General Eastern Religions category: 553 books

The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana. Besides its epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes, the Mahabharata contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the...

This booklet needs no preface for those who are familiar with the sacred books of Buddhism, which have been made accessible to the Western world by the indefatigable zeal and industry of scholars like Beal, Bigandet, Buehler, Burnouf, and others. To those not familiar with the subject it may be stated that the bulk of its contents is derived from the old Buddhist canon.

This book continues our series detailing the teachings of those claiming to be successor diksa, or initiating gurus to Srila Prabhupada, the original guru of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or Hare Krishna movement). This series provides the viewpoints of those claiming...

HH Bhakti Charu Swami - In his own words There are currently some 70 persons claiming to be gurus in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON, or the Hare Krishna Movement) - successors to the original guru and founder, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Out...

The ecstatic flight is a recurring theme in many cultures throughout the world, the present work examines, in Chinese case, the Shangqing tradition born in the second half of the 4th century with the revelation of Yang Xi, and regarded as the leading Daoist school until the Song Dynasty. the Shangqing...

A jargon-free, plain language introduction to the foundational ideas of Buddhism and real-world tips for practicing Buddhism while balancing life in the real, modern world. This book goes easy on the mystical mumbo-jumbo and simply introduces the ideas that will help you live in the present and feel...

Southern California in the late 1950s has the look and feel of a midsummer morning-bright and still. For two young brothers, the wide world is full of promise. Together they set out to explore it as one, ever alert to the sound of their mother’s whistle calling them home. But by late afternoon,...

Discover the fascinating history of a long-hidden Buddhist culture at a historic crossroads. In the years following Alexander the Great’s conquest of the East, a series of empires rose up along the Silk Road. In what is now northern Pakistan, the civilizations in the region called Gandhara...

Despite Chinese efforts to stop foreign countries from granting him visas, the Dalai Lama has become one of the most recognizable and best loved people on the planet, drawing enormous crowds wherever he goes. By contrast, China's charismatically-challenged leaders attract crowds of protestors waving...

This book offers a contemporary approach to the study of religion in modern South Asia. It explores the development of religious ideas and practices in the region, giving students a clear and critical understanding of social, political and historical context. Part One takes a fresh look at some...

How do text, performance, and rhetoric simultaneously reflect and challenge notions of distinct community and religious identities? This volume examines evidence of shared idioms of sanctity within a larger framework of religious nationalism, literary productions, and communalism in South Asia. Contributors...

This is an information archive of the books authored by Michael Beloved on the subjects of yoga and meditation, reincarnation, astral projection, supernatural/spiritual perception, Krishna’s and Patanjali’s teachings.

That which every one of us is looking for in this world is exactly the same thing. Every Being, even the animal, is looking for it. And what is it that we are all looking for? Happiness with no sorrow! A continuous state of happiness with no taint whatsoever of sorrow. Now, if this be the Goal, why...

Revered by Buddhists in the United States and China, Master Sheng-yen shares his wisdom and teachings in this first comprehensive English primer of Chan, the Chinese tradition of Buddhism that inspired Japanese Zen. Often misunderstood as a system of mind games, the Chan path leads to enlightenment...