding newcomers to Buddhism and meditation in how to integrate the teachings into our daily lives. There are also tools on how to bring calm into the midst of a busy active life. It is the next best thing to your own personal Buddhist teacher!