INSIGHT MEDITATION BY MAHASI SAYADAW
Insight Meditation by Mahasi Sayadaw. Mahasi was a leading figure the revival of Buddhism in Burma post-independence, a movement that established many centres for teaching insight meditation. The Mahasi method is designed to allow lay people in the modern world to attain the experience of enlightenment, or nibbana.Vipassana meditation in this tradition is also known as ‘mindfulness meditation‘ for its practice of continuous andunremitting attention to mental and physical phenomena as they appear to the meditator. Download Insight Meditation here (880KB/162 pages – from now on I will include the size of all books here, by request from a reader from a remote Pacific Island with a limited Internet connection
DOWNLOAD
THE SHAPE OF SUFFERING – A STUDY OF DEPENDENT CO-ARISING
The Shape of Suffering – A Study of Dependent Co-arising by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Dependent co-arising—paticca samuppada—is the Buddha’s most complete analysis of the conditions leading to suffering, together with the conditions leading to suffering’s end. A passage in the Canon states that this was the topic he contemplated on emerging from his first week of meditation after his Awakening. Download the ebook here (112 pages):
DOWNLOAD
A BURDEN OFF THE MIND – A STUDY GUIDE ON THE FIVE AGGREGATES
Buddha’s awakening gave him a new perspective on the limitations of words. He had discovered a reality—the Deathless—that no words could describe. At the same time, he discoveredthat the path to Awakening could be described, although it involved a new wayof seeing and conceptualizing the problem of suffering and stress. Because ordinary concepts were often poor tools for teaching the path, he had to invent new concepts and to stretch pre-existing words to encompass those concepts so that others could taste Awakening themselves. One of the new concepts most central to his teaching was that of the khandhas, usually translated into English as “aggregates.” Throughout the remainder of his teaching career, he referred to khandhas time and again. How should a meditator make use of the concept of the khandhas?
Download A Burden Off the Mind A Study Guide on the Five Aggregates by Thanissaro Bhikkhu here:
DOWNLOAD
http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/Thanissaro-Bhikku-A-Burden-off-the-mind.pdf
THE LAZY MANS GUIDE TO ENLIGHTENMENT
The Lazy Mans Guide to Enlightenment by Thadeus Golas. From the foreword:
“The universe is so vast and complex that if we needed books like this to become enlightened, we’d never make it. But on the other hand the universe is so simple in design that there’s no reason for anyone to be puzzled or unhappy. It’s easy to control your existence, no matter how complicated it looks. I’ve abandoned the idea of writing this a number of times, on the ground that people didn’t know it because they didn’t want to. But in the end there is no more reason for not writing it than there is for writing it.”
This book has been removed because of possible copyright infringement. Please visit the publisher here:
DOWNLOAD
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MEDITATION PRACTICE
The Fundamentals of (Ch’an) Meditation Practice by Ting Chen. From the translators introduction:
“Originally, one’s own mind and nature are pure, and there is nothing to accept and nothing to refuse; there is neither existence nor non-existence; there is only clear understanding without attachment and with no dwelling. One who wants to know the no-attachment, no-dwelling mind can find it through meditation, because it is only then that the mind does not think of right and wrong, of good and evil or of self and others”.
This 182 page ebook is a guide that will take its readers by the hand from preparing meditation to advanced techniques in the Ch’an Buddhism tradition. Download the free “The Fundamentals of (Ch’an) Meditation Practice by Ting Chen” pdf ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
THE REQUISITIES OF ENLIGHTENMENT
The Requisities of Enlightenment is an academic guide to the paths and pitfalls on the way to enlightenment in the Theravada tradition. It goes into details about the foundations of mindfulness, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eight path factors etc. Download the book here:
DOWNLOAD
http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Requisities-of-Enlightenment.pdf
YOGA VASISHTA MAHA RAMAYANA
The Brihat (the great) Yoga Vasishta or Yoga Vasishta Maha Ramayana as it is also called, is a work of about 32,000 Sanskrit couplets, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, the author of Srimad Ramayana. It is a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of nonorigination) is expounded, with illustrative stories in between. This vast work was abridged some centuries ago by Abhinanda Pandita, a Kashmiri scholar, into 6,000 couplets, which go by the name of Laghu Yoga Vasishta. This is a masterpiece initself, like the original Brihat. It is said among hindu-scholars that just reading this book can lead to enlightenment. Download Yoga Vasishta here as a free pdf ebook in full length:
THE TIBETAN YOGAS OF DREAM AND SLEEP
Hello all, sorry for the 3 weeks break. I have spend some time in Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India, up near the border to China, but now I am back and ready to serve the lions fresh meat. Thanks to all who have signed up for the newsletter, and those of you who have joined the site in spite of the inactivity on my side. First of all I have a great book about Tibetan Dream Yoga by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep. The 171 page book may be interesting to those who have downloaded Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light by Namkhai Norbu as it is more detailed and offers lots more background information on the practices of dream yoga. Personally I have found the chapters on dreams and karmic traces helpful and insightful.
