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The Diamond Sutra
by Mu SoengIn this brilliant new translation and commentary on The Diamond Sutra--one of the sublime wisdom teachings of Mahayana Buddhism--Mu Soeng integrates this ancient wisdom teaching with current scientific and psychological thought. His clear and readable commentary traces the connections between these teachings and contemporary theories of quantum reality, explores the sutra within the framework of Buddhist meditation practices, and provides a comprehensive historical survey of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Mu Soeng's goal throughout is to reveal the inspiration and wisdom of The Diamond Sutra to today's reader in an accessible, engaging, and modern manner.
The Diamond Sutra
by Red PineZen Buddhism is often said to be a practice of mind–to–mind transmission without reliance on texts ––in fact, some great teachers forbid their students to read or write. But Buddhism has also inspired some of the greatest philosophical writings of any religion, and two such works lie at the center of Zen: The Heart Sutra, which monks recite all over the world, and The Diamond Sutra, said to contain answers to all questions of delusion and dualism. This is the Buddhist teaching on the perfection of wisdom and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice. As Red Pine explains: The Diamond Sutra may look like a book, but it's really the body of the Buddha. It's also your body, my body, all possible bodies. But it's a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. It doesn't exist in space or time. Nor is it a construct of the mind. It's no mind. And yet because it's no mind, it has room for compassion. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond.
The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng
by Christmas Humphreys A F Price W.Y. Evans-Wentz Wong Mou-LamThe Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature and is the oldest existing printed book in the world. It is known as the Diamond Sutra because its teachings are said to be like diamonds that cut away all dualistic thought, releasing one from the attachment to objects and bringing one to the further shore of enlightenment. The format of this important sutra is presented as a conversation between the Buddha and one of his disciples. The Sutra of Hui-neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. Hui-neng (638-713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China, but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. He was a poor, illiterate woodcutter who is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the Diamond Sutra. Together, these two scriptures present the central teaching of the Zen Buddhist tradition and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism.
The Diamond Sutra: The Buddha also said…
by OshoWritten more than 25 centuries ago, the Diamond Sutra is the first text to record the Buddha’s own teachings, and it remains one of the most popular. One day, after the Buddha finishes his daily walk to collect alms, a senior monk steps forth to ask how he can best help humanity. Buddha responds, and thus begins a dialogue regarding the nature of perception. Renowned spiritual teacher Osho offers his unique interpretation of the Buddha's words, writing in an easy, humorous, and conversational style that makes even the most complex ideas understandable.
The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion
by Thich Nhat HanhThe Diamond Sutra has fascinated Buddhists for centuries because of its insights into dualism and illusion. It illuminates how our minds construct limited categories of thought. It offers us alternative ways to look at the world in its wholeness so we can encounter a deeper reality; develop reverence for the environment and more harmonious communities, families, and relationships; and act in the world skillfully and effectively. In his trademark style of making even the most esoteric teachings accessible and meaningful for our every day life, Thich Nhat Hanh writes with great humor, even about the more mundane applications of the sutra, such as the insights one may gain while peeing into the woods: "After I studied the Diamond Sutra . . . I realized that peeing is also a marvelous and wondrous reality, our gift to the universe. We only have to pee mindfully, with great respect for ourselves and whatever surroundings we are in."
The Diaries of Adam & Eve: Translated by Mark Twain
by Mark TwainThe most complete edition of Twain's two stories, it uses Mark Twain's preferred text and includes passages not previously included--and not available in any other version. The editor's afterword tells how Twain came to write the "Diaries," which are recognized today as his most personal works of fiction. "Funny? Yes. And you expect that from Twain. But this is also a love story... " --Birmingham Weekly, May 1999 "The sort of book that makes for deeply satisfying reading... one of the great love stories of all time." --The Mark Twain Forum, January 1999
The Diary of Dawid Sierakowiak: Five Notebooks From the Lodz Ghetto
by Dawid Sierakowiak"In the evening I had to prepare food and cook supper, which exhausted me totally. In politics there's absolutely nothing new. Again, out of impatience I feel myself beginning to fall into melancholy. There is really no way out of this for us. " This is Dawid Sierakowiak's final diary entry. Soon after writing it, the young author died of tuberculosis, exhaustion, and starvation--the Holocaust syndrome known as "ghetto disease. " After the liberation of the Lodz Ghetto, his notebooks were found stacked on a cookstove, ready to be burned for heat. Young Sierakowiak was one of more than 60,000 Jews who perished in that notorious urban slave camp, a man-made hell which was the longest surviving concentration of Jews in Nazi Europe. The diary comprises a remarkable legacy left to humanity by its teenage author. It is one of the most fastidiously detailed accounts ever rendered of modern life in human bondage.
