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Top 50 Books on Religion
The word ‘faith’ means different things to different people, but it’s an integral part of bringing people together. Whether it’s science, God, or something else entirely, we all need to instil faith in a higher power. We hope our list of top 50 though-provoking books on religion and philosophy can offer you something to deeper believe in.
This is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who dreams of traveling the world in search of a worldly treasure as fabulous as any ever found. From his home in Spain, he journeys to the markets of Tangiers, and from there into the Egyptian desert, where a fateful encounter with the alchemist awaits him with Paulo’s visionary blend of spirituality, magical realism, and folklore, The Alchemist is a global phenomenon. Having sold over 30 million copies worldwide, it is a story with the power to inspire nations and change people’s lives.
The Upanishads by Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr.
In The Upanishads: An Introduction, Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr argues, with greater justification, that the whole of Indian philosophy is a footnote to the Upanishads. What Western scholars perceive to be the religious stigma of the Upanishads is the very reason these texts remain intellectually alive three thousand years after they had been expounded. The Upanishads did not remain static, and served as the crucible for philosophical developments in the centuries that followed. Drawing upon the scholarship of Indologists such as S. Radhakrishnan, Surendranath Dasgupta, Chandradhar Sharma, Daya Krishna, Max Mueller, Karl Harrington Potter and Patrick Olivelle, this handbook introduces the general readers to the tenets of Indian philosophy and its core ideas, discussing them as they unfold in the Upanishads through dialogue and stories.
The Big Questions of Life by Om Swami
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. Loss is unavoidable; grief isn’t. Death is certain. And life? Well, life isn’t certain. Its uncertainty, unpredictability, even its irrationality, make it what it is.Often, we run blindly into fire, we step on snakes, we get entangled in snares — these are the fires of desire, the snakes of attachment, and the snares of jealousy and covetousness. If we are bitten, burnt and hurt, we call it suffering, and believe it to be the way of life, when, in fact, we are mistaking our pain for our suffering. We have little control over the former but the latter is almost entirely in our hands. We can take things in our stride or be tossed on the tide. All it takes is to be able to open our eyes. This choice, we must remember, is ours; always. Om Swami’s new book marks the way to enlightenment through mindful thinking.
Behold, I Make All Things New by Devdutt Pattanaik& Loraine Tulleken
In 2015, a historic panel discussion took place at the global Festival of Theology held in Sweden. Its objective was to examine what the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — had to say about human sexuality. Behold, I Make All Things New is the outcome of the effort. This is a landmark work that recasts religion — especially Abrahamic faiths — as an ally and not an adversary of queer emancipation, and thus significantly informs the secular and legal movements for LGBTQ rights around the world. It follows in the same vein as I Am Divine, So Are You (2017), which put forth perspectives on sexuality from the Karmic faiths of Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism, and played a small but significant role in the reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Taken together, the two groundbreaking books expand the conversation between world religions and human sexuality to a truly global level.
Yoga Mythology by Devdutt Pattanik& Matthew Rulli
The popular names of many yogic asanas — from Virbhadra-asana and Hanuman-asana to Matsyendra-asana, Kurma-asana and Ananta-asana — are based on characters and personages from Indian mythology. Who were these mythological characters, what were their stories, and how are they connected to yogic postures? Devdutt Pattanaik’s newest book Yoga Mythology (co-written with international yoga practitioner Matt Rulli) retells the fascinating tales from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain lore that lie behind the yogic asanas the world knows so well; in the process he draws attention to an Indic worldview based on the concepts of eternity, rebirth, liberation and empathy that has nurtured yoga for thousands of years.
Belief and Beyond by Mukunda Rao
Belief and Beyond delves into the realm of the mystic — Adi Sankara, Allama Prabhu, Kabir, Nagarjuna, Gaudapada, Akka Mahadevi, Lalleshwari, Anandamayi Ma, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Jiddu Krishnamurti, U.G. Krishnamurti, and the Buddha — bringing to life their spiritual quests and the philosophical messages they left behind for humanity. The book explores the search for the non-dual state of being — sahaja sthithi or the natural state — which is not in the realm of experience at all, but a state of being where the borders and boundaries of the divided self have been transcended. The author also weaves in narratives from many difficult-to-access texts, including the Upanishads, the Ashtavakra Gita and the Avadhuta Gita. Written with depth and simplicity, this book is for the seeker and the curious alike.
Holy Censorship or Mistranslation? Love, Gender and Sexuality in the Bible by K. Renato Lings
Holy Censorship or Mistranslation? does a close reading of the Bible and some of its key translations, and shows that negative Christian attitudes to sexuality are not rooted in the sacred text but in centuries of tradition. Combining meticulous scholarship with an accessible writing style, this book offers essential insights into a subject that affects millions.