Book removed because of possible copyright infringement. Please visit the publisher her:
DOWNLOAD
WHAT IS ADVAITA VEDANTA? EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
What is Advaita Vedanta? – Experience and Knowledge by James Swartz is a short but well written and compact guide to Advaita Vedanta and non-duality from 2003. From the book:
“The Upanishads, the source of Vedanta, say that before this creation was, the self, limitless being, was. It further says that this self continues to exist outside of time and is therefore eternal. And it states that no action one can perform will ‘gain’3 this self, even though it is an ever-present reality… because actions are limited while the self is unlimited. Therefore it is at odds with Yoga on this issue. The discovery that one is the limitless self is presented as liberation or enlightenment by Vedanta.”
Download it here:
DOWNLOAD
GREEN DHARMA BY GEORG FEUERSTEIN & BRENDA FEUERSTEIN
Green Dharma is a free about about Dharma and the environment by Georg Feuerstein & Brenda Feuerstein. They have previously published their work ‘Green Yoga’ and Green Dharma can be seen as an independent poursuite. From the intro:
“The Buddha was a great healer of human hearts and minds. If he were walking on the Earth today, he would unquestionably also have revealed himself to be a healer of our planet. He always regarded the Dharma as medicine. It still serves this noble function in terms of our individual suffering. We, furthermore, believe that even 2,500 years after its appearance in the world, the Dharma can help heal our planet by providing moral and spiritual guidance.”
Download it here (215 pages):
DOWNLOAD
A SERIES OF LESSONS IN GNANI YOGA BY YOGI RAMACHARAKA
A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga by Yogi Ramacharaka. The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches, or fields. What is known as “Hatha Yoga“ deals with the physical body and its control; its welfare; its health; its preservation; its laws, etc. What is known as “Raja Yoga” deals with the Mind; its control; its development; its unfoldment, etc. What is known as “Bhakti Yoga” deals with the Love of the Absolute. What is known as “Gnani Yoga” (The yoga of wisdom) deals with the scientific and intellectual knowing of the great questions regarding Life and what lies back of Life − the Riddle of the Universe. Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the one end − unfoldment, development, and growth. Download it here:
DOWNLOAD
http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/A-Series-of-Lessons-in-Gnani-Yoga.pdf
The Science of Breath by Yogi Ramacharaka.
For thousands of years, yogis have believed that breath is the essential link between body and mind, energizing a subtle body which connects the physical and mental aspects of our being. In this book, Swami Rama and two noted American physicians explore the science of breath as the missing key to both physical health and the attainment of higher states of consciousness. Basic yogic breathing techniques are explained so that one can immediately begin working with the ancient science of breath. Download the free PDF: The Science of Breath by Yogi Ramacharaka here
DOWNLOAD
HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA ORIGINAL SANSKRIT SWATMARAMA TRANSLATION
Hatha Yoga Pradipika the original Sanskrit Swatmarama translated by James Mallinson and published in 2004. Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classic root text of Hatha Yoga written in 15th century CE. The book is build around four chapters, including material on asanas, pranayama, chakras, kundalini, bandhas, kriyas, shakti, nadis and mudras among other topics. Download it here:
DOWNLOAD
TANTRA AND ITS MISCONCEPTIONS: RECLAIMING THE ESSENCE FROM THE ILLUSIONS BY DAVID FRAWLEY
Perhaps nothing is more exotic, dramatic and sensational in India’s Yoga traditions than the practice of Tantra. No other approach to Yoga has gained such a fascination for the modern mind and its seeking of the bizarre, the entertaining and the enigmatic. Tantra appears to offer both spiritual and worldly success and prosperity and to a superlative degree. It covers not only internal yogic experiences of chakras, lokas and deities, but also has many important healing practices for body and mind. On top of this it adds
special means of heightening sexual pleasure, making money, gaining success and defeating one’s enemies – as if it could be used for achieving all human desires.
