Ascendant Books Ltd.

Eastern Philosophy

Keywords:
Buddhism, Reincarnation, Karma, Dalai Lama, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Hinduism, Sai Baba, Ram Das, J. Krishnamurti, Baird. J. Spalding, Yogananda, Sufism, Rumi, Tao

It has been said that the exile of the Dalai Lama from his homeland of Tibet was the Universe’s way of spreading the wisdom of the East with the rest of the world. Regardless of the reason, the West has adopted much of the wisdom from the East, which has helped to fill a void many have experienced with Western spiritual practice. Though different in some regards, Eastern philosophy in general promotes an understanding of acceptance and compassion for ourselves and each other, as it holds that we are all created equally and with a divine purpose of returning back to the source of all creation by conquering the ego. Ascendant Books dedicates a section of the store to Eastern philosophy. The following are brief descriptions of various Eastern Philosophies, along with well-known authors’ whose books line our shelves with their endless wisdom.

Buddhism
Began in India in 5th century BC. Founded on teachings of its leader- Buddha "the enlightened one." Buddha taught followers how to conquer suffering and distress and advised them on how to lead their lives. By following his example Buddhists move closer to heightened state of awareness of enlightenment. The most important teachings with Buddhism concern basic truths about existence. Lives are part of a repeating cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Buddha summed up the problems most humans endure in 4 Noble Truths about suffering. Offered ways to overcome suffering through Noble Eight Fold Path- this path allows some people to break free from cycle of rebirth and achieved state of enlightenment.

Om Mani Padme Hum
“Om Mani Padme Hum” is the most important and oldest mantra of Tibetan Buddhism. It translates as: Jewel in the Lotus; Jewel with enlightened mind, which arises in the lotus of human consciousness as an expression of Compassion.

Pema Chodron
American Buddhist nun, student of Chogyam Trumpa (renowned Tibetan meditation Master), and author. Pema Chodron is a leading exponent of teachings on meditation and how they apply to everyday life.
Lama Serya Das: Most highly trained American Lama in the Tibetan tradition- leading spokesperson for western Buddhism. He brings the reader the how and why, the tools, and the inspiration to live one's life with spiritual practice as their priority. Communicates wisdom of Buddhism to people of his times and environment.

Dalai Lama
Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th Dali Lama of Tibet. He is loved and revered as an inspiring teacher and respected worldwide as a man of peace. As leader of the Tibetan people he has consistently advocated policies of non-violence even in the face of aggression- an approach that in 1989 won him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thich Nhat Hanh
Buddhist monk, scholar, and peace activist he has inspired millions with his insight into the human heart and mind. Now he focuses his profound spiritual wisdom on the basic human emotions we all struggle with everyday.

Hinduism
Hinduism is the eternal truth of life or Saritan Dharma. Describes essential quality that unites all living things (human, animal and vegetable) with the universe that surrounds them and God as source of existence. Purpose of life is to understand the belief in an eternal spiritual truth from which all existence comes and understanding our own spiritual identity or soul. Soul passes through many kinds of life but only as a human can you learn this truth. Reincarnation- the soul being reborn in a new body (human, animal or plant.) Karma- action produces reaction. Everything experienced is linked to past actions in this or previous lifetimes. We can change our actions to change our future. Teaches us to accept responsibility for our behavior and learn from our mistakes. Hindu medicine is Ayurveda. Early teachings recorded in verse form Vedas. Later they became stories found in the Bhagavad-Gita Gita etc.

J. Krishnamurti
Regarded by many as one who has had most profound impact on the human consciousness. Sage, philosopher, and thinker he gave new meaning to religion by pointing to a way of life that transcends all organized religions. His main concern was to "set man absolutely and uncontrollably free."

Baird. J. Spalding
Author of Life and Teaching of Masters of the Far East Vol. 1-6. His descriptions of his Far East travels have played an important role in introducing to the western world the knowledge that there are many masters who are assisting and guiding the destinies of mankind. His encounters with the masters present a dramatic unfoldment of spiritual teachings and episodes.

Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda speaks to the deepest needs of the human heart and soul. He shows us how we can meet the daily challenges to our physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well being by awakening our divine nature, the neglected reality at the core of our being.

Sai Baba
Satya Sai Baba, his followers believe him to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi who died in 1918, appears to have been born with phenomenal powers (which he used in childhood and has employed constantly and openly ever since.) They include all the varieties of E.S.P and P.K. known to psychic science and more. Along with Christ like miracles is a Christ like love and compassion.

Ram Das
Ram Das is an American psychologist and spiritual teacher who has studied and practiced meditation for many years. He explores many paths of meditation- from mantra, prayer, singing, visualization, and "just sitting" to movement meditations such as Tai Chi. He illuminates the stages and benefits of meditative practice and provides wise and often humorous advice on overcoming difficulties along the way.

Symbols
The best-known symbol used in the Buddhist and Hindu faith is the ‘Om’. It’s the symbol of spiritual knowledge and it also conveys a sound used during chants. Manifestation of spiritual power chanting ‘Om’ helps connect with the earth's vibrational resonance, and creates feelings of peace, calm and harmony.