A Desolation Called Peace by Javaid Iqbal Bhat
The accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union in 1947 had raised objections both in Kashmir and India, echoes of which continue to be heard even today. At the time, Sheikh Abdullah was the uncrowned king of Kashmir; today, his grave is under security lest it be vandalized. What accounts for this change in attitude? A Desolation Called Peace provides important insights to understand the political aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the change in their perceptions since Independence. Written and edited by Kashmiri authors, this collection of ethnographic essays explores the desire for ‘azadi’ as a historical and indigenous demand. While the accounts traverse the period from before 1947 to the momentous time of 1989 when militancy began, the essays illustrate how postcolonial politics has impinged on Kashmiri lives and aspirations, thus paving the way for the intractable dispute of today. This anthology of deeply felt essays will enable an understanding of Kashmir beyond the hackneyed tropes that portray the issue reductively as a proxy war, terrorism or a simple law and order situation.
Why are Hindus so ritualistic? Why do they worship idols? Were Hindus always casteist? Are Hindus supposed to be vegetarian? Why is a Hindu prayer different from a Muslim or Christian prayer? Did the arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand years ago destroy Hindu culture? Answering key questions on Hindu philosophy and associated Indian history in simple, lucid, engaging ways, and exploring the often curious customs and beliefs that are an intrinsic part of the Hindu faith, Devdutt Pattanaik’s latest book is a treasure house of information on the complex tenets of Hinduism. For many a curious reader, Faith: 40 Insights into Hinduism will prove to be a delightful and eye-opening introduction to the intricacies of one of the world’s most practiced religions.
The Gorakhnath Enlightenment by Jayraj Salgaokar
While yoga is accessible to all, the path to becoming a true yogi is known only to a few. An esoteric practice, it requires years of learning, dedication, willpower and the thirst for a connection with the universal consciousness. This mystic science owes everything to two esoteric cults – the Siddhas and the Buddhas, to Hatha Yoga and Buddhist Tantra. The philosophies, paths and deities of these two cults are intimately connected. A blend of these two paths can escalate an individual’s consciousness and help one realise one’s true potential. There are striking differences and similarities between these two cults, bound together by the heterogeneous spiritual thread of Gorakhnath, who devoted himself to the prolific knowledge of yoga and emerged as the greatest yogi ever. The Gorakhnath Enlightenment seeks to explore the teachings and philosophy of Gorakhnath.
My Grandmother’s Tweets by Geeta Gopalakrishnan
In this book, author Geeta Gopalakrishnan presents 109 sayings by the seventh-century saint Avvaiyar that have inspired women for centuries, and continue to inspire the new generation. Using multiple examples from Indian and Western mythology, as well as real life, she illustrates the veracity of these age-old aphorisms. Reminiscent of The Alchemist in the simplicity of the narration, this book will inspire readers while providing helpful life lessons that cut through eras and religions.
Purifying the Land of the Pure by Farahnaz Ispahani
When Pakistan was created in 1947, the country sought to provide a new homeland for South Asia’s Muslims, the largest religious minority in the subcontinent at the time. At first, Pakistan welcomed all its new citizens, Muslim and non-Muslim alike; its inclusivity was important, since 23 per cent of Pakistan’s population before independence was non-Muslim. Today, however, non-Muslims comprise a mere 3 per cent of the population, and in recent years all except those following an exclusivist version of Sunni Islam have been subjected to increasing levels of persecution and violence. In Purifying the Land of the Pure, Farahnaz Ispahani shows how the process of creating an Islamic state began soon after Independence, but it was General Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime that started promoting an intolerant version of Sunni Islam at the expense of other denominations. Ispahani stresses how the contradictions at the heart of the Pakistani state-building project have fuelled intolerance.This revised edition, including a new preface and a new chapter, brings the story of the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan up to date.
Traditional religious discourses have failed to account for the biological process involved in the attaining of Nirvana. Drawing from sources as varied as the Pali canon, Mahayana texts, Zen Buddhism, J. Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharshi, U.G. Krishnamurti, Nietzsche, postmodernist thinkers and biological sciences, The Buddha retells the story of the Buddha and discusses his teachings in physical and physiological terms. This radical new reading turns most of the central spiritual concepts on their head, and hopes, in the course of time, to put an end to the rivalry between science and religion and, indeed, among the various religions.