Download David Frawley´s “Tantra and its Misconceptions: Reclaiming the Essence from the Illusions” here:
DOWNLOAD
KUNDALINI THE SECRET OF YOGA BY GOPI KRISHNA
Gopi Krishna points out in Kundalini the Secret of Yoga that there is much more to Yoga than its benefits to health, control over the body and potential for developing paranormal abilities. The significance of Yoga, and the purpose for which the discipline as a whole was really designed, lies in its potential for enabling the practitioner to actually experience expanded states of consciousness and to verify the existence of levels of creation other than the one we perceive with our material senses. The other benefits are minor when compared with the real goal. Download Kundalini the Secrets of Yoga by Gopi Krishna as a PDF Ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
OM YOGA ITS THEORY AND PRACTICE BY SWAMI NIRMALANANDA GIRI
Om Yoga Its Theory and Practice by Swami Nirmalananda Giri published in 2006 by Atma Jyoti Press is an introduction to classic yoga as thought in the Bhagavad Gita. It goes into details on breath and sound in both yoga and meditation. The book also has an extensive glossary. Download it here (113 pages):
DOWNLOAD
THE WINGS TO AWAKENING – AN ANTHOLOGY FROM THE PALI CANON
The Wings to Awakening. Many anthologies of the Buddha’s teachings have appeared in English, but this ebook is the first to be organized around the set of teachings that the Buddha himself said formed the heart of his message: The Wings to Awakening (bodhi-pakkhiya-dhamma). The material is arranged in three parts, preceded by a long Introduction. The Introduction tries to define the concept of Enlightenment so as to give a clear sense of where the Wings to Awakening are headed. It does this by discussing the Buddha’s accounts of his own Awakening, with special focus on the way in which the principle of skillful kamma (in Sanskrit, karma) formed both the “how” and the “what” of that Awakening: The Buddha was able to reach Awakening only by developing skillful kamma – this is the “how”; his understanding of the process of developing skillful kamma is what sparked the insights that constituted Awakening -this is the “what.” Download the ebook The Wings to Awakening here (446 pages) :
DOWNLOAD
THE PRACTICAL WAY TO NIBBANA – THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS
The Practical Way To Nibbana a series of lectures drawing on the original instructions from Mahasatipatthana Sutta - The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness. This is one of the core texts in Theravada Buddhism and it has something that most of the old scriptures lack – an understanding of the individual practitioners personality and how it affects his meditations and how specific types of people people should be guided. The Practical Way To Nibbana was published by the Vipassana Meditation Centre in Singapore in 2.000 print copies. Download the (poorly scanned) pdf ebook-version here:
DOWNLOAD
PRACTICAL VIPASSANA EXERCISES
Practical Vipassana Exercises is a basic, short and direct instructional ebook on the Vipassane meditation practice: the preparatory stages with a series of basic exercises. Part two, deals with the progressive practice and the practical vipassana exercises. The appendix explains the techniques involved in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition.
Download the ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
FUNDAMENTALS OF VIPASSANA MEDITATION
Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation by Mahasi Sayadaw was published in 1991. Vipassana meditation also called insight meditation is a basic approach used by diverse traditions. Mahasi Sayadaw, died in 1982, was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk and meditation master who had a significant impact on the teaching of Vipassana meditation in the West and throughout Asia. In his style of practice, the meditator anchors their attention on the sensations of the rising and falling of the abdomen during breathing, paying attention to sensations or thoughts. This book was published in Burma by the Budhasāsanānuggaha Organization for free distribution. Download it here (242 pages):
DOWNLOAD
STRONG ROOTS BY JAKE H. DAVIS
Strong Roots, by Jake H. Davis, offers vision and value in how an ancient wisdom can be transmitted into contemporary culture without losing its authenticity and power. With clarity and reverence, Davis inspires gratitude and gives sound guidance for the transmission of a timeless wisdom teaching – from one culture into another, from classical style to contemporary relevance, and from one era to another. He draws on experiences from his personal life in establishing the Burmese lineage of the Mahāsi Sayadaw in North America. Download the 332 pages ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
LANKAVATARA SUTRA A MAHAYANA TEXT
The Lankavatara Sutra – A Mahayana text translated for the first time from the original Sanskrit by
DAISETZ TEITARO SUZUKI. The Lankavatara Sutra is one of nine principal, and one of the most important, texts of Mahayana Buddhism. Lankavatara literally means “entering into Lanka”. Lanka is one of the islands in the south of India, identified as Ceylon. “Entering”, refers to the Buddha coming over to that Island. Some of the important theories expounded in the Lankavatara Sutra are: The Doctrine of Mind-Only, The Conception of No-Birth, The Triple body of the Buddha and The Tathagata. Download the entire ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
THE DIRECT AND UNMISTAKEN METHOD BY LAMA ZOPE RINPOCHE
The Direct and Unmistaken Method of Purifying Yourself of and Protecting Yourself Against the Causes of Problems deals with the practice and benefits of the eight precepts of Mahayana Buddhism.
