Angus Charles Graham (8 July 1919 – 26 March 1991) was a Welsh scholar and sinologist who was professor of classical Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

He was born in Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales to Charles Harold and Mabelle Graham, the elder of two children. His father was originally a coal merchant who moved to Malaya to start a rubber plantation, and died in 1928 of malaria.^[1] Graham attended Ellesmore College, Shropshire, 1932–1937, and went on to read Theology at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (graduating in 1940), and Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London (graduating in 1949). In 1950 he was appointed Lecturer in Classical Chinese at SOAS, promoted to Professor in 1971, and to Professor Emeritus after his retirement in 1984. He lived in Borehamwood.^[2]

He also held visiting positions at Hong Kong University, Yale, the University of Michigan, the Society of Humanities at Cornell, the Institute of East Asian Philosophies in Singapore, National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, Brown University, and the University of Hawaii. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1981.

Publications[edit]

Later Mohist Logic (reprint - Hong Kong: Chinese University Press, 2003)
Chuang-tzu: The Inner Chapters (reprint - Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2001)
The Book of Lieh-tzu (reprint - New York: Columbia University Press, 1990)
Disputers of the Tao: philosophical argument in ancient China (La Salle, Illinois: Open Court, 1989) [trans. into Chinese by Zhang Haiyan "Lun dao zhe: Zhongguo gudai zhexue lun bian", Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe, 2003)
Poems of the West Lake, translations from the Chinese (London: Wellsweep, 1990)
Chuang-tzu: The Inner Chapters and other Writings from the Book of Chuang-tzu (London: Unwin Paperbacks, 1986)
Divisions in early Mohism reflected in the core chapters of Mo-tzu (Singapore: Institute of East Asian Philosophies, 1985)
Chuang-tzu: textual notes to a partial translation (London: SOAS, 1982)
Later Mohist Logic, Ethics and Science (Hong Kong and London, 1978)
Poems of the Late T'ang (Baltimore, Penguin Books, 1965)
The Book of Lieh-tzu, a new translation (London: John Murray, 1960)
The Nung-Chia ‘School of the Tillers’ and the Origin of the Peasant Utopianism in China // Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol.42 no.1, 1978, pp. 66–100. Reprinted in Graham A.C. Studies in Early Chinese Philosophy and Philosophical Literature. SUNY Press, 1986.

References[edit]

^ "葛瑞汉( Angus Charles Graham ) 生平简介与论著目录（转）". 国学论坛's Archiver. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
^ Graham, Prof. Angus Charles’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007 accessed 15 Oct 2011^{[permanent dead link]}

External links[edit]

Translated Penguin Book - at Penguin First Editions reference site of early first edition Penguin Books.

알라딘: 장자 - 사유의 보폭을 넓히는 새로운 장자 읽기 앵거스 찰스 그레이엄 A.C. Graham

알라딘: 장자

장자 - 사유의 보폭을 넓히는 새로운 장자 읽기

앵거스 찰스 그레이엄 (지은이),

김경희 (옮긴이)이학사2015-02-06

771쪽

책소개

앵거스 그레이엄의 『장자』 영역본이 한국어판으로 출간되었다. 앵거스 그레이엄은 뛰어난 중국 고전 번역가일 뿐만 아니라 20세기 서양의 중국학 연구의 한 흐름을 주도하면서 연구자들과 후학들에게 심대한 영향을 끼친 중국철학의 권위자이다. 이 책은 『장자』의 원문들을 통용본의 배열에 따라 순차적으로 번역하지 않고, 지은이, 사상 경향, 주제에 따라 일정하게 재배열하고 재편집했다는 점에서 기존의 번역서와 결정적으로 차별화된다.

해킷판 간행에 부쳐

서문

제1부 서론

1. 장자와 도가의 기원

2. 자발성

3. 논리의 거부

4. 하늘과 인간

5. 일체화의 전망

6. 죽음과 불구

7. 언어

8. 『장자』라는 책과 번역상의 문제

『장자』 원문 찾아보기

제2부 장자의 저술: 『장자』 <내편>(제1 - 7편) 및 <내편>과 관련된 구절들

1. 목적지 없이 거닐기(제1편[「소요유」])

2. 사물들을 고르게 만드는 분류(제2편[「제물론」])

3. 생명을 기르는 데 중요한 것(제3편[「양생주」])

4. 사람들 사이의 세속적 업무(제4편[「인간세」])

5. 덕이 충만하다는 징표(제5편[「덕충부」])

6. 근원적 조상인 스승(제6편[「대종사」])

7. 황제와 왕에게 응답하기(제7편[「응제왕」])

8. <내편>과 관련된 구절들

제3부 ‘장자 학파’의 선집

1. 장자에 관한 이야기들

2. 공자와 늙은 담의 대화들

3. 자발성의 이점들

4. 도(道)를 합리화하기: ‘큰 사람’

