The Bodhisattvas Brain

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The Bodhisattva's Brain

Author : Owen Flanagan
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 281 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2013-09-13
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780262525206

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The Bodhisattva's Brain by Owen Flanagan Pdf

This fascinating introduction to the intersection between religion, neuroscience, and moral philosophy asks: Can there be a Buddhism without karma, nirvana, and reincarnation that is compatible with the rest of knowledge? If we are material beings living in a material world—and all the scientific evidence suggests that we are—then we must find existential meaning, if there is such a thing, in this physical world. We must cast our lot with the natural rather than the supernatural. Many Westerners with spiritual (but not religious) inclinations are attracted to Buddhism—almost as a kind of moral-mental hygiene. But, as Owen Flanagan points out in The Bodhisattva's Brain, Buddhism is hardly naturalistic. In The Bodhisattva's Brain, Flanagan argues that it is possible to discover in Buddhism a rich, empirically responsible philosophy that could point us to one path of human flourishing. Some claim that neuroscience is in the process of validating Buddhism empirically, but Flanagan'’ naturalized Buddhism does not reduce itself to a brain scan showing happiness patterns. “Buddhism naturalized,” as Flanagan constructs it, offers instead a fully naturalistic and comprehensive philosophy, compatible with the rest of knowledge—a way of conceiving of the human predicament, of thinking about meaning for finite material beings living in a material world.

Bodhisattva's Brain

Author : James B Duke Professor of Philosophy Owen J Flanagan
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 272 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2013-12-01
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 9381406170

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Bodhisattva's Brain by James B Duke Professor of Philosophy Owen J Flanagan Pdf

If we are material beings living in a material world--and all the scientific evidence suggests that we are--then we must find existential meaning, if there is such a thing, in this physical world. We must cast our lot with the natural rather than the supernatural. Many Westerners with spiritual (but not religious) inclinations are attracted to Buddhism--almost as a kind of moral-mental hygiene. But, as Owen Flanagan points out in The Bodhisattva's Brain, Buddhism is hardly naturalistic. Atheistic when it comes to a creator god, Buddhism is otherwise opulently polytheistic, with spirits, protector deities, ghosts, and evil spirits. Its beliefs include karma, rebirth, nirvana, and nonphysical states of mind.

Meditating Selflessly

Author : James H. Austin
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 279 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2011-10-07
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9780262297714

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Meditating Selflessly by James H. Austin Pdf

A guide to Zen meditative practice informed by the latest findings in brain research. This is not the usual kind of self-help book. Indeed, its major premise heeds a Zen master's advice to be less self-centered. Yes, it is "one more book of words about Zen," as the author concedes, yet this book explains meditative practices from the perspective of a "neural Zen." The latest findings in brain research inform its suggestions. In Meditating Selflessly, James Austin—Zen practitioner, neurologist, and author of three acclaimed books on Zen and neuroscience—guides readers toward that open awareness already awaiting them on the cushion and in the natural world. Austin offers concrete advice—often in a simplified question-and-answer format—about different ways to meditate. He clarifies both the concentrative and receptive styles of meditation. Drawing widely from the exciting new field of contemplative neuroscience, Austin helps resolve an ancient paradox: why both insight wisdom and selflessness arise simultaneously during enlightened states of consciousness.

Zen and the Brain

Author : James H. Austin
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 876 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 1999-06-04
Category : Medical
ISBN : 0262260352

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Zen and the Brain by James H. Austin Pdf

A neuroscientist and Zen practitioner interweaves the latest research on the brain with his personal narrative of Zen. Aldous Huxley called humankind's basic trend toward spiritual growth the "perennial philosophy." In the view of James Austin, the trend implies a "perennial psychophysiology"—because awakening, or enlightenment, occurs only when the human brain undergoes substantial changes. What are the peak experiences of enlightenment? How could these states profoundly enhance, and yet simplify, the workings of the brain? Zen and the Brain presents the latest evidence. In this book Zen Buddhism becomes the opening wedge for an extraordinarily wide-ranging exploration of consciousness. In order to understand which brain mechanisms produce Zen states, one needs some understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain. Austin, both a neurologist and a Zen practitioner, interweaves the most recent brain research with the personal narrative of his Zen experiences. The science is both inclusive and rigorous; the Zen sections are clear and evocative. Along the way, Austin examines such topics as similar states in other disciplines and religions, sleep and dreams, mental illness, consciousness-altering drugs, and the social consequences of the advanced stage of ongoing enlightenment.

Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life

Author : Śāntideva
Publisher : Tharpa Publications US
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2002
Category : Bodhisattvas
ISBN : 9780948006883

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Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Śāntideva Pdf

Reading the verses slowly, while contemplating their meaning, has a profoundly liberating effect on the mind. The poem invokes special positive states of mind, moving us from suffering and conflict to happiness and peace, and gradually introduces us to the entire path to attaining the supreme inner peace of enlightenment, the real meaning of our human life.

Madhyamaka and Yogacara

Author : Jay L. Garfield,Jan Westerhoff
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2015-04-06
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780190266431

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Madhyamaka and Yogacara by Jay L. Garfield,Jan Westerhoff Pdf

Madhyamaka and Yogacara are the two principal schools of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. While Madhyamaka asserts the ultimate emptiness and conventional reality of all phenomena, Yogacara is usually considered to be idealistic. This collection of essays addresses the degree to which these philosophical approaches are consistent or complementary. Indian and Tibetan doxographies often take these two schools to be philosophical rivals. They are grounded in distinct bodies of sutra literature and adopt what appear to be very different positions regarding the analysis of emptiness and the status of mind. Madhyamaka-Yogacara polemics abound in Indian Buddhist literature, and Tibetan doxographies regard them as distinct systems. Nonetheless, scholars have tried to synthesize the two positions for centuries. This volume offers new essays by prominent experts on both these traditions, who address the question of the degree to which these philosophical approaches should be seen as rivals or as allies. In answering the question of whether Madhyamaka and Yogacara can be considered compatible, contributors engage with a broad range of canonical literature, and relate the texts to contemporary philosophical problems.

Neurodharma

Author : Rick Hanson, PhD
Publisher : Harmony
Page : 352 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2020-05-05
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 9780593135471

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Neurodharma by Rick Hanson, PhD Pdf

LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • “An easy-to-follow road map for creating day-to-day inner peace in today’s increasingly complex world.”—Lori Gottlieb, MFT, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Throughout history, people have sought the heights of human potential—to become as wise and strong, happy and loving, as any person can ever be. And now recent science is revealing how these remarkable ways of being are based on equally remarkable changes in our own nervous system, making them more attainable than ever before. In Neurodharma, the follow-up to his classic Buddha’s Brain, New York Times bestselling author Rick Hanson, PhD, not only explores the new neuroscience of awakening but also offers a bold yet plausible plan for reverse-engineering peak experiences, sense of oneness, and even enlightenment itself. And he does so with his trademark blend of solid science and warm encouragement, guiding you along this high-reaching path with good humor, accessible tools, and personal examples. A groundbreaking yet practical book, Neurodharma shares seven practices for strengthening the neural circuitry of profound contentment and inner peace—qualities that offer essential support in everyday life while also supporting the exploration of the most radical reaches of human consciousness. Step by step, this book explains how to apply these insights in order to cultivate unshakable presence of mind, a courageous heart, and serenity in a changing world. The breakthroughs of the great teachers are not reserved for the chosen few. Dr. Hanson shows how we can embody them ourselves in daily life to handle stress, heal old pain, feel at ease with others, and rest in the sense of our natural goodness. The Buddha didn’t use an MRI to become enlightened. Still, 2,500 years after he walked the dusty roads of northern India, neuroscientists are discovering the mechanisms of the brain that underpin the Buddha’s penetrating analysis of the mind. With deep research, stories, guided meditations, examples, and applications, Dr. Hanson offers a fascinating, inspiring vision of who we can be—and an effective path for fulfilling this wonderful possibility.