“Practicing the eight-limbed Mahayana Method of Restoring andPurifying is the supreme method for avoiding harm to all sentient beings and bringing them happiness and benefit. It is easy to do and has immeasurable benefit. With this fundamental practice of morality—abstaining from harming others—you can help effect world peace.”
Download the book here:
DOWNLOAD
EXCLUSIVE
THE FIRST SIX BOOKS OF THE ELEMENTS OF EUCLID BY OLIVER BYRNE
The First Six Books of The Elements of Euclid by Oliver Byrne – with the subtitle: In which coloured diagrams and symbols are used instead of letters for the greater ease of learners. This is a classic, illustrated textbook on geometry and a remarkable example of Victorian printing which has been described as one of the oddest and most beautiful books of the 19th century. It was published in 1847 but it still is very readable thanks to Oliver Byrnes comprehensible educational style of writing.
Download it here (306 pages/11 MB):
DOWNLOAD
FOOD OF THE GODS BY TERENCE MCKENNA
Food of the Gods by Terence Mckenna is a classic on psychedelic plants. Terence Mckenna is an ethnobotanist and he is known in the psychedelics circles for his research in mans relationship with consciousness altering chemicals since ancient times. Remarkable is Mckenna’s suggestions that a new understanding of drugs – “food of the gods” has the powerful potential to replace illegal drugs use with a shamanistic understanding of the world. Download the ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
DREAM YOGA AND THE PRACTICE OF NATURAL LIGHT BY NAMKHAI NORBU
Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light by Namkhai Norbu. Systems for dreamwork and dream awareness have been found for millennia within Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Sufism, and traditional cultures throughout the world. These dreamwork systems were and are often still cloaked in secrecy and reserved for the initiate. The recorded dream experiences of traditional peoples whose cultures are still relatively intact may help expand our understanding of the possibilities of dream work and dream awareness, including the phenomena of lucidity, telepathy, and precognitive dreams. The possibility of developing awareness within the dream state and of subsequently having intensely inspiring experiences as well as the ability to control dreams is well documented. The practices outlined in this book shows how it is possible.
Book removed because of possible copyright infringement. Please visit the publisher her:
DOWNLOAD
THE SECRET SCIENCE BEHIND MIRACLES
The Secret Science Behind Miracles by Max Freedom Long was first published in 1948. It tells the strange tales of Max Freedom Long’s encounter with the Polynesian Kahunas (Keepers of the Secret) – Polynesian magicians. Not much spirituality here, but lots of cool (and deadly) magic and shamanism. Download the ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
WHAT ABOUT LOVE? REMINDERS FOR BEING LOVING BY GINA LAKE
What About Love? Reminders for Being Loving by Gina Lake is here presented in full length with permission from the author. From the book:
“We often fail to notice what is actually going on in the present moment—in the Now; we often aren’t present to reality. Most people live in a mental world, a virtual world of sorts. When we drop out of this mental world into the Now and are fully present to whatever experience we are having, we experience a depth, a richness, and a joy and peace that feel sacred. When we are in the Now, we experience love!”
Download it here (163 pages):
DOWNLOAD
THE SECRET HISTORY OF PYTHAGORAS
The Secret History of Pythagoras with the subtitle – Translated from the original copy lately found a Otranto in Italy claims to tell the true story about Pythagoras life. This book was written/translated by Samuel Croxall and printed in England in 1751, but you will have no problem reading it, just remember that “s” inside and in the beginning of word looks like “f”. From the intro:
The Translation of this venerable Piece of Antiquity is undertook upon a double Score; being designed as well to entertain the Curiosity of the Learned, as to supply the Defects of the Ignorant.