5. 도(道)를 비합리화하기: ‘지(知)가 북쪽에서 노닐다’

6. 유토피아와 통치의 퇴보(제16편[「선성」])

7. 불사(不死)의 숭배

8. ‘우리의 본성과 운명의 본질적 요소들’

9. 뜻밖의 관념들

10. 그 외 갖가지 이야기들

제4부 원시주의자의 논문과 관련 일화들

1. 물갈퀴 살이 있는 발가락(제8편[「변무」])

2. 말발굽(제9편[「마제」])

3. 큰 가방 훔치기(제10편[「거협」])

4. 제자리를 지키게 하고 도를 넘지 않게 하라(제11편[「재유」]의 도입부)

5. 원시주의자의 논문과 관련된 일화들

제5부 양가의 문집

1. 왕위를 양보하기(제28편[「양왕」])

2. 도둑 척(제29편[「도척」])

3. 검에 대한 연설(제30편[「설검」])

4. 늙은 어부(제31편[「어부」])

제6부 혼합주의자들의 저술

1. 하늘의 도(제13편[「천도」]의 도입부)

2. 까다로운 생각들(제15편[「각의」])

3. 혼합주의자들의 단편

4. 도 道에 대한 세 편의 광시곡

5. 천하의 아래쪽(제33편[「천하」])

참고 문헌

옮긴이 부록: 이 책의 기본 체제와 번역에 관하여

옮긴이 후기

찾아보기

접기

책속에서

P. 16~17

장자는 두려움을 전혀 모르는 눈을 가지고 있다. 그는 인습적 사고방식들에 애써 반항하고 있다기보다는 워낙 타고나기를 그런 것들로부터 자유로운 사람인 것처럼 보인다. 그래서 약간은 소름 돋는 느낌을 주기까지 한다. 그가 우리에게 펼쳐 보이는 풍경 속에서 사물들은 어찌 된 일인지 우리가 습관적으로 그 사물들에게 부여해온 상대적 무게를 띠고 있지 않다. 그는 인간에게서나 발견할 수 있는 중요성을 동물과 나무한테서도 똑같이 발견하는 듯하다. 접기

P. 19~20

장자는 자기 자신을 자아와 생존에 대한 걱정 속에만 가둬두지 않았다. 그는 자신을 운의 변덕스러움 및 죽음의 확실성과 화해시켜줄 철학을 찾고 있었다. 아마도 이것이 그의 사유의 배후에 놓여 있는 가장 강한 충동이었을 것이다.

P. 27

고정된 목표를 버리고 경직된 범주를 해체하면, 관심의 초점은 끝없이 달라지는 전경(全景)의 구석구석을 자유롭게 유영하게 되고, 우리 내부의 에너지로부터 반응이 직접적으로 튀어나오게 된다. 장자에게는 이것이야말로 드넓은 해방이며, 자아를 가둬놓는 경계로부터 벗어나 무제한의 영역으로 출항하는 것이다. 그의 저술의 리듬에 주기적으로 활기를 불어넣는 단어는 바로 유(遊), 즉 ‘떠돌아다니기, 여행하기’이다. 접기

추천글

그레이엄의 『장자』 연구와 번역은 장자의 사상을 공부하는 사람들에게 가장 소중하고 중요한 자료 가운데 하나로 남아 있다. 이 책의 서론은 놀라울 정도로 내용이 풍부하며, 그레이엄이 『장자』에 대해 보여준 문헌학적 관심과 철학적 통찰의 조합은 이 텍스트를 철학적으로 매우 뜻깊고 생산적이며 유용한 번역으로 만들어내고 있다. - 필립 아이반호 (홍콩시립대학)

서양에서 이 책은 『장자』에 나타나는 명료한 철학적 관점들에 입각해서 체계적으로 구성한 유일한 번역서로서, 의심할 여지 없이 가장 혁신적이고 문헌학적으로 엄밀하며 종교적으로도 시사하는 바가 크다. - 해럴드 로스 (브라운대학)

앵거스 그레이엄은 그의 세대를 대표하는 가장 유명한 중국학자였다. 그레이엄의 주해가 달린 이 『장자』 번역은 그의 문헌학적 예리함과 철학적 예리함의 절묘한 조합을 보여주며, 그런 조합만이 독자들에게 세계적 걸작 중 하나인 이 철학적 문헌의 심오함과 해학으로 접근하는 섬세한 방법을 제공할 수 있음을 멋들어지게 입증해 보이고 있다. - 로저 에임스 (하와이대학)

이 책을 추천한 다른 분들 :

동아일보

- 동아일보 2015년 2월 14일자 '책의 향기/150자 서평'

한겨레 신문

- 한겨레 신문 2015년 2월 12일자 '잠깐독서'