Buddhist Thought and Applied Psychological Research

Author : D.K. Nauriyal,Michael Drummond,Y.B. Lal
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 576 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2006-08-21
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781134189885

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Buddhist Thought and Applied Psychological Research by D.K. Nauriyal,Michael Drummond,Y.B. Lal Pdf

Written by leading scholars and including a foreword by the Dalai Lama, this book explores the interface between Buddhist studies and the uses of Buddhist principles and practices in psychotherapy and consciousness studies. The contributors present a compelling collection of articles that illustrate the potential of Buddhist informed social sciences in contemporary society, including new insights into the nature of human consciousness. The book examines the origins and expressions of Buddhist thought and how it is now being utilized by psychologists and social scientists, and also discusses the basic tenets of Buddhism and contemporary Buddhist-based empirical research in the psychological sciences. Further emphasis is placed on current trends in the areas of clinical and cognitive psychology, and on the Mahayana Buddhist understanding of consciousness with reference to certain developments in consciousness studies and physics. A welcome addition to the current literature, the works in this remarkable volume ably demonstrate how Buddhist principles can be used to develop a deeper understanding of the human condition and behaviours that lead to a balanced and fulfilling life.

Buddhism and Medicine

Author : C. Pierce Salguero
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 541 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2017-09-26
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780231544269

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Buddhism and Medicine by C. Pierce Salguero Pdf

From its earliest days, Buddhism has been closely intertwined with medicine. Buddhism and Medicine is a singular collection showcasing the generative relationship and mutual influence between these fields across premodern Asia. The anthology combines dozens of English-language translations of premodern Buddhist texts with contextualizing introductions by leading international scholars in Buddhist studies, the history of medicine, and a range of other fields. These sources explore in detail medical topics ranging from the development of fetal anatomy in the womb to nursing, hospice, dietary regimen, magical powers, visualization, and other healing knowledge. Works translated here include meditation guides, popular narratives, ritual manuals, spells texts, monastic disciplinary codes, recipe inscriptions, philosophical treatises, poetry, works by physicians, and other genres. All together, these selections and their introductions provide a comprehensive overview of Buddhist healing throughout Asia. They also demonstrate the central place of healing in Buddhist practice and in the daily life of the premodern world. This anthology is a companion volume to Buddhism and Medicine: An Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Sources (Columbia, 2019).

Storied Companions

Author : Karen Derris
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2021-07-13
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781614295990

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Storied Companions by Karen Derris Pdf

A professor, mother, and Buddhist practitioner helps readers discover new ways of facing and experiencing life, death, and impermanence. “With my diagnosis of grade IV brain cancer, I no longer observe the truth of impermanence from a critical, analytical distance. I am crashing into it, or it into me.” Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, Karen Derris—professor, mother, and Buddhist practitioner—turned to books. By reading ancient Buddhist stories with new questions and a new purpose—finding a way to live with her dying body—she discovers new ways to make them immediate and real. For instance, reading with her terminal prognosis, she becomes one of the four omens (the four signs of impermanence and suffering) the young Siddhartha sees in his excursions from the palace. What would it mean for her to be in the crowd, straining to see the prince with her own sick and impermanent body—to be pushed aside and out of sight by the palace minders, just as our society so often tries to brush aside anything uncomfortable, but to nonetheless be seen by the young bodhisattva? Or reading as a mother, maybe she shares something akin to what Queen Maya may have felt, knowing she was dying, giving her newborn son over to her sister’s care? What will it mean for her own children to be motherless? She follows the knotted threads connecting Milarepa’s angry, vengeful mother to Karen’s own mother, who physically abused her throughout a traumatic childhood. By placing herself into these stories, she turns them from distant and static narratives into companions, and from companions into guides. Storied Companions interweaves Karen’s memoir of her life of trauma and illness with stories from Buddhist literary traditions, sharing with the reader how she found ways to live with the reality that she won’t live as long as she wants and needs to. Honest, powerful, and insightful, Storied Companions itself becomes an invaluable companion, guiding the reader to discover new ways of facing and experiencing life, death, and impermanence.