The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul
by Maria Faustina KowalskaThe actual diary of Saint Faustina, who died in Poland right before the start of World War II at the age of 33 and was canonized in 2000. Saint Faustina's writings sparked the Divine Mercy movement, one of the fastest growing movements in the Catholic Church. The Diary chronicles Saint Fausina's great experience of Divine Mercy in her soul and her mission to share that mercy with the world. This amazing narrative will stir readers' hearts and souls as it shares the experience of a simple Polish nun in the years leading up to World War II.
The Diatessaron of Tatian the Assyrian
by TatianThis edition of the Diatessaron of Tatian presents a reader-friendly version of the most popular unified account of Jesus’s life and teachings, as written in the gospels, for over three centuries, and a crucial link to the early history of the church and Christian doctrine. The Diatessaron takes center stage in Ian Caldwell’s new breakout novel The Fifth Gospel.Composed in the 2nd century CE, the Diatessaron is Tatian’s combination of the texts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into one comprehensive timeline of Jesus’s life. Tatian the Assyrian, an obscure but highly controversial theologian who was expelled from the early Church, tried to fill in the gaps left by the traditional four gospels and resolve their contradictions.The Diatessaron was a major source for the story of the life of Christ until the 6th Century CE when it fell into obscurity and the four gospels took its place in the order of the New Testament.This original translation by Reverend Hope W. Hogg, B.D. preserves Tatian’s chronology and allows readers access to this little-known ancient text and a crucial link to the early Church and the life and death of Jesus.
The Dice Game of Shiva
by Richard SmoleyIn this fascinating book, Richard Smoley examines the roles God has played for us and reconciles them with what we today know through science and reason. In the process, he shows that consciousness is the underlying reality beneath everything in the universe. In one of Hinduism's great myths, Shiva plays a dice game with his consort, Parvati, and loses consistently. If he is the greatest god, why does he lose? Through this story, Richard Smoley explores the interplay between consciousness, represented by Shiva, and experience, exemplified by Parvati. He draws on numerous disciplines to offer an illuminating exploration of mind and matter and a provocative understanding of consciousness, the self, and the world.
The Dick: A Novel
by Bruce Jay FriedmanA pencil-pushing policeman becomes a badass sleuth in this off-the-wall detective story from one of America's funniest writers Kenneth LePeters (née Sussman) is a "quasi-dick." A public relations man for homicide bureaus, he carries a half-size badge and keeps his pearl-handled Smith & Wesson .38 locked in his desk drawer. Recently returned to the East Coast after 17 years in America's heartland, he finds the cosmopolitan air of a big-city police department refreshing--the detectives treat him almost like a real member of the homicide family. Then everything goes horribly wrong. . . . A zoning quirk of their new neighborhood forces the LePeters's 10-year-old daughter, Jamie, to go to the worst school in town. Blaming her husband, Claire LePeters starts an affair with Detective Chico, a cop turned underground filmmaker. To make matters worse, when his colleagues discover that LePeters is Jewish, their bonhomie dries up as fast as a false lead. To reclaim his manhood and get his family back, LePeters must become the full-fledged dick he never thought he could be. Bruce Jay Friedman's twisted take on the cop novel is a hilarious, mordant, and wildly inventive portrait of a man daring to succeed in a world that has always expected him to fail. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Bruce Jay Friedman including rare photos from the author's personal collection.