저자 및 역자소개

앵거스 찰스 그레이엄 (A.C. Graham) (지은이)

뛰어난 중국 고전 번역가이자 20세기 서양의 중국학 연구의 한 흐름을 주도한 중국철학의 권위자이다. 영국의 웨일스 페나스에서 출생했고, 1932-1937년 엘즈미어칼리지(Ellesmere College)를 거쳐, 옥스포드의 코퍼스크리스티칼리지(Corpus Christi College)에서 신학을 전공하였다. 1946년 런던대학의 아시아·아프리카대학(SOAS)에 들어가 중국어와 중국학을 연구하였고, 1953년 정명도·정이천에 대한 논문으로 박사 학위를 받았다. 이후 미국과 아시아의 여러 대학에서 활발한 연구 활동을 펼쳤으며, 1971년부터 런던대학의 교수로 재직하다 1984년 은퇴하였다. 1981년에는 영국학사원의 특별회원으로 선출되었다. 1991년 영국의 노팅엄셔에서 71세로 별세하였다.

주요 저서로 『 도의 논쟁자들(Disputers of the Tao)』, 『 후기 묵가의 논리학과 윤리학 및 과학(Later Mohist logic, ethics and science)』, 『중국 철학과 철학적 문헌 연구(Studies in Chinese philosophy and philosophical literature)』, 『이성 안의 비이성(Unreason within reason)』, 『정명도와 정이천의 철학(Two Chinese philosophers)』, 『음양과 상관적 사유(Yin-Yang and the nature of correlative thinking)』 등이 있다. 접기

최근작 : <도의 논쟁자들>,<장자>,<정명도와 정이천의 철학> … 총 5종 (모두보기)

김경희 (옮긴이)

저자파일

신간알리미 신청

이화여자대학교 철학과와 동대학원을 졸업하고 『장자』의 변화의 철학에 대한 연구로 박사 학위를 받았다. 한국방송통신대학교 전임대우강의교수를 거쳐, 현재 한국상담대학원대학교에서 교수로 재직하면서 인문 상담을 연구하고 교육하고 있다. 『문학, 내 마음의 무늬 읽기』(공저, 2019)와 『동양철학산책』(공저, 2020)을 출간하였고, 로버트 앨린슨의 『장자, 영혼의 변화를 위한 철학』(2004), 앵거스 그레이엄의 『장자: 사유의 보폭을 넓히는 새로운 장자 읽기』(2015)를 번역하였다.

최근작 : <동양철학산책>,<[큰글자책] 문학, 내 마음의 무늬 읽기 >,<문학, 내 마음의 무늬 읽기> … 총 10종 (모두보기)

출판사 소개

이학사

출판사 페이지

신간알리미 신청

최근작 : <환경과 연대>,<토론 매뉴얼 : 설계편>,<페미니즘 철학>등 총 199종

대표분야 : 철학 일반 9위 (브랜드 지수 70,580점)

출판사 제공

책소개

“『장자』 새로운 이정표”

앵거스 그레이엄이 명쾌하게 되살려낸 장자 사유의 향연

앵거스 그레이엄의 『장자』 영역본이 한국어판으로 출간되었다. 앵거스 그레이엄은 뛰어난 중국 고전 번역가일 뿐만 아니라 20세기 서양의 중국학 연구의 한 흐름을 주도하면서 연구자들과 후학들에게 심대한 영향을 끼친 중국철학의 권위자이다. 중국철학을 공부하는 사람이라면 그의 연구 성과를 참조하지 않는 것이 어려울 정도로 그는 방대한 영역에 걸쳐 수많은 저서와 논문, 그리고 역서를 남겼는데, 이번에 번역된 『장자』는 그의 학문적 성취를 여실히 보여주는 작품이다. 이 책은 『장자』의 원문들을 통용본의 배열에 따라 순차적으로 번역하지 않고, 지은이, 사상 경향, 주제에 따라 일정하게 재배열하고 재편집했다는 점에서 기존의 번역서와 결정적으로 차별화된다.

이 책에서 그레이엄은 <내편>뿐만 아니라 <외편>과 <잡편>을 포함해 『장자』 원문의 약 80%를 번역했다. 나머지 20%는 철학적·문학적 가치가 높지 않아 일일이 다 번역할 경우 단락의 수를 늘리는 데만 일조하고 독자들에게는 오히려 효용체감을 초래할 수 있다고 그레이엄이 판단 내린 부분이다. 그레이엄은 장자의 필체가 가진 비범하고 리드미컬한 에너지를 제대로 포착해야 한다는 번역관을 주장하는데 우리는 실제로 이러한 신념을 이 책의 곳곳에서 확인할 수 있다. 또한 한 권의 입문서로 묶어도 될 만큼 충실한 제1부의 해설과 번역문 앞뒤에 들어간 명쾌하고 예리한 해설과 주는 『장자』를 철학적 텍스트로 마주하고 싶은 독자들에게 유용한 안내가 될 것이다. 『장자』가 보여주는 독창적인 전망이 그레이엄의 문헌학적 예리함과 철학적 통찰을 통해 더욱 빛을 발하는 책이다.