Download The Secret History of Pythagoras here (70 pages/8.4Mb):
DOWNLOAD
THE BOOK OF THE LAW – ALEISTER CROWLEY
Here you can download The Book of the Law by Aleister Crowley also known as ‘Liber AL vel Legis sub figura CCXX as delivered by XCIII = 418 to DCLXVI. Aleister Crowley comments his short work with his usual sense of darkness and secrecy:
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. The study of this Book is forbidden. It is wise to destroy this copy after the first reading. Whosoever disregards this does so at his own risk and peril. These are most dire. Those who discuss the contents of this Book are to be shunned by all, as centres of pestilence. All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt. Love is the law, love under will. The priest of the princes, Ankh-f-n-khonsu.
Download here (12 pages):
DOWNLOAD
KABBALAH MEDITATION FROM TORAH TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT TO PROPHECY
This work in progress is intended to train one to experience the authentic Kabbalah. Study the manual by browsing the table of contents, links, and footnotes. The work focuses on learning kabbalah through character improvement through the theoretical, meditative, and practical kabbalah. This work is in English uses a Hebrew true-type font that should be downloaded and
installed on a PC to view the work correctly.
Download here (932 pages/4,30 MB):
DOWNLOAD
THE SACRED MAGIC OF ABRAMELIN THE MAGE – ALL 3 BOOKS
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage is the story of the Egyptian mage Abramelin, or Abra-Melin, who taught a system of magic to Abraham of Worms, a German Jew presumed to have lived from c.1362 – c.1458. The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage and its ideas, has been incorporated within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and later within the mystical system of Thelema (created in 1904 by Aleister Crowley).
Here are all 3 books in the The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage trilogy:
DOWNLOAD
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage Book 1
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage Book 2
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage Book 3
THE SYMBOLISM OF THE TAROT BY OUSPENSKY
The Symbolism of the Tarot by P.D. Ouspensky. From the foreword:
“No study of occult philosophy is possible without an acquaintance with symbolism, for if the words occultism and symbolism are correctly used, they mean almost one and the same thing. Symbolism cannot be learned as one learns to build bridges or speak a foreign language, and for the interpretation of symbols a special cast of mind is necessary; in addition to knowledge, special faculties, the power of creative thought and a developed imagination are required.”
Download here (213 KB/32 pages):
DOWNLOAD
THE SECRET ADAM – A STUDY OF NASOREAEN GNOSIS BY E. S. DROWER
The Secret Adam – a Study of Nasoreaen Gnosis by E. S. Drower takes us deep into the pre-Christian spirituality of the ancient Persia. Still today there are remnants of the Mandaeans (“Gnostics”) also known as Sabaeans in Iraq who among other had a tradition of baptism. Their knowledge are historically accessible through a vast amounts of scrolls. In The Secret Adam, E. S. Drower outlines the history of the people, their thoughts and secret knowledge. Download it here:
DOWNLOAD
THE BOOK OF CHILAM BALAM OF CHUMAYEL
The Book of Chilam of Chumayel by Ralph L. Roys was published in 1933. The Books of Chilam Balam are the sacred books of the Maya of Yucatan and were named after their last and greatest prophet. Chilam, or chilan, was his title which means that he was the mouth-piece or interpreter of the gods. Balam means jaguar, but it is also a common family name in Yucatan, so the title of the present work could well be translated as the Book of the Prophet Balam. During a large part of the colonial period, and even down into the Nineteenth Century, many of the towns and villages of northern Yucatan possessed Books of Chilam Balam, and this designation was supplemented by the name of the town to which the book belonged. Dowload the free ebook here:
DOWNLOAD
CANTARES MEXICANOS – SONGS OF THE AZTECS
Cantares Mexicanos – Songs of the Aztecs is the English translation of the original Aztec text written in Nahuatl. Three times during the last century scientists have failed to decipher the Cantares Mexicanos. It was finally translated in 1985 by John Bierhost, this is the result. Cantares Mexicanos is considered a cornerstone in American Indian literature. It consists of hundreds of pages of Aztec poetry and it was written sometime between 1499-1590. Download the pdf ebook here (571 pages):
DOWNLOAD
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.