The Dictator Pope: The Inside Story of the Francis Papacy
by Marcantonio ColonnaThe Inside Story of the Francis Papacy Could Pope Francis be the most tyrannical and unprincipled pontiff in modern times? Yes, says Church historian Marcantonio Colonna, in his controversial yet judicious new book, The Dictator Pope. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope in 2013 as a liberal and a reformer. In fact, he was neither—except by coincidence. Though he was not well-known within the College of Cardinals that elected him, close observers in his native land already recognized him to be a manipulative politician, skilled at self-promotion, and a disciple of the populist dictator Juan Perón. Behind the mask of a genial man of the people is a pope who cares shockingly little about theology or the liturgy but is obsessed with his own power. Allying himself with the most corrupt elements in the Vatican, Francis rules by fear. He has obstructed or reversed the very reforms that were expected of him and attempted to alter Catholic teaching by subterfuge. In The Dictator Pope you will learn: Why the head of Francis’s own religious order thought he should not be made a bishop Why Francis may have diverted Church funds to support Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential campaign How true Church reformers have been punished by the Pope and his allies How Francis himself has mused that he might be the cause of a schism in the Church Why clerics in the Vatican have gone from dismissing Francis as a “clown” to fearing him as a dictator Marcantonio Colonna has exhaustively mined his extensive contacts in the Vatican to produce a provocative and revealing account of Pope Francis’s true motivations. The Dictator Pope is essential reading to understand one of the most enigmatic, and dangerous, figures to occupy the See of St. Peter.
The Diet Alternative
by Diane Hampton"While this book is specifically oriented to overeating, these same principles can be used to overcome smoking, drinking, and other areas of compulsive behavior. God wants us to walk in victory in every area of our life!" The author is no stranger to dieting. After many failed attempts to maintain healthy eating habits, she turned to the Scriptures and found principles to help her. This is both her personal story as well as a how-to primer.
The Dieter's Prayer Book: Spiritual Power and Daily Encouragement
by Heather Harpham KoppFriendly Support. Daily Encouragement. Spiritual Empowerment. Diets and diet books have never been more popular. At the same time, recent studies show that Americans have never been more overweight. It's no wonder, then, that women who are trying to lose weight--be it 10 or 100 pounds--are among the most frequently discouraged people around. Every day we are faced with fridge wars, bad mirror moments, diets that don't work, skinny friends who can eat whatever they like, and husbands who reminisce about the size 8 they married. Yet victory can be yours. Increasingly, scientific studies are indicating that in health matters, prayer works--and inThe Dieter's Prayer Book, you'll find that daily ounce of spiritual encouragement you need. Not tied to any one particular diet,The Dieter's Prayer Bookcan be used in conjunction with any healthy-eating program, or on its own. Each day, these upbeat prayers will remind you what really matters, make you feel less alone, and empower you to achieve your goal of healthful living.
The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith, Church, and Culture
by Francis Cardinal GeorgePenned by the leading intellectual in the American Catholic hierarchy, this debut brings together some of the most influential writings on the Catholic vision--not just the Church itself but of the relation and unity of all people. Weaving together intellectual insight and personal wisdom, this investigation offers a luminous Catholic vision of communion, illustrating the Church's relation to numerous religions as well as the secular world. Drawing from both the author's observations of Catholicism in cultures around the globe and countless theologians' perspectives--including Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Thomas Aquinas, and Francis of Assisi--this analysis demonstrates how to recognize the self-giving, liberating God who provides freedom from the competitive, oppressive gods of secular modernity. This overview also recalls an assortment of fascinating stories, from a poignant moment with a non-Christian in Zambia to the humbling dedication of volunteers who came to observe Pope John Paul II's visit to Mexico City. Confronting controversial issues head-on, this volume will inspire Christians everywhere while also offering non-Christians a renewed understanding of what a Christian lifestyle means for political and personal life today.
The Difference Jesus Makes: Trusting Him in Every Situation
by H.B. Charles, Jr.What are you struggling with right now?A little boy sits staring at a framed picture of his father, who has been away on military duty for some time now. The boy begins to cry, and his mother, seeing that he is upset, asks, &“What&’s wrong?" "I want daddy to come out of the frame," he says.Have you ever felt like that in your relationship with God, like He&’s disconnected from the situations of your life and you want Him to come out of the frame?Well in the Lord Jesus Christ, that&’s exactly what God has done. When Jesus took on human flesh, God stepped out of the frame and dwelled among us. In The Difference Jesus Makes, Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. walks us through stories found in the Gospel of Mark to highlight the truth that Jesus is present in all things and Lord over all things, including the details of our lives. No matter what we are facing, we can trust Jesus to care for us, even if he doesn&’t fix our every problem. The Difference Jesus Makes shows us who Jesus is, why we can trust Him, and what that looks like day to day.