누구나 읽고 싶어 하지만 읽기 쉽지 않은 『장자』를 새로운 시각에서 명쾌하게 안내하는 책

이 책을 단순 번역서로 보아, 『장자』의 수많은 번역서의 목록에 한 권이 더 추가되었다고만 생각하는 것은 오해다. 이 책은 『장자』의 번역서이기도 하지만, 중국 고대 철학 전반에 대한 오랜 연구를 바탕으로 이루어진 종합적인 『장자』 연구서이기도 하다. 특히 이 책에서 <내편>의 핵심 주제들에 대해 해설해놓은 제1부는 그것만으로도 『장자』의 입문서 역할을 충분히 해낼 수 있다. 또한 본문 번역의 앞뒤에 붙은 그레이엄의 해설과 주는 『장자』의 행간에 담긴 철학적 의미들을 포착할 수 있는 길을 열어준다. 『장자』 연구로 박사 학위를 받은 옮긴이는 그레이엄의 번역과 해설을 풍부한 한국어로 옮겼으며, 원서 발행 당시 그레이엄의 원고에는 있었으나 출판사의 사정으로 제외된 『장자』 원문에 대한 그레이엄의 주석들을 당초 원고 그대로 살려냄으로써 독자들이 이 비범한 책을 읽으면서 길을 잃지 않도록 최선의 노력을 기울였다. 장자, 장자학파, 원시주의자, 양가, 혼합주의자의 다채로운 언어와 그레이엄의 예리한 해설이 절묘하게 어우러져 있는 이 책은 독자들에게 사유의 보폭을 확장시키는 『장자』 읽기를 선사해줄 것이다.

“『장자』의 통용본을 재배열, 재편집, 재구성해낸 학문적 성취”

장자, 장자학파, 원시주의자, 양가, 혼합주의자의 다채로운 언어가 살아 있는 번역본

그레이엄은 『장자』의 원문들을 통용본의 배열에 따라 순차적으로 번역하지 않고, 지은이, 사상 경향, 주제에 따라 일정하게 재배열하고 재편집함으로써 『장자』번역의 새로운 전기를 열었다. 이런 작업은 두 가지 사실에 대한 고려로부터 온다. 첫째는 『장자』가 장자 한 사람의 저술이 아니라 서로 다른 문제의식과 사상적 지향을 가진 여러 저자의 저술을 모아놓은 책이라는 사실이다. 둘째는 각 저술들이 일목요연하게 분류된 채로 배치되어 있는 것이 아니라 복잡하게 뒤섞여 있거나 일부 구절이 엉뚱한 곳에 잘못 들어가 있는 경우가 많다는 점이다. 『장자』가 장자라는 한 명의 저자에 의해 저술된 단독 저서가 아니라는 점은 아주 오래전부터 인지되어왔다. 그리고 그러한 인지는 『장자』가 통용본으로 정착되기까지 겪었던 판본의 형성과 변화의 원동력이었다.

통용본 『장자』는 『장자주(莊子注)』의 저자인 곽상(252?-312)의 편집을 거친 것으로 알려져 있다. 곽상이 살았던 시대에 이미 『장자』는 장자 한 사람의 저술이 아니라 복합적인 성격의 텍스트라는 인식이 퍼져 있었다. 곽상의 편집본이 표준 판본으로 자리 잡은 이후에도 『장자』의 내용의 진위에 대한 논의는 끊이지 않았다. 20세기 들어 관펑(關鋒)이나 리우샤오간(劉笑敢) 같은 중국인 학자들과 그레이엄 같은 서양의 학자들은 『장자』가 원텍스트인 장자 본인의 저술로부터 어떻게 다양한 경향의 저술들로 갈라져나갔는지에 대한 연구를 진행하였다. 그레이엄은 『장자』에서 다섯 갈래의 사상 경향을 식별해내며, 그것을 바탕으로 다섯 종류의 저자군과 저술군을 확정하였다. 이 책의 제2부에 번역되어 있는 장자 본인의 저술을 비롯해, 장자학파의 선집(제3부), 원시주의자의 논문들(제4부), 양가의 문집(제5부), 혼잡주의자들의 저술(제6부)이 그것이다. 그레이엄의 분류 작업은 관펑의 연구로부터 촉발되기는 했지만, 그레이엄은 더 나아가 『장자』를 재편집하고 재배열한 다음에 그것을 “번역”했다는 점에서 독보적이다.