Sufism
Sufism is generally understood by scholars and Sufis to be the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. In spite of many variations and voluminous expressions, the essence of Sufi practice is quite simple. It is that Sufi surrenders to God, in love, over and over again, which involves embracing with love at each moment the content of one's consciousness (one's perceptions, thoughts, feelings, as well as one's sense of self) as gifts of God or, more precisely, as manifestations of God.

Rumi
Rumi, the 13th century Persian mystic poet, has been called the greatest mystical poet of any age. During a period of 25 years of ongoing creativity, he composed over 70,000 verses of poetry- poetry of divine love, mystic passion and ecstatic illumination. One reason for Rumi's popularity is, as Sharam Shiva puts it, “Rumi is able to verbalize the highly personal/spiritual growth and mysticism in a very forward and direct fashion. He does not offend anyone, and he includes everyone. The world of Rumi is neither exclusively the world of a Sufi, nor the world of a Hindu, nor a Jew, nor a Christian; it is the highest state of human being- a fully evolved human."

Tao
Tao means ‘the way’. In ancient China, the keeper of the Imperial Library, Lao Tzu, was famous for his wisdom. Perceiving the growing corruption of the government, he left for the countryside. On his way, the guard at the city gates asked Lao Tzu to write out the essence of his understanding to benefit future generations. Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching, left, and was never heard of again.

The Tao Te Ching (also called "The Tao", "The Dao" or the "Dao De Jing"), by Lao Tzu, is one of the most influential books in history. It is the source of famous Chinese sayings such as "Those who know do not speak, those who speak, do not know" and "Even a 1,000 mile journey starts with a single step".

Ultimate goal of Taoism practice is transcendence of physical boundaries thru the development of the soul and spirit within us.

Maritak Chia
Born in Thailand from the ancient lineage of Tapist Masters. Chia has a western education in anatomy and physiology. He began the International Healing Tao System, and is the author of over 20 books on Taoism and meditation, sound, breath work (circulating chi energy, releasing tension etc). The major underlying belief in all his work is that if one creates a solid foundation of health and well being in physical body, the basis of developing spiritually is created.

Reincarnation
Eastern belief that after death, a person’s soul or essence is born into another lifetime. Each lifetime offers an opportunity for spiritual growth, greater consciousness and creating better karma.

Karma
Law of cause and effect. Whatever a person does affects the universe, which therefore, eventually comes back to him or her through in some form. A very simplistic example would be someone who steals from others would be stolen from or would lose money or property in some form.



