This book is the first attempt to describe all the fifteen placeswith which the Buddha had direct association: Lumbini,Kapilavastu, Bodh Gaya, Gaya, Sarnath, Shravasti,Kaushambi, Rajagriha, Nalanda, Vaishali, Patna, Kesariya,Kushinagar, Sankisa, and Mathura. The sequence of the fifteenBuddhist places follows the life-cycle and the journeysperformed by the Buddha as narrated in the JÈtakas and theTripi aka.Narration of each of these places accounts the mythology,legend, JÈtaka tales, cultural history, archaeology, field studiesand general information. The book is illustrated with 55photographs and 55 maps and figures, and also contains adescription of the main link stations like Varanasi, Allahabadand Gorakhpur. Nearby sites for excursion are also describedin the context.

“Writing a ‘nuts and bolts’ guide that is genuinely wise, charmingly conversational, and a pleasure to read requires a particular talent, and Jean Smith has proved once again that she has it.”—Sylvia Boorstein, author of Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There The third of Jean Smith’s Beginner’s Guides focuses on the Buddha’s Eightfold Path—the concepts central to practicing the Buddha’s teachings in daily life. The eight steps on the path are: right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Smith explains exactly what the Buddha had in mind, using translations of his own words and then elucidating them for us. Throughout the book are wonderful quotes from a broad range of Buddhist teachers, giving a taste of the very best each of them has to offer. The Beginner’s Guide to Walking the Buddha’s Eightfold Path is a prescription for happiness, not just for overcoming suffering, which is how many people think of Buddhism. Here is a book for Buddhists of every tradition.

Wisdom for "Generation Next" on how to make your work meaningful, satisfying, and of benefit to others Does it ever seem that a lot of the people you work with are, well, jerks? This book is about how not to let work turn you into one of them. Apply the simple Buddhist teachings and practices Lodro Rinzler provides here to whatever you do for a living, and you’ll not only avoid jerk-hood, but you’ll be setting out on the path toward making your livelihood an expression of your inherent wisdom, honesty, and compassion. You’ll discover practical ways to bring mindfulness into administrative support, cabinet-making, financial management, nursing, truck-driving, or latté-brewing. In the process, you’ll discover genuine empathy for the folks you once found so difficult. You’ll also learn leadership skills that apply compassion to management in a way that increases happiness along with efficiency. This is career advice of the profoundest kind, geared toward today’s twenty- and thirty-something workers and job-seekers whose employment outlook is radically different from that of a generation ago. As Lodro shows, even if the path of work shifts beneath your feet, it’s possible to make your livelihood a source of satisfaction and of deep meaning.

A guide to Buddhism for 20-somethings who are grappling with the ups and downs of adulthood—from an eloquent and funny young teacher This isn’t your grandmother’s book on meditation. The Buddha Walks Into a Bar . . . is about integrating that "spiritual practice thing" into a life that includes beer, sex, social media, and a boss who doesn’t understand you. It’s about making a difference in yourself and making a difference in your world, whether you’ve got everything figured out yet or not. This is Buddhism for a new generation—one that is leaving the safe growth spurts of college and entering a turbulent, uncertain workforce. With humor and candor, teacher Lodro Rinzler offers an introduction to Buddhism for anyone who wants to ride the waves of life with mindfulness and compassion. You’ll learn how to use meditation techniques to work with your own mind, how to manage the pervasive "Incredible Hulk Syndrome," how to relax into your life despite external pressures, and ultimately how you can start to bring light to a dark world. Applying Rinzler's Buddhist teachings can have a positive impact on every nook and cranny of your life—whether you’re interested in being a Buddhist or not.

How can I be the person I want to be when I’m stuck in a job I hate? How is it possible to stay present in an era of nearly constant distractions? Can I pick someone up at a bar or club and still call myself spiritual? This nitty-gritty guide to life for the spiritual-but-not-necessarily-religious uses Buddhist teachings to answer those burning questions and a host of others related to going out, relationships, work, and social action. Based on Lodro Rinzler’s popular advice columns, Walk Like a Buddha offers wisdom that can be applied to just the sort of dilemmas that tend to arise for anyone making even a modest attempt to walk like a Buddha—that is, to live with honesty, wisdom, and compassion in the face of whatever life surprises you with.

WALK LIKE A MOUNTAIN is the definitive guide to walking as Buddhist practice, not just for the serious practitioner but for anyone who wants to bring more contemplative depth to their everyday walks. From kinhin during zazen sessions to pilgrimage and beyond, this handbook offers the "how-to" with clarity and insight. Posture, hand positions and foot mechanics are merely the beginning. Other topics that are addressed in this comprehensive book include: Preparations and aids Prayer walking Purification and dedication Kaihogyo (marathon contemplative walking) Leading a walking practice Walking for change Walking as daily life Walking the symbolic landscape Alms rounds Mandalas Circumambulation Labyrinths Walking Nembutsu Alternatives in contemplative walking. Innen Ray Parchelo has studied, taught and practiced Buddhism for more than 40 years and acts as both the Priest to the Red Maple Sangha and Director of Tendai Canada. He began his formal dharma practice in 1974 and has been a member of several Buddhist centres, first taking refuge in 1994. In 2008, he renewed his refuge- vows as a student of Ven. Monshin Paul Naamon, and, in 2010, was ordained a Tendai priest. Innen is has lived and worked as a clinical social worker in the Ottawa Valley since 1975. He regularly uses walking and mindfulness techniques in a social work setting. He has degrees in Comparative Religion and Social Work and has published general and scholarly articles on dharma and social work topics and is a popular conference speaker. He is the regular Buddhist contributor to the Ottawa Citizen's "Ask the Religion Experts" column. He and his wife, Judy, live with their three dogs in a old log schoolhouse, near Renfrew, Ontario.