어떤 점에서 그레이엄은 텍스트의 지질학을 시도하고 있다고 할 수 있다. 그는 우선 『장자』라는 하나의 텍스트를 구성하고 있는 여러 개의 지층들을 보여주려고 한다. 지층에 지각변동이 일어나면 다양한 종류의 단층들이 생기듯이, 『장자』 역시 후대에 여러 차례의 편집을 거치면서 맥락에 맞지 않게 편집된 부분들이 존재한다. 그레이엄은 각 지층에 존재하는 이질적 요소들을 찾아내어 인내심 있게 분석하고 그것들을 본래 있던 곳으로 돌려보냄으로써 각 지층의 본래 모습을 복원하려고 하였다. 그가 이런 시도를 한 것은 ‘장자, 원시주의자, 양가, 혼합주의자의 사상에 각각 독특한 것이 무엇인지를 독자들에게 알려주어야 독자들이 그 사상들을 구별하고 그것들 사이에서 자기가 갈 길을 찾을 수 있을 것’이라고 믿었기 때문이다.

“도가는 사상은 경멸해도 이미지와 리듬은 소중하게 여기는 사상가”

『장자』를 번역하는 그레이엄의 원칙

그레이엄은 “복합적 텍스트를 번역하는 자는 십수 개의 공을 동시에 공중으로 던져 올려 저글링을 하는 자이다. 항상 그중 일부는 바닥에서 통통 튀고 있다”(86쪽)는 말로 『장자』번역의 어려움을 토로한다. 그는 기존의 번역서와 결정적으로 차별화되는 이 책을 내놓으면서 『장자』를 한 권의 단행본으로 이해하는 틀에서 벗어나야 하며, 매끄러운 흐름을 지속시키기 위해 균열들을 숨기고 차이들을 흐려버리며 운문을 산문에 흡수시켜서는 안 된다고 말한다. 이런 번역은 결과적으로 장자를 변덕스럽고 수다스러우며 아는 체하는 노인네로 이상하게 변모시킨다는 것이다. 또한 도가는 사상은 경멸해도 이미지와 리듬은 소중하게 여기는 사상가이므로 “번역이 정말로 효과적인지를 판가름하는 최종 기준은 그 번역이 장자의 필체가 가진 비범하고 리드미컬한 에너지를 포착해내는지 여부에 있다”(85쪽)고 본다. 그것을 놓친다는 것은 곧 장자의 사유의 속도와 전환과 긴장을 왜곡하는 것이기 때문이다. 또한 『장자』의 철학적 문맥에 맞는 적합한 용어를 사용해야 한다고 강조한다. 그레이엄이 번역한 『장자』를 다시 우리말로 옮길 때도 최대한 그레이엄의 의도를 살리는 것을 원칙으로 했으며, 본문의 레이아웃 또한 영역본을 그대로 따랐다. 그레이엄이 직접 밝힌 번역의 구체적인 원칙은 다음과 같다.

1. 책 전체에서 동질적인 덩어리를 이루고 있는 부분들, 예컨대 <내편>과 원시주의자 및 양가의 연달아 나오는 편들을 제외하고는, 빠뜨리는 것 없이 다 번역하는 것은 무의미하다.

2. 장자, 원시주의자, 양가, 혼합주의자의 사상에 각각 독특한 것이 무엇인지를 독자들에게 알려주어야 한다. 그래야만 독자들은 그 사상들을 구별하고 그것들 사이에서 자기가 갈 길을 찾을 수 있을 것이다.

3. 원시주의자의 편들처럼 순수하게 논문인 편들만을 연속적으로 이어지는 단락들로 구성된 산문으로 다루어야 한다. <내편>에는 다양한 형식의 글들, 이를테면 압운을 가진 일련의 4행시들, 화자가 불쑥 노래를 부르는 이야기들, 일련의 경구들이 포함된다. 각각은 번역될 때에도 거기에 상응하는 형식을 요하며, 인쇄된 지면에서도 그것의 구성에 적합한 레이아웃을 갖추어야 한다.

4. 산문은 산문으로, 운문은 운문으로 번역해야 한다. 한문 원문에서 운문은 해당 페이지의 레이아웃으로는 산문과 구별되지 않는데, 압운을 이루는 구절들을 시적인 산문으로 옮기는 것만으로도 충분하다.

5. <내편>에 있는 에피소드들, 그리고 동질적인 덩어리를 이루고 있는 여타의 글들은 대부분 그대로 두어도 되지만, 신성불가침은 아니다. 장자가 자신의 메모들을 일정한 순서로 배열했을 것이라고 생각할 이유가 전혀 없기 때문이다. 한눈에 봐도 연속성을 깨뜨리고 있음을 알 수 있는 구절들은 더 적절한 문맥으로 옮길 수 있다. 또한 내적 근거에 따라 장자의 저술로 보이는 <잡편>의 단편들을 활용해서 <내편>에 있는 틈새들을 메울 수도 있다.