eastern philosophy
	Eastern Philosophy Keywords: Buddhism, Reincarnation, Karma, Dalai Lama, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Hinduism, Sai Baba, Ram Das, J. Krishnamurti, Baird. J. Spalding, Yogananda, Sufism, Rumi, Tao It has been said that the exile of the Dalai Lama from his homeland of Tibet was the Universe’s way of spreading the wisdom of the East with the rest of the world. Regardless of the reason, the West has adopted much of the wisdom from the East, which has helped to fill a void many have experienced with Western spiritual practice. Though different in some regards, Eastern philosophy in general promotes an understanding of acceptance and compassion for ourselves and each other, as it holds that we are all created equally and with a divine purpose of returning back to the source of all creation by conquering the ego. Ascendant Books dedicates a section of the store to Eastern philosophy. The following are brief descriptions of various Eastern Philosophies, along with well-known authors’ whose books line our shelves with their endless wisdom. Buddhism Began in India in 5th century BC. Founded on teachings of its leader- Buddha "the enlightened one." Buddha taught followers how to conquer suffering and distress and advised them on how to lead their lives. By following his example Buddhists move closer to heightened state of awareness of enlightenment. The most important teachings with Buddhism concern basic truths about existence. Lives are part of a repeating cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Buddha summed up the problems most humans endure in 4 Noble Truths about suffering. Offered ways to overcome suffering through Noble Eight Fold Path- this path allows some people to break free from cycle of rebirth and achieved state of enlightenment. Om Mani Padme Hum “Om Mani Padme Hum” is the most important and oldest mantra of Tibetan Buddhism. It translates as: Jewel in the Lotus; Jewel with enlightened mind, which arises in the lotus of human consciousness as an expression of Compassion. Pema Chodron American Buddhist nun, student of Chogyam Trumpa (renowned Tibetan meditation Master), and author. Pema Chodron is a leading exponent of teachings on meditation and how they apply to everyday life. Lama Serya Das: Most highly trained American Lama in the Tibetan tradition- leading spokesperson for western Buddhism. He brings the reader the how and why, the tools, and the inspiration to live one's life with spiritual practice as their priority. Communicates wisdom of Buddhism to people of his times and environment. Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th Dali Lama of Tibet. He is loved and revered as an inspiring teacher and respected worldwide as a man of peace. As leader of the Tibetan people he has consistently advocated policies of non-violence even in the face of aggression- an approach that in 1989 won him the Nobel Peace Prize. Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist monk, scholar, and peace activist he has inspired millions with his insight into the human heart and mind. Now he focuses his profound spiritual wisdom on the basic human emotions we all struggle with everyday. Hinduism Hinduism is the eternal truth of life or Saritan Dharma. Describes essential quality that unites all living things (human, animal and vegetable) with the universe that surrounds them and God as source of existence. Purpose of life is to understand the belief in an eternal spiritual truth from which all existence comes and understanding our own spiritual identity or soul. Soul passes through many kinds of life but only as a human can you learn this truth. Reincarnation- the soul being reborn in a new body (human, animal or plant.) Karma- action produces reaction. Everything experienced is linked to past actions in this or previous lifetimes. We can change our actions to change our future. Teaches us to accept responsibility for our behavior and learn from our mistakes. Hindu medicine is Ayurveda. Early teachings recorded in verse form Vedas. Later they became stories found in the Bhagavad-Gita Gita etc. J. Krishnamurti Regarded by many as one who has had most profound impact on the human consciousness. Sage, philosopher, and thinker he gave new meaning to religion by pointing to a way of life that transcends all organized religions. His main concern was to "set man absolutely and uncontrollably free." Baird. J. Spalding Author of Life and Teaching of Masters of the Far East Vol. 1-6. His descriptions of his Far East travels have played an important role in introducing to the western world the knowledge that there are many masters who are assisting and guiding the destinies of mankind. His encounters with the masters present a dramatic unfoldment of spiritual teachings and episodes. Yogananda Paramahansa Yogananda speaks to the deepest needs of the human heart and soul. He shows us how we can meet the daily challenges to our physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well being by awakening our divine nature, the neglected reality at the core of our being. Sai Baba Satya Sai Baba, his followers believe him to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi who died in 1918, appears to have been born with phenomenal powers (which he used in childhood and has employed constantly and openly ever since.) They include all the varieties of E.S.P and P.K. known to psychic science and more. Along with Christ like miracles is a Christ like love and compassion. Ram Das Ram Das is an American psychologist and spiritual teacher who has studied and practiced meditation for many years. He explores many paths of meditation- from mantra, prayer, singing, visualization, and "just sitting" to movement meditations such as Tai Chi. He illuminates the stages and benefits of meditative practice and provides wise and often humorous advice on overcoming difficulties along the way. Symbols The best-known symbol used in the Buddhist and Hindu faith is the ‘Om’. It’s the symbol of spiritual knowledge and it also conveys a sound used during chants. Manifestation of spiritual power chanting ‘Om’ helps connect with the earth's vibrational resonance, and creates feelings of peace, calm and harmony. Sufism Sufism is generally understood by scholars and Sufis to be the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. In spite of many variations and voluminous expressions, the essence of Sufi practice is quite simple. It is that Sufi surrenders to God, in love, over and over again, which involves embracing with love at each moment the content of one's consciousness (one's perceptions, thoughts, feelings, as well as one's sense of self) as gifts of God or, more precisely, as manifestations of God. Rumi Rumi, the 13th century Persian mystic poet, has been called the greatest mystical poet of any age. During a period of 25 years of ongoing creativity, he composed over 70,000 verses of poetry- poetry of divine love, mystic passion and ecstatic illumination. One reason for Rumi's popularity is, as Sharam Shiva puts it, “Rumi is able to verbalize the highly personal/spiritual growth and mysticism in a very forward and direct fashion. He does not offend anyone, and he includes everyone. The world of Rumi is neither exclusively the world of a Sufi, nor the world of a Hindu, nor a Jew, nor a Christian; it is the highest state of human being- a fully evolved human." Tao Tao means ‘the way’. In ancient China, the keeper of the Imperial Library, Lao Tzu, was famous for his wisdom. Perceiving the growing corruption of the government, he left for the countryside. On his way, the guard at the city gates asked Lao Tzu to write out the essence of his understanding to benefit future generations. Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching, left, and was never heard of again. The Tao Te Ching (also called "The Tao", "The Dao" or the "Dao De Jing"), by Lao Tzu, is one of the most influential books in history. It is the source of famous Chinese sayings such as "Those who know do not speak, those who speak, do not know" and "Even a 1,000 mile journey starts with a single step". Ultimate goal of Taoism practice is transcendence of physical boundaries thru the development of the soul and spirit within us. Maritak Chia Born in Thailand from the ancient lineage of Tapist Masters. Chia has a western education in anatomy and physiology. He began the International Healing Tao System, and is the author of over 20 books on Taoism and meditation, sound, breath work (circulating chi energy, releasing tension etc). The major underlying belief in all his work is that if one creates a solid foundation of health and well being in physical body, the basis of developing spiritually is created. Reincarnation Eastern belief that after death, a person’s soul or essence is born into another lifetime. Each lifetime offers an opportunity for spiritual growth, greater consciousness and creating better karma. Karma Law of cause and effect. Whatever a person does affects the universe, which therefore, eventually comes back to him or her through in some form. A very simplistic example would be someone who steals from others would be stolen from or would lose money or property in some form.