The Promise of Beauty and Why It Matters by Shakti Maira
‘The idea of beauty is highly conflicted terrain. Does it only have to do with how things look? Is it merely prettiness? Is it entirely subjective? Does it serve a function?Historically, beauty has been held in high esteem: ‘beauty is truth, truth beauty,’ the poet Keats wrote. Why then do the high priests of the arts and the arguably progressive socio-political thinkers of the day shun it? Shakti Maira explains how the problem lies with the confused understanding of beauty and with beauty becoming superficially located: quite literally, on the skin. What would happen, he asks, if beauty were to become central to every aspect of our lives: environment, education, economics and governance? Maira engages eighteen eminent thinkers in a series of conversations around the difficult, enthralling notion of beauty. Scientists explore whether there is an evolutionary purpose to it. Philosophers examine its relationship to truth and goodness. Artists speak of beauty and its rejection. Brain-mind experts consider whether the experience of it strengthens certain neural pathways connected with the qualities of balance, harmony, rhythm and proportion. Activists probe how beauty works in the context of social systems. What emerges is a deeper understanding of beauty and how it is a key to our world: a radical new way of evaluating problems and finding solutions, from the personal to the political, the individual to the universal.
Shi-va’ is ‘that which is not’, a primordial emptiness; Shiva is also the first-ever yogi, Adiyogi, the one who first perceived this emptiness. Adiyogi is symbol and myth, historic figure and living presence, creator and destroyer, outlaw and ascetic, cosmic dancer and passionate lover, all at once. A book like no other, this extraordinary document is a tribute to Shiva, the Adiyogi, by a living yogi; a chronicle of the progenitor of mysticism by a contemporary mystic. Here science and philosophy merge seamlessly, so do silence and sound, question and answer–to capture the unspeakable enigma of Adiyogi in a spellbinding wave of words and ideas that will leave one entranced, transformed.
The life of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ‘enables us to see God face to face’, Gandhiji wrote. Similarly, when someone in his circle was distraught, the Mahatma sent him to spend time at the Ashram of Ramana Maharshi. The Paramahamsa and the Maharshi have been among the greatest spiritual figures of our country. They have transformed the lives of and have been a solace to millions. Their peak, mystic experience is what we yearn to have. But what if several of the experiences they had occur in other circumstances also? With the rigour and painstaking research that mark all his work, Shourie probes the lives of two of India’s greatest spiritual masters in the light of the breath-taking advances in neuroscience as well as psychology and sociology. The result is a book of remarkable vigour: an examination – and ultimately reconciliation – of science and faith as also of seemingly antagonistic, irreconcilable worldviews.
Amma’s Pearls of Wisdom by Mata Amritanandamayi
Amma travels the world, alternating long hours of darshan with the maternal hug she gives to all who come to her, and her teachings. Here are some of her most beautiful pearls of wisdom, one for each day of the year, set out in the form of a perpetual calendar. Amma’s life is her only message: give everything and give of oneself. Her religion is love.
Evocative, expansive and intensely spiritual, Carving a Sky explores the necessity of space in a human’s life that leads one to attain intellectual and emotional fulfilment. It narrates the story of a monk and a passenger on a train who discuss the meaning of existence and the roots of a person’s strength, growth and freedom. Deeply embedded in Hindu scriptures, this book will be an invaluable guide in your life’s journey.
The Journey Within by Radhanath Swami
The mysteries of the soul have evaded mystics, sages, and gurus for centuries. Humanity has long yearned to discover the answer to our existence, and many spiritual traditions have evolved to provide those answers through sacred texts that facilitate journeys of transformation and discovery. Yet, never before have all of the spiritual traditions been distilled so simply into one easy-to-follow path – a path of love and devotion. In this long-awaited follow-up to The Journey Home, The Journey Within guides readers through the essential teachings of bhakti yoga. World-renowned spiritual leader Radhanath Swami draws from his personal experiences to demystify the ancient devotional path of bhakti, capturing its essence and explaining its simple principles for balancing our lives.His down-to-earth writing simplifies spiritual concepts and answers timeless questions in a heartfelt narrative that brings this sacred philosophy beautifully to life. What is love? What is the soul? Who is God? How can we live in the physical world without losing touch with the spiritual? In concise and approachable language, Radhanath Swami sheds light on how to answer these vital questions and offers solutions to life’s challenges with the simplest of resources. Reach beyond the material world and journey within to discover the beauty of the true self.
Zealot by Reza Aslan
From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth. Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher from Galilee launched a revolutionary movement proclaiming the ‘Kingdom of God’, and threatened the established order of first-century Palestine. Defying both Imperial Rome and its collaborators in the Jewish religious hierarchy, he was captured, tortured and executed as a state criminal. Within decades, his followers would call him the Son of God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry, an era awash in apocalyptic fervour, when scores of Jewish prophets and would-be messiahs wandered the Holy Land bearing messages from God
Volume One of this great epic follows Rama’s life through his growing-up years and his exile in the forest to Sita’s abduction and Hanuman’s leap of faith. Modern scholars claim that the Ramayana was first composed around 300 BC. The epic is called the Adi Kavya, the world’s first poem. Ramesh Menon’s The Ramayana is a novelist’s lush, imaginative rendering, rather than a scholar’s translation.