6. <외편>과 <잡편>에는 ‘장자 학파’로 분류할 수밖에 없는 여러 가지 자료가 다량으로 존재한다. 이 자료들을 다루는 가장 편리한 방법은 주제에 따라 선별하고 분류하는 것이다. 채택된 에피소드들은 모두 완전한 형태로 제시되어야 한다.

7. 이상적인 번역본에는 원본처럼 처음 읽어도 즐겁고 명쾌한 대목들이 있는가 하면, 생략적이고 까다로우며 수수께끼 같은 대목들도 있다. 후자의 경우는 건너뛰든가 끝까지 붙들고 씨름하든가 해야 한다. 주춤거리는 리듬으로 조리 없이 헤매는 것은 번역자가 통제력을 상실하고 있다는 경고로 받아들여야 하는데도, 너무 쉽게 동양적 정신의 신비로운 작용들로 오해되곤 한다. 접기

평점 분포 8.9

구매자 (3)

전체 (5)

공감순

더 이상 훌륭할 수 없는, 장자 사상의 입문서,연구서라고 하고싶다. 장자 사상의 배경으로 ｀주체성｀에 관한 송견,｀사생활 속으로｀의 양가,｀위대한 이성주의자｀로서 혜시,｀보수적 도덕주의자｀로서 공자 사상 등 ｀중국 고대 철학 전반에 대한 오랜 연구를 바탕으로 이뤄진 종합적인<장자> 연구서｀이다. 구매

독서중 2015-06-12 공감 (3) 댓글 (0)

Thanks to

공감

기대하며 첫 장을 넘기는데 설렌다.

유쾌하게 읽으며 철학적으로 다가서 보려 하기 보다 다양하게 해석되고 있는 고전의 매력에 먼저 빠져들고 싶다. 구매

치유 2015-03-10 공감 (2) 댓글 (0)

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마이리뷰

그레이엄 편역, 『장자』 단상

이 책은 (과장을 섞어 말하면) 장자를 가장한 중국철학사 책이다. 그 이유는 두 가지다. 첫째, 장자 책 자체가 단일한 저자에 의해 일관된 관점에 따라 쓰인 게 아니라, 다양한 종류의 저자들이 남긴 단편을 이어붙여 만들어졌기 때문이다. 그래서 그 속에는 장자 본인의 생각과 더불어 시대의 흐름에 따라 등장했던 장자주의자들의 생각, 장자의 사상에 일부만 찬성하는 사람들의 생각 모두가 담겨있다. 둘째, 이 책의 저자 그레이엄이 장자를 완전히 해체한 뒤, 공통점이 있는 것으로 보이는 구절들을 분류한 뒤에 재조립했기 때문이다. 이 분류는 장자 본인과 그의 동시대, 그리고 후대의 반응을 기준으로 삼는다. 그리고 각 장의 처음, 그리고 중간중간마다 그는 그 구절들을 이 곳에 배치한 문헌학적-철학적 이유와 그 의미를 밝히고 있다. 물론 처음 출간된지 30년이 다 되어가는 책이기에 현재의 연구성과와 다소 맞지 않는 부분도 있지만, 상당부분 수긍이 간다. 그렇게 그레이엄의 장자는, 장자를 중심으로 기술된 춘추전국시대의 사상사다.

이 책은 그래서 기존의 중국 고전들에 대한 번역이나 연구서와, 특히 도가 계열의 책과 결이 약간은 다르다. 고전의 맛에 너무 충실한 나머지 부담스러울 정도로 고풍스럽지도 않고, 메타포를 문자 그대로 이해해서 독자를 도사가 되는 길로 인도하는 실수를 않는다. 즉, 현대어로 이해 가능한 최소한의 합리성은 갖추었다. 물론 가장 추상적이고 초월적인 영역에 대한 논의가 주를 이루는 도가 사상 자체의 특성은 어쩔 수 없는 부분이겠지만, 그레이엄의 설명과 함께 읽는 장자는 ‘천천히 따져보며 읽었을 때’ 이해할 수 있는 영역 안쪽으로는 들어오는 것 같다.