The Difference Jesus Makes: Trusting Him in Every Situation
by H.B. Charles, Jr.What are you struggling with right now?A little boy sits staring at a framed picture of his father, who has been away on military duty for some time now. The boy begins to cry, and his mother, seeing that he is upset, asks, &“What&’s wrong?" "I want daddy to come out of the frame," he says.Have you ever felt like that in your relationship with God, like He&’s disconnected from the situations of your life and you want Him to come out of the frame?Well in the Lord Jesus Christ, that&’s exactly what God has done. When Jesus took on human flesh, God stepped out of the frame and dwelled among us. In The Difference Jesus Makes, Pastor H.B. Charles Jr. walks us through stories found in the Gospel of Mark to highlight the truth that Jesus is present in all things and Lord over all things, including the details of our lives. No matter what we are facing, we can trust Jesus to care for us, even if he doesn&’t fix our every problem. The Difference Jesus Makes shows us who Jesus is, why we can trust Him, and what that looks like day to day.
The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God
by D. A. CarsonAt first thought, understanding the doctrine of the love of God seems simple compared to trying to fathom other doctrines like that of the Trinity or predestination. Especially since the overwhelming majority of those who believe in God view Him as a loving being.That is precisely what makes this doctrine so difficult. The only aspect of God's character the world still believes in is His love. His holiness, His sovereignty, His wrath are often rejected as being incompatible with a "loving" God. Because pop culture has so distorted and secularized God's love, many Christians have lost a biblical understanding of it and, in turn, lost a vital means to knowing who God is.The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of Godseeks to restore what we have lost. In this treatment of many of the Bible's passages regarding divine love, noted evangelical scholar D. A. Carson not only critiques sentimental ideas such as "God hates the sin but loves the sinner," but provides a compelling perspective on the nature of God and why He loves as He does. Carson blends his discourse with discussion of how God's sovereignty and holiness complete the biblical picture of who He is and how He loves.In doing away with trivialities and cliches, this work gets to the heart of this all-important doctrine from an unflinching evangelical perspective. Yet it does so without losing its personal emphasis: for in understanding more of the comprehensive nature of God's love as declared in His Word, you will come to understand God and His unending love for you more completely.
The Difficult Saint (Catherine LeVendeur #6)
by Sharan NewmanIn The Difficult Saint, Sharan Newman returns to medieval France and the murder-haunted Catherine LeVendeur, heroine of this acclaimed series. After a harrowing stay with Catherine's in-laws in Scotland, Catherine and her husband, Edgar, have returned home with their two children to live a life of peace at last--or so they hope. But soon the safety of those they love is questioned as anti-Jewish sentiment begins to grow in Paris. Raised Catholic by her father, Hubert, who poses as a Christian while practicing Judaism in secret, Catherine fears that the violence of the most recent Crusade will repeat itself, victimizing members of her family. But before she can put too much thought into that, fate interrupts. Catherine's estranged younger sister, Agnes, has returned to Paris with the news that she has been promised in marriage to a German lord. Bitter about their religious differences, Agnes wants no part of Catherine or Hubert--except for the sizable dowry that Hubert can provide. When Catherine and Hubert arrange for Agnes to be escorted to Germany with her dowry, they assume that they have seen the last of her. But then one of Agnes's escorts returns to Paris with terrible news: Agnes's new husband appears to have been murdered by poisoning, and Agnes is the prime suspect. In spite of their differences, Catherine believes in her innocence, and knows that she must do everything she can to save her sister's life. And when Catherine and her brood travel to Germany to begin sleuthing in a dangerously anti-Semitic climate, it becomes clear that Catherine and Edgar's long-dreamt-of life of peace remains in the distant future--if they live to see it at all.