Attukal Amma by Lekshmy Rajeev
Attukal Amma is the people’s Goddess; she is Bhadrakali, the all-pervading and protecting Mother. Legend has it that the Goddess chose the spot at Attukal, near Thiruvananthapuram, for an abode. Millions of women devotees the world over repose their unalloyed love and trust in Attukal Amma, and they throng Attukal during the annual Pongala festival. Attukal Amma: The Goddess of Millions familiarizes the reader with the Bhadrakali cult in Kerala and provides a ringside view of the Pongala festival and the various rituals associated with it, even as it raises doubts about the authenticity of the myth of Kannagi, the heroine of Chilapathikaram, associated with the temple. The pages of this book are interspersed with rare photographs and paintings, some of them depicting candid moments of the awe-inspiring rituals of the worship of Goddess Bhadrakali. It introduces the reader to the esoteric world of rites and rituals of daily worship at the temple.
Hindutva or Hind Swaraj by R. Ananthamurthy
The very last work of Jnanpith award winner and preeminent writer U.R. Ananthamurthy is a timely reading, and trenchant critique, of the rise of Hindutva nationalism in India. Juxtaposing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder V.D. Savarkar’s idea of Hindutva with M.K. Gandhi’s concept of Hind Swaraj, the book examines two directions that were open to India at the time of Independence. Born out of a meditation of the idea of the nation state and nationalism, and what the new power structures and centres mean for the very idea of India, the essay uses shifting tones and styles to make a deep, elegant and heartfelt point about the human cost of radicalization.
After Buddhism by Stephen Batchelor
After Buddhism, the culmination of four decades of study and practice in the Tibetan, Zen and Theravada traditions, is Stephen Batchelor’s attempt to set the record straight about who the Buddha was and what he was trying to teach. Combining critical readings of the earliest canonical texts with narrative accounts of five members of the Buddha’s inner circle, Batchelor depicts the Buddha as a pragmatic ethicist rather than a dogmatic metaphysician. He envisions Buddhism as a constantly evolving culture of awakening, whose long survival is due to its capacity to reinvent itself and interact creatively with each society it encounters.
Paratpar
Pramukh Swamiji, one of the most inspiring spiritual leaders of modern times and the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, is the inheritor of a legacy of enlightened gurus that goes back to the early nineteenth century. Pramukh Swamiji became, through a chance meeting, friend to one of India’s most eminent citizens, the eleventh president of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and together they created an unparalleled fellowship of science and spirituality. In Paratpar, Dr Kalam, with his co-author and pupil Arun Tiwari, maps a journey of self-realization reflected in the compassionate eyes of Pramukh Swamiji, painting a delightfully open-hearted portrait of the fusion of spirituality, science and leadership. His candid vignettes from life on the centre stage of Indian technology and societal missions, Indian politics and world affairs are interwoven with revelations of a profound connection with Swamiji. He describes how his path has been illuminated by Swamiji’s words and his inspirational, loving presence. Through the life of Pramukh Swamiji and the transnational work of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, Dr Kalam traces the contemporary concerns of the Indian diaspora across the world and the emerging Indian identity of a capable, right-thinking and hardworking people. Drawing from the lives of great scientists and creative leaders, Paratpar captures the essence of all religions and is as much a fountain of inspiration and a treasury of wisdom as it is a tribute to the multi-faith, pluralistic Indian society.
The Curious Case Of Binayak Sen by Dilip D Souza
In May 2007, paediatrician, public health specialist and civil rights activist Binayak Sen was arrested, accused of acting as a courier between jailed Naxalite leader Narayan Sanyal and businessman Piyush Guha. In December 2010, a Sessions Court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, found all three guilty of sedition and cooperating with terrorist organizations. The judge sentenced them to life imprisonment. This triggered an outpouring of outrage across human rights and citizens’ groups in India and abroad. Award-winning author Dilip D’Souza casts an unflinching look at the entire case as it unfolded. Through his clinical dissection of the court evidence, charge sheets and judgment, D’Souza gives an insight into the often flawed mechanism of justice in India. While analysing the roles of the judiciary and executive in a democracy, he also looks at the poor state of rural health care, which contributed to the rise of the Naxalite movement and thus, arguably, to Sen’s imprisonment. Uncompromisingly honest and hard-hitting, The Curious Case of Binayak Sen throws light on issues of state power and individual freedom, issues which too often get obscured by shrill headlines and state propaganda.
