I Give You My Life
Ayya Khema
2000
Ayya Khema (1923-1997) was the first Western woman to become a Theravadan Buddhist nun. As such, she has served as a model and inspiration for women from all the Buddhist traditions who have sought to revive the practice of women's monasticism in modern times. Though her renown as a teacher is widespread, few know the truly amazing details of her life before her monastic ordination at the age of fifty-eight. And what a life it was. Born Ilse Kussel in Berlin, Germany, she grew up in a prosperous Jewish family that was broken up by Nazi terror in 1938. The story of her escape alone to Scotland, and her journey to rejoin her family in China, would be enough for a thrilling adventure novel in itself—but it is only the beginning of the story. Her later adventures included—but were not limited to—surviving the Japanese invasion of China; living the life of a suburban housewife in Los Angeles, California; journeying up the Amazon; studying in a Bolivian university; building a power plant in Pakistan; and establishing the first organic farm in Australia. Her Buddhist practice was a result of a pursuit of the spiritual life that began in her forties when she encountered spiritual teachers in India. She eventually founded a monastery in Sri Lanka, from where, through her books and her teaching travels, she became one of the most widely respected of contemporary teachers, particularly skilled in interpreting the Buddhist teachings for her fellow Westerners.
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This collection of ‘dharma talks’ from one of the great Buddhist teachers of the 20th-century is a fun, accessible crash course in Theravadan teachings on meditation, mindfulness, and more Ajahn Chah influenced a generation of Western teachers: Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Sylvia Boorstein, Joseph Goldstein, and many other Western Buddhist teachers were at one time his students. Anyone who has attended a retreat led by one of these teachers, or read one of their books, will be familiar with this master's name and reputation as one of the great Buddhist teachers of this century. Here, Chah offers a thorough exploration of Theravada Buddhism in a gentle, sometimes humorous, style that makes the reader feel as though he or she is being entertained by a story. He emphasizes the path to freedom from emotional and psychological suffering and provides insight into the fact that taking ourselves seriously causes unnecessary hardship.
Collected Bodhi Leaves Volume IV
Ajahn Chah
This book contains thirty one numbers of the renowned Bodhi Leaf Publication series, dealing with various aspects of the Buddha’s teaching. Bodhi Leaves 91: Buddha-Bush—Bhikkhu Khantipalo 92: Radical Buddhism and Other Essays—Leonard Price 93: The Heart Awakened—Eileen Siriwardhana 94: The Rebirth of Katsugoro—Lafcadio Hearn 95: Meditating on No-Self—Ayya Khema 96: To The Cemetery and Back—Leonard Price 97: Sayings and Parables—Various Authors 98: Heedfulness—Bhikkhu Khantipalo 99: The Middle Way and other essays—M. O’C. Walshe 100: The Doctrine of Rebirth in Eastern and Western Thought—Karel Werner 101: Mind Training in Buddhism—Natasha Jackson and Hilda M. Edwards 102: Bhikkhu Tissa Dispels Some Doubts—Leonard Price 103: Religious Convention and Sila Practice—Ajahn Sumedho 104: Walking Dhutanga in Britain Bowing to conventions—Bhikkhu Sucitto 105: An Exhortation Self-image or Self-knowledge?—Ayya Khema 106: The Ups and Downs of Rebirth—Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw 107: The Training of the Heart—Ajahn Chah 108: Aggression, War, and Conflict—Bhikkhu Khantipalo 109: Positive Response: How to Meet Evil with Good—Acharya Buddha-rakkhita 110: The Buddha and Catch-22—Samanera Bodhesako 111: Our Real Home—Ajahn Chah 112: The Problem of Fear in Time of Grief—Nina Van Gorkom 113: The Walking Meditation—Suvimalee Karunaratna 114: Going Into Homelessness—Georg Grimm 115: Anapanasati: Meditation on Breathing—Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera 116: Essential Advice of the Kadampa Masters—Geshe Wangyal 117: A Buddhist View of Abortion—Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano 118: On Pilgrimage—Susan Elbaum Jootla 119: Dhamma Discourse III—Webu Sayadaw 120: The Self Made Private Prison—Lily de Silva 121: Why the Buddha Did Not Preach to a Hungry Man—Louis van Loon
Collected Wheel Publications Volume XXIII
Ajahn Chah
This book contains sixteen numbers of the renowned Wheel Publication series, dealing with various aspects of the Buddha’s teaching. Wheel Publication 345: Maha Kassapa—Hellmuth Hecker 346–48: Buddhist Perspectives on the Ecocrisis—Klas Sandell 349–50: Inspiration from Enlightened Nuns—Susan Elbaum Jootla 351–53: The Jhanas—Henepola Gunaratana Mahathera 354–56: Buddhist Stories—Eugene Watson Burlingame 357–59: A Taste of Freedom—Ajahn Chah 360–61: Matrceta’s Hymn to the Buddha—S. Dhammika
Etre ce qui est
Ajahn Chah
Cet ouvrage regroupe des enseignements oraux du célèbre maître bouddhiste thaïlandais Ajahn Chah. Ils ont été soigneusement recueillis dans son monastère de la forêt en Thaïlande par son disciple Paul Breiter et remarquablement traduit pour être accessible aux Occidentaux. Les différents aspects de la pratique et de l'enseignement bouddhique sont exposés dans un langage simple et profond. Qu'il s'agisse de la méditation, de l'attention dans la vie quotidienne, de mener une vie éthique dans la société, de l'expérience monastique, les mots d'Ajahn Chah portent par leur véracité et leur humour, éclairant nos vies et nous indiquant l'authentique chemin de libération.« Laissez votre coeur être touché par ces enseignements, qu'ils inspirent votre réflexion, apaisent votre esprit et vous guident vers la délivrance de l'esprit » Jack Kornfield« Ce livre est si clair que vous pouvez entendre le son de la voix du Bouddha » Stephen Levine
Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away
Ajahn Chah
Powerful Buddhist teachings, demystified—from the spiritual mentor of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield Previous books by Ajahn Chah have consisted of collections of short teachings on a wide variety of subjects. This new book focuses on the theme of impermanence, offering powerful remedies for overcoming our deep-seated fear of change, including guidance on letting go of attachments, living in the present, and taking up the practice of meditation. Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away also contains stories and anecdotes about this beloved master's life and his interactions with students, from his youth as a struggling monk to his last years when American students were coming to study with him in significant numbers. These stories help to convey Ajahn Chah's unique spirit and teaching style, allowing readers to know him both through his words and the way in which he lived his life.