이렇게 편역자로부터 많은 도움을 받더라도, 장자의 생각은 여전히 철학의 역사 전체에서 가장 정복하기 힘든 높은 산 중에 하나다. 두께의 압박은 사소한 문제일 뿐이다. 그는 어떤 세계에서 살았으며, 어떤 세계를 넘어서려고 했을까? 장자 자신은 어떤 비전을 보았기에, 언어와 사고라는 인간의 가장 기본적인 무기에 대해 너무나도 쉽게 ‘잠정성’이라는 속성을 부여했던 것일까. 또 (그레이엄이 ‘원시주의자’로 묶어서 설명하는 사람들처럼) 세계 자체에 담겨있는 깊은 의미를 탐구하는 사람들이 으레 그렇게 했던 퇴행적 사고에 빠지지 않고 초월을 논하는 것이 정말로 가능하다고 생각했을까? 문명적 사고방식도 반문명적 본능도 아닌 비문명적인 무언가란 대체 무엇일까? 그레이엄의 장자 해석을 보고있자면, 이런 의문이 꼬리에 꼬리를 물며 떠오른다.

조금은 내 멋대로, 가장 속편하고 소박한 방식으로 이해하고자 한다. 실천적 잠정성에 기반한 태도의 무한한 변화와 그에 따른 집착으로부터의 탈피. 나 스스로는 이런 사고방식을 그다지 좋아하지 않는다. 그러나 이 관점이 제시하는 여러가지 사고실험은, 가끔은 심심할 때 공상하는 소재로 쓸 수도 있으며, 더 가끔은 내 머리를 맑게 만들 때 이용할 수도 있다. 더군다나 처음부터 끝까지 거의 모든 부분을 메타포와 문학적 수사로만 냅다 달리는 장자의 서술방식은, 이렇게 근거없이 납득하는 수작을 약간은 용인해주기도 한다.

파편처럼 여기저기 흩어진 것을 한데 모아 정리한 편역자 그레이엄의 수고에도 불구하고, 역시나 장자를 일관되게 정리하는 것은 매우 어려운 일이다. 이왕 이렇게 된거, 나도 그냥 장자를 조각조각 이해하련다. 가끔 생각날 때마다 다시 꺼내보면서, 누군가와 이야기할 때 장자에 나오는 우화를 인용해보기도 하고(가장 유명한 나비 이야기라든가, 우물 안 개구리, 약속장소에서 기다리다 홍수 때문에 죽은 미생 등등) 내게 대입시켜 생각해보기도 할 것이다. 이 책을 통독하면서 얻은 최고의 소득은, 내 앞에 놓여진 길을 조금은 풍성하게 만들어줄 몇몇 이야기를 얻었다는 것이 아닐까 싶다.

- 접기

박효진 2017-12-26 공감(2) 댓글(0)

====

번역의 생경함과 해설의 훌륭함

전통적으로 읽어 온 중국 고전의 원문/번역/해설/주석의 방식과 달러서 당황했음.앞의 해설은 중국고전 번역의 어려움과 번역자의 위상도 고민하게 해주는 솔직함이 감흥을 줌.그러나 그레이엄의 번역이 레게나 왓슨 혹은 동양 번역자의 차이가 무엇인지 번역자께서 각주 혹은 후주로 세세 했으면 과거 그레이엄의 저작들이 번역 나왔을 때처럼 환호했을텐데하는 아쉬움이 있다.그래서 원작은 해설과 원문 번역을 나눠서 출판 한 것인가하는 의문이 남는다.

최성균 2015-07-21 공감(1) 댓글(0)

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공감

장자 새창으로 보기

서양학자가 해석한 장자. 그동안 장자를 소재로한 가벼운 에세이 위주의 책들을 읽었는데.

이번에 공부겸해서 제대로된 장자를 골랐다.

기존 책과는 달리 작가가 장자를 쓴 사람들을 분류하여 편집을 하였다.

역시나 장자는 어렵다. 본문을 봐도 무슨말인지 잘 알수가 없었고, 주를 봐도 내가 지금 무엇을

읽고 있는지 정리가 되지 않는다.

허나 장자가 말하고자 하는 바가, 세상의 규정된 법칙에 얽매이지 않는 사고의 무한함이라고

생각해본다면, 이렇게 문구를 해석하는 것도, 규정에 얽매이는 것이 아닌가

그렇다면, 그냥 장자를 읽고 무엇인가 말이나 글로 규정하지말고, 그냥 느껴보면 어떨가 싶다

도를 도라고 말하면 도가 아닌 법이니..

사실 끝까지 다 못읽고 중간에 포기하게 되었지만... 이는 책의 문제가 아니라 내자신이

아직 장자를 담을 그릇이 안되서일 것이다.

- 접기

패스파인더 2021-04-22 공감(0) 댓글(0)

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공감

2022/04/02

[[Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita: Dass, Ram: 9781400054039: Amazon.com: Books

Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita: Dass, Ram: 9781400054039: Amazon.com: Books

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Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita Paperback – October 25, 2005
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World-renowned philosopher and spiritual teacher Ram Dass—author of the groundbreaking classic Be Here Now—presents the contemporary Western audience with a lively, accessible guide to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the classic Hindu text that has been called the ultimate instruction manual for living a spiritual life.