The Evolution Of Gods by Ajay Kansal
Did gods create mankind, or did mankind create gods? Why, when and how did mankind begin to worship gods? Religious scriptures the world over claim that one or the other god made man, but science has not yet identified any supernatural power that created and governed human beings. Was it man who came up with the idea of gods to help him cope with his own fears? Could it be that ancient people attributed natural phenomena-unfathomable and frightening to them-to the working of invisible gods? What kind of sufferings or bewilderments made people bow before unseen powers or gods as we call them? When were these gods created? Who invented morals and methods of worship? Who wrote the ancient scriptures such as the Bible and the Vedas? Most crucially, have gods and the scriptures shaped our responses to the world around us? The Evolution of Gods seeks to answer these questions, and explains scientifically how, when and why religions and gods came into being. Ajay Kansal marshals anthropological and historical facts about the development of religions in a simple and straightforward manner to assert that it was mankind that created gods, and not the other way around.
Understanding Joy And Sorrow by Acharya Mahapragya
The cycle of joy and sorrow is perennial. Yet, they are largely of our own making. There is no market where we can go and buy either. As their source is not outside but within us, therefore, it is possible for us to transform or control them too. This is a vastly complex subject that man has struggled with for aeons. In Understanding Joy and Sorrow, Acharya Mahapragya, the tenth Acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth sect and one of the most respected Jain thinkers of the world, outlines the causes, aspects and remedies of our unhappiness in twenty-one succinct chapters. Given here are chapters that address the role of anger, stress and desire in sorrow and those like detachment and fearlessness which help us be happy. Drawing upon anecdotes and examples, he holds up a mirror to our innermost fears and concerns. Alongside are five key exercises such as kayotsarga and antaryatra that provide a pathway to reaching mental calm. Kayotsarga is the process of relaxation of all the muscles in the body that helps one to release stress; antaryatra is the focussing of attention on the body’s centre of energy to reach a state of balance and peace. Together with the other exercises given in the book these make it one of the most accessible books available on the subject, one that any reader can keep handy and benefit from by dipping into time and again.
Ten years ago, in his bestselling Ethics for a New Millennium, His Holiness the Dalai Lama first proposed an approach to ethics based on universal rather than religious principles. Now, in Beyond Religion, the Dalai Lama, at his most compassionate and outspoken, elaborates and deepens his vision for the non-religious way. Transcending the mere ‘religion wars’, he outlines a system of ethics for our shared world, one that gives full respect to religion. With the highest level of spiritual and intellectual authority, the Dalai Lama makes a stirring appeal for what he calls a ‘third way’, a path to an ethical and happy life, and to a global human community based on understanding and mutual respect. Beyond Religion is an essential statement from the Dalai Lama, a blueprint for all those who may choose not to identify with a religious tradition, yet yearn for a life of spiritual fulfilment as they work for a better world.
Being Different by Rajiv Malhotra
In Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism, thinker and philosopher Rajiv Malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engagement on differences, by reversing the gaze, repositioning India from being the observed to the observer and looking at the West from the dharmic point of view. In doing so, he challenges many hitherto unexamined beliefs that both sides hold about themselves and each other. He highlights that while unique historical revelations are the basis for Western religions, dharma emphasizes self-realization in the body here and now. He also points out the integral unity that underpins dharma’s metaphysics and contrasts this with Western thought and history as a synthetic unity. Erudite and engaging, Being Different critiques fashionable reductive translations and analyses the West’s anxiety over difference and fixation for an order which contrast the creative role of chaos in dharma. It concludes with a rebuttal of Western claims of universalism while recommending a multi-cultural worldview.
Confession Of A Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor
In this groundbreaking portrait of the Buddha, former Buddhist monk and modern seeker Stephen Batchelor shows us the Buddha as a flesh-and-blood person who looked at life in a radically new way. He also reveals the challenges of his own devotional journey – from meeting the Dalai Lama in India, to training as a monk in South Korea, to finding his path as a lay teacher of Buddhism. Charting his journey from hippie to monk to lay practitioner, teacher and interpreter of Buddhist thought, Batchelor reconstructs the historical Buddha’s life, locating him within the social and political context of his world. In examining the ancient texts of the Pali Canon, the earliest record of the Buddha’s life and teachings, Batchelor argues that the Buddha was more interested in the question of how human beings should live in this world than in notions of karma and the afterlife. Both controversial and deeply personal, Confession of a Buddhist Atheist is a fascinating exploration of a religion that continues to engage the West.