The Mind Illuminated

Author : CULADASA,Matthew Immergut, PhD
Publisher : Hay House, Inc
Page : 512 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2017-01-03
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9781781808795

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The Mind Illuminated by CULADASA,Matthew Immergut, PhD Pdf

The Mind Illuminated is a comprehensive, accessible and - above all - effective book on meditation, providing a nuts-and-bolts stage-based system that helps all levels of meditators establish and deepen their practice. Providing step-by-step guidance for every stage of the meditation path, this uniquely comprehensive guide for a Western audience combines the wisdom from the teachings of the Buddha with the latest research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Clear and friendly, this in-depth practice manual builds on the nine-stage model of meditation originally articulated by the ancient Indian sage Asanga, crystallizing the entire meditative journey into 10 clearly-defined stages. The book also introduces a new and fascinating model of how the mind works, and uses illustrations and charts to help the reader work through each stage. This manual is an essential read for the beginner to the seasoned veteran of meditation.

Studies in the Philosophy of the Bodhicaryāvatāra

Author : Paul Williams
Publisher : Motilal Banarsidass Publ.
Page : 296 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Buddhist philosophy
ISBN : 8120817168

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Studies in the Philosophy of the Bodhicaryāvatāra by Paul Williams Pdf

This volume brings together Paul Williams`s previously published papers on the Indian and Tibetan interpretations of selected verses from the eighth and ninth chapters of the Bodhicaryavatara. In addition there is a much longer version of the paper `Identifying the Object of Negation` and nearly half the book consists of a wholly new essay, The Absence of self and the Removal of Pain`, subtitled `How Santideva Destroyed the Bodhisattva Path.

Altruism and Reality

Author : Paul Williams
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 292 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2013-12-16
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781136810800

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Altruism and Reality by Paul Williams Pdf

Brings together Paul Williams' previously published papers on the Indian and Tibetan interpretations of selected verses from the eighth and ninth chapters of the Bodhicaryavatara.

Confession of a Buddhist Atheist

Author : Stephen Batchelor
Publisher : Random House
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2010-03-02
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781588369840

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Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor Pdf

Does Buddhism require faith? Can an atheist or agnostic follow the Buddha’s teachings without believing in reincarnation or organized religion? This is one man’s confession. In his classic Buddhism Without Beliefs, Stephen Batchelor offered a profound, secular approach to the teachings of the Buddha that struck an emotional chord with Western readers. Now, with the same brilliance and boldness of thought, he paints a groundbreaking portrait of the historical Buddha—told from the author’s unique perspective as a former Buddhist monk and modern seeker. Drawing from the original Pali Canon, the seminal collection of Buddhist discourses compiled after the Buddha’s death by his followers, Batchelor shows us the Buddha as a flesh-and-blood man who looked at life in a radically new way. Batchelor also reveals the everyday challenges and doubts of his own devotional journey—from meeting the Dalai Lama in India, to training as a Zen monk in Korea, to finding his path as a lay teacher of Buddhism living in France. Both controversial and deeply personal, Stephen Batchelor’s refreshingly doctrine-free, life-informed account is essential reading for anyone interested in Buddhism.

The Big Questions: God

Author : Mark Vernon
Publisher : Quercus
Page : 163 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2013-11-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781623652098

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The Big Questions: God by Mark Vernon Pdf

Easy, enlightening and mind-stretching, here are answers to the 20 biggest questions of religion and its attempts to give meaning to our world. The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts address the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers based on the latest research. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas. In The Big Questions: God, Mark Vernon answers the 20 key questions:Can reason prove the existence of God? Will science bring the end of religion? Why do people still have religious beliefs? Is religion a mistake of evolution? Can drugs induce religious experiences? Can you be spiritual without being religious? Have you seen a miracle? What is the literal meaning of Scripture? If you're not religious, is nothing sacred? Can an agnostic pray? Is religion inherently violent? What is it like to be a fundamentalist? What is Buddhist enlightenment? Is Confucianism a religion? Is nature divine? Is there a perennial philosophy? Does human suffering rule out God? Can we be good without God? Are we living in the end times? Is there life after death?