The Difficult Words of Jesus Leader Guide: A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings (The Difficult Words of Jesus)
by Amy-Jill LevineExamine the most difficult teachings of Jesus with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine.Jesus provided his disciples teachings for how to follow Torah, God’s word; he told them parables to help them discern questions of ethics and of human nature; he offered them beatitudes for comfort and encouragement. But sometimes Jesus spoke words that followers then and now have found difficult. He instructs disciples to hate members of their own families (Luke 14:26), to act as if they were slaves (Matthew 20:27), and to sell their belongings and give to the poor (Luke 18:22). He restricts his mission (Matthew 10:6); he speaks of damnation (Matthew 8:12); he calls Jews the devil’s children (John 8:44).In The Difficult Words of Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine shows how these difficult teachings would have sounded to the people who first heard them, how have they been understood over time, and how we might interpret them in the context of the Gospel of love and reconciliation.The Leader Guide includes session outline for each group meeting with Scripture, prayer, opening activity, discussion questions, activity, and ending call to action.
The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings (The Difficult Words of Jesus)
by Amy-Jill LevineExamine the most difficult teachings of Jesus with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine.Jesus provided his disciples teachings for how to follow Torah, God’s word; he told them parables to help them discern questions of ethics and of human nature; he offered them beatitudes for comfort and encouragement. But sometimes Jesus spoke words that followers then and now have found difficult. He instructs disciples to hate members of their own families (Luke 14:26), to act as if they were slaves (Matthew 20:27), and to sell their belongings and give to the poor (Luke 18:22). He restricts his mission (Matthew 10:6); he speaks of damnation (Matthew 8:12); he calls Jews the devil’s children (John 8:44).In The Difficult Words of Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine shows how these difficult teachings would have sounded to the people who first heard them, how have they been understood over time, and how we might interpret them in the context of the Gospel of love and reconciliation.Additional components for a six-week study include a DVD featuring Dr. Levine and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
The Digital Cathedral: Networked Ministry in a Wireless World
by Keith AndersonFacebook, Twitter, blogs, websites. Rapid cultural and technological changes over the last two decades have transformed how we communicate with each other. For those involved in ministry, that also means a radical change in the traditional concept of the public church. Once, a brick-and-mortar cathedral gathered a community. Now through the Internet, a “digital cathedral” can gather the entire world. In his revolutionary book, Keith Anderson—specializing in the field of digital ministry, new media, and popular culture—outlines essential tips on how to adapt to the ever-shifting technologies of today. For anyone who seeks to effectively minister in a digitally integrated world, and who wishes to embody the networked characteristics of that ministry, The Digital Cathedral is “a penetrating, intelligent, innovative, and inspiring vision of where religious belief might be heading…a new view of where one finds sacred space: at a bus stop, in a tavern, in a barber shop—almost anywhere that people gather outside of home or work” (Michael Crosbie, Editor, Faith & Form).
The Digital Evangelicals: Contesting Authority and Authenticity After the New Media Turn
by Travis Warren CooperWhen it comes to evangelical Christianity, the internet is both a refuge and a threat. It hosts Zoom prayer groups and pornographic videos, religious revolutions and silly cat videos. Platforms such as social media, podcasts, blogs, and digital Bibles all constitute new arenas for debate about social and religious boundaries, theological and ecclesial orthodoxy, and the internet's inherent danger and value.In The Digital Evangelicals, Travis Warren Cooperlocates evangelicalism as a media event rather than as a coherent religious tradition by focusing on the intertwined narratives of evangelical Christianity and emerging digital culture in the United States. He focuses on two dominant media traditions: media sincerity, immediate and direct interpersonal communication, and media promiscuity, communication with the primary goal of extending the Christian community regardless of physical distance. Cooper, whose work is informed by ethnographic fieldwork, traces these conflicting paradigms from the Protestant Reformation through the rise of the digital and argues that the tension is culminating in a crisis of evangelical authority. What counts as authentic interaction? Who has authority over the circulation of information?While many studies claim that technology influences religion, The Digital Evangelicals reveals how Protestant metaphors and discourses shaped the emergence of the internet and explores what this relationship with global new media means for evangelicalism.