Jihad On Two Fronts by Dilip Hiro
Since the partition of India in 1947, the history of the Indian subcontinent has been hostage to endless conflicts between India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Over the last decade and more, the region has borne the brunt of terrorist violence perpetrated by fundamentalist Islamic groups which originated and thrived in Afghanistan as a counterforce to the large presence of Soviet troops in the 1980s. Jihadists from Pakistan, assisted by the newly formed Al Qaida, have focused on liberating Kashmir from India, leading to a backlash in India. The overarching aim of jihadist organizations in South Asia is to escalate tensions between Pakistan and India, raising the prospect of nuclear conflagration between the two nations. The Line of Control in Kashmir is the most dangerous border in the world and will remain so until and unless the jihadist movement in the region is defeated. So it is imperative to understand the complicated equation involving Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Jihad on Two Fronts attempts to do just that. With his extraordinary understanding of the region and of all the players in the complex matrix, Dilip Hiro shows how the interrelated jihadist movement in Afghanistan and Pakistan have affected India and how the scenario poses a serious threat to the more than 1.5 billion people who inhabit the region.
The Essential Koran by Thomas Cleary
The Qur’an is universally known as the sacred book of Islam, and in today’s world it is as important to the non-Muslim community as to the Muslim one. Chapters and sections included in this volume aim to introduce the non-Muslim reader to the essential wisdom, beauty and majesty of this sacred book. The present translation makes some passages of the admirable book more accessible to those seeking to understand its meaning in easily comprehensible language. Thomas Cleary, with his poet’s touch and a traveller’s love for the journey to Truth, has crafted a stunning evocation of the ‘untranslatable’ verses of the noble Qur’an, pointing out facts like ‘Islam does not demand unreasoned belief’ along the way. For too long, the West has viewed the Qur’an as shrouded in an alien time and culture. In The Essential Koran, Cleary has distilled the essence of Islam to include all the key spiritual passages. Each section is presented with explanatory notes in a historical and logical order to reveal the depths of Islamic spirituality.
The Sufi Courtyard by Dehlvi Sadia
Discover the history of India’s capital city through the fascinating lives and teachings of its Sufi saints The Sufi Courtyard takes you on a journey through the famous and lesser-known dargahs of Delhi. From the first Sufi centre established in Mehrauli by Khwaja Qutub Bakhtiar Kaki during the early days of the Delhi Sultanate to later nineteenth century Sufi retreats in the city, the author explores the spiritual, cultural and historical legacy of the Delhi Sufis, making this book as much about Delhi as it is about Sufism. For centuries, the dargahs of Delhi have attracted large numbers of devotees belonging to different countries, faiths and backgrounds who seek spiritual solace and grant of their wishes. The magnetism of dargahs emanates from the personalities of the extraordinary Sufis buried in the premises. Through a simple narrative, Sadia Dehlvi brings to life the philosophies and stories of their lives.
This engaging and well-researched narrative provides an insider’s understanding of Islam in all its aspects. It elaborates on how Sufism is the preserved spiritual path that forms the heart of Islam. Drawing from an in-depth study of Muslim texts and traditions, the author articulates that Sufism is not an innovation, but the continuity of a thought process that links Muslims to their religious predecessors all the way to Prophet Muhammad. The book covers the remarkable lives of the early Sufis, their literature, and philosophies that stress on the purification of the heart. It highlights the major Sufi orders, their popularity in the subcontinent and how the teachings of Sufi Masters impacted the devotional aspect of Muslims forever. This comprehensive account spans from early Islam to the modern-day concerns of militant ideologies, arguing how they pose the biggest threat to the classical understanding of the faith. It offers an insightful look at the complex relationship of Sufism with both Muslim and non-Muslim societies.
Sun-tzu’s The Art of War is the classic work on strategic thinking. Throughout recorded history, Sun-tzu’s wisdom, rules, and philosophy have been eagerly embraced by warriors, leaders, and gentle contemplators alike. This edition is an entirely new text based on manuscripts discovered in Linyi, China, in 1972 that predate all previous texts by as many as one thousand years. To better convey Sun-tzu’s original intent, translator, researcher, and interpreter J. H. Huang traced the roots of the language to Sun-tzu’s own time—before 221 b.c. In addition to his wonderfully clear interpretation, Huang gives readers an introduction to the history behind The Art of War, includes six appendices—five of which were uncovered at Linyi and are not available in any other edition—and offers his own insightful comments on the meaning of the text.
365 Tao: Daily Meditations by Ming-Dao Deng
The Tao is constantly moving, the path that all life and the whole universe takes. There is nothing that is not part of it—harmonious living is to know and to move with the Tao—it is a way of life, the natural order of things, a force that flows through all life. 365 Tao is a contemporary book of meditations on what it means to be wholly a part of the Taoist way, and thus to be completely in harmony with oneself and the surrounding world. Deng Ming-Dao is the author of eight books, including The Living I Ching, Chronicles of Tao, Everyday Tao, and Scholar Warrior. His books have been translated into fifteen languages. He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for thirteen years, and with two other masters before that.
Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi
Internationally renowned and bestselling author Donna Farhi moves yoga practice beyond the mat into our everyday lives, restoring the tradition’s intended function as a complete, practical philosophy for daily living.
This Idea Must Die by John Brockman
By the bestselling editor of This Explains Everything, now 175 of the world’s most brilliant minds tackle Edge.org’s 2014 question: What scientific idea is ready for retirement? Contributors include Jared Diamond, Ian McEwan, Steven Pinker, Richard Dawkins, and more.
An Appeal to the World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
In this urgent ‘appeal to the world’, His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses our time of division, calling on us to draw upon the innate goodness of our shared humanity to overcome the rancour, mistrust, and divisiveness that threaten world peace and sustainability. Working with trusted collaborator Franz Alt, the Dalai Lama calls on the better angels of our nature to tackle a wide range of contemporary issues, from war, violence and intolerance to climate change, global hunger and materialism. Applying the techniques and teachings of Tibetan Buddhism – from listening and contemplation to meditation and nonviolence – His Holiness provides a roadmap forward. Brief yet profound, An Appeal to the World is an inspiring message of love and optimism that can truly change the world.
The Tree of Yoga by K. S. Iyengar
A recognised classic, The Tree of Yoga is B K S Iyengar’s teaching and advice for how to life a long, healthy, happy life. The Tree is made of many parts – all of which are vital to the health and wholeness of the tree. Like the Tree our lives are made up from many elements – all of which need our care. The Tree of Yoga identifies the important areas according to ancient yoga wisdom – and shows how we can lead a fulfilling, happy life once we understand and pay attention to each special part of life. Inspirational chapters cover our responsibilities to ourselves and to the other people in our lives over the years as we mature from youth to old age.
Rumi: Whispers of the Beloved by Maryam/Kolin Mafi
Jalal-uddin Rumi was born in what is now Afghanistan in 1207. His poetry has inspired generations of spiritual seekers, both from his own Sufi school and well beyond. His poems speak to the seeker and the lover in all of us. In recent years, interest in Rumi has skyrocketed, with perfomances, CDs by Deepak Chopra, and filmed versions of his life all in the work. In these beautiful, simple new translations – 100 in all – his timeless appeal is obvious. Publication is timed not only because this is an ideal gift, but also to coincide with Rumi’s death day (the day he is celebrated) 17 December.
Pope Francis in his Own Words by Julie Schwietert Collazo and Lisa Rogak
Pope Francis won the hearts of Catholics all over the world when he was elected in March 2013, with his natural humility and commitment to putting those who are poor at the centre of his mission. Jorge Mario Bergoglio – the 265th successor of St Peter and the first non-European Pope in over 1200 years – has encouraged people to live simpler lives and shown the world a more compassionate face of Catholicism, bringing fresh hope for a renewal in the Church. In his own life, he has long demonstrated both his belief in simplicity and his concern for those who are poor, refusing to live in palatial accommodation during his tenure as a cardinal in Buenos Aires, riding the bus to work and even persuading the diocese to allow a group of poor missionaries to live in the official residence.
Muhammad: Prophet for Our Time by Karen Armstrong
Muslims claim that in 650 AD, at the age of forty, Muhammad had a visitation from the Angel Gabriel telling him that he had been chosen to learn, recite and spread the words of God to man in verses that would later make up the Qu’ran. He slowly developed into a prophet, preaching monotheism to the masses. He was initially mocked and rejected by many and risked numerous assassination attempts throughout his life. At a critical time, he also made the revolutionary decision to break all ties with his Muslim tribe thereby proclaiming that the bonds of Islam took precedence over anything else. The Islamic empire thus expanded into Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain.
Memories, Dreams, Reflections: An Autobiography by Carl Jung
In the spring of 1957, when he was eighty-one years old, Carl Gustav Jung undertook the telling of his life story. Memories, Dreams, Reflections is that book, composed of conversations with his colleague and friend Aniela Jaffé, as well as chapters written in his own hand, and other materials. Jung continued to work on the final stages of the manuscript until shortly before his death on June 6, 1961, making this a uniquely comprehensive reflection on a remarkable life.
It is fashionable among intellectuals to assert that dharma traditions lacked any semblance of unity before the British period and that the contours of contemporary Hinduism were bequeathed to us by our colonial masters. Such arguments routinely target Swami Vivekananda, a key interlocutor who shattered many deeply rooted prejudices against Indian civilization. They accuse him of having camouflaged various alleged ‘contradictions’ within traditional Hinduism and charge him with having appropriated the principles of Western religion to ‘manufacture’ a unified world view and a set of practices known today as Hinduism. Rajiv Malhotra offers a systematic rejoinder to such views and articulates the holographic understanding of reality that grounds Hindu dharma.
Acharya Mahapragya by Sohan Lal Gandhi
Acharya Mahapragya (1920-2010) — the tenth acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth — was a divine presence. One of the most revered Jain thinkers, he was often hailed as a ‘modern Vivekananda’. He delved deep into the inner world and devised Preksha Meditation, a scientifically tested system to know the self. He was also a scholar of Indian and Western philosophy and religion, a prolific writer and the brain behind the Jain Vishva Bharati University. Born in a village in Rajasthan, he became a monk at the age of ten and received his education under Acharya Tulsi, who launched the Anuvrat Movement in 1949 to rid the world of hatred. Acharya Mahapragya himself undertook the Ahimsa Yatra in 2001, traversing more than 10,000 km on foot. This remarkable feat at the age of eighty-one won him the Communal Harmony Award in 2004. Acharya Mahapragya: A Journey to Wisdom traces his growth from little Nathmal, who would fly into a rage and refuse to eat, to his asceticism, which earned him the name of Mahapragya — the very embodiment of wisdom and inner peace. It offers insights into his thoughts on science and spirituality, and the philosophy of anekanta. A much-needed examination of a towering figure whose relevance is not confined to the faith he belonged to.
Rishabhayan by Acharya Mahaprgya
The story of Tirthankara Rishabha has passed down generations of Jains. Acharya Mahapragya, the tenth Acharya of the Jain Swetambar Terapanth, presents it to us in a composition of 2,000 verses. Tracing the evolution of human civilization as it grew from a society based on need to one attached to material possessions, the epic depicts the search for truth and the role of renunciation and sacrifice in it. As the first king, Rishabha does his primary duty of ensuring the well-being of his subjects. But then one spring morning, a small thought on the withering away of flowers triggers deep reflection in him: Is there more to life than reigning over a kingdom? To discover the meaning of life, he renounces his kingdom and wanders up to the Himalayas, thus introducing the idea of monkhood. With enlightenment comes the realization that all living beings have a soul that is indestructible and permanent and that true happiness lies in freedom from all attachment. Thus evolve the pillars of Jainism based on self-introspection and non-violence. Capturing the subtle dilemmas of the human soul caught in the mesh of existence, this translation by eminent translator Sudhamahi Regunathan offers the classic in a contemporary idiom, something to read aloud and savour for both the general reader and the scholar alike.
The Bhagavadgita by Radhakrishnan
A classic rendering of one of the world’s greatest epics The Bhagavadgita, or ‘Sacred Song’, holds an assured place among the world’s great scriptures. In fourteen hundred lines of verse, the relationship of man with God and the intense joy of divine love are celebrated in a language that is precise and beautiful. This edition of the Bhagavadgita offers the Sanskrit text as well as S. Radhakrishnan’s English translation and a commentary that has become a classic.
Between the Serpent and the Rope by Mukunda Rao
Between the Serpent and the Rope is a candid reckoning of some of the most notable spiritual movements in south India today. If it is on the one hand a deeply personal journey, on the other, it is an inquiry into the meaning and significance of spirituality in modern-day India. The book examines notions of enlightenment, freedom, wisdom and peace through multiple perspectives and spiritual traditions. Many writers, spiritual aspirants and monks have traversed this difficult, often mystifying territory, but Mukunda Rao brings to bear his critical bent of mind, the skills of a novelist and spiritual quest on it. His evocative yet deceptively simple prose allows for penetrating, startlingly fresh insights into the working of traditional ashrams and the culture of spiritual search. Moving from Kaladi to Thiruvannamalai to Pondicherry and to other spiritual centres, the narrative is a treasure trove of fascinating stories and an illuminating study of the lives and teachings of spiritual masters such as Sankaracharya, Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Akka Mahadevi, Ramana Maharshi, Sri Aurobindo, the Mother, Jiddu Krishnamurti and U.G. Krishnamurti. It is also a scathing take on the modern-day avatars and gurus that include Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Kalki Bhagavan, Sri Sri Ravishankar and Mata Amritanandamayi.Large hearted yet questioning, Between the Serpent and the Rope is as inspiring as it is challenging.
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