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Editorial Reviews

Review
“Blessed brilliance and luminous heart wisdom—Ram Dass at his best. These lectures were joyous to attend and exquisite to read.” —Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart

“With wisdom, humor, and great compassion, Paths to God illuminates the liberating power of the Gita—a rare gift in these unsettled times.” —Joseph Goldstein, author of One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism

“Through offering a wide variety of approaches to spiritual happiness, Paths to God is one of the most inclusive and inviting books available to us.” —Sharon Salzberg, author of Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience
From the Back Cover
For centuries, readers have turned to the Bhagavad Gita for inspiration and guidance as they chart their own spiritual paths. As profound and powerful as this classic text has been for generations of seekers, integrating its lessons into the ordinary patterns of our lives can ultimately seem beyond our reach. Now, in a fascinating series of reflections, anecdotes, stories, and exercises, Ram Dass gives us a unique and accessible road map for experiencing divinity in everyday life. In the engaging, conversational style that has made his teachings so popular for decades, Ram Dass traces our journey of consciousness as it is reflected in one of Hinduism's most sacred texts. The Gita teaches a system of yogas, or "paths for coming to union with God."
In "Paths to God, Ram Dass brings the heart of that system to light for a Western audience and translates the Gita's principles into the manual for living the yoga of contemporary life.
While being a guide to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, "Paths to God is also a template for expanding our definition of ourselves and allowing us to appreciate a new level of meaning in our lives.

"From the Hardcover edition.

About the Author
Ram Dass has served on the faculty at Stanford and Harvard Universities. In the 1960s, he traveled to India, where he met his guru. Since then, he has pursued a variety of spiritual practices, including guru kripa, devotional yoga, karma yoga, many forms of meditation, and Sufi and Jewish studies. Many of his books, including Be Here Now, are international bestsellers and classics of their kind.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter 1

Context and Conflict

Before we approach the Bhagavad Gita, we need to have a contextual framework for the way it fits into the Mahabharata, of which it's a part. The Mahabharata is one of the two great Indian epics (the Ramayana being the other). The Mahabharata is a huge book-a typical edition runs to nearly six thousand pages. It is said to be the longest literary work in the world; it is seven times the length of The Iliad and The Odyssey combined, and the only unabridged English edition runs to twelve volumes. It's thought to have been written somewhere between 500 and 200 b.c., and it covers a distant period of Indian history: tradition places the battle of Kurukshetra in 3102 b.c., although historians say it was probably more like 1400 b.c. when the events that inspired the Mahabharata took place.

At one level, the Mahabharata is an historical study of a kingdom; but at another level, it is an extraordinary symbological study of all human interactions, of all human emotions and motivations. It's like an incredible psychology book cast in the form of a drama, and it's written from a very conscious point of view, which means that although it can be read just for its romantic, melodramatic story line, it can also be read to uncover its deeper symbolism. And right in the middle of the Mahabharata, on the eve of the climactic battle between the kingdom's two warring families, comes the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna that's called the Bhagavad Gita, or "the Song of God."

The story of the Mahabharata concerns the kingdom of Bharat, in northern India. The king of Bharat had two sons, Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Dhritarashtra was the elder brother, and ordinarily would have been next in line to inherit the throne after their father died; but he had been born blind, and the traditions of the time didn't allow for a blind king, so Pandu became the king instead, and ruled the kingdom.

Now, what it is that Dhritarashtra's blindness represents in the story is something that has been expounded upon with great relish by countless Hindu pundits over the centuries. Some say his blindness represents his attachment to his son, Duryodhana, which makes him blind to the dharma, blind to truth or to higher wisdom. Some say the blindness represents the nature of the human condition, which is blind because it lacks the higher intellect. The symbolism is very rich.

Pandu, the younger brother, the king, had two wives-Kunti and Madri-and he had five children by them. Of these five children (and these turn out to be the good guys, by the way-the Pandavas), Yuddhisthira was the eldest. Yuddhisthira was virtually the embodiment of dharma, although he did have one minor failing, which was that he gambled-he liked to play dice-and that, we will see, is what ultimately leads us to the predicament we find ourselves in at Kurukshetra. Bhima, Pandu's second son, was very strong and rather reckless. Arjuna, the third, was pure, noble, chivalrous, and heroic; he turns out to be our hero in the Gita. And there were two younger sons, twins by Madri.

Dhritarashtra-the elder, blind brother-had a hundred children, all by one wife. (I know a hundred children-but we're just going to have to allow for these strange things in the Mahabharata. We make room for them in the Old Testament, with 120-year-old men having scores of children. So let's just assume that things are different in different times.) Dhritarashtra's wife, Gandhari, was incredibly devoted to him. She was so devoted that since he couldn't see, she kept her own eyes bandaged throughout her entire married life, because she said that it would be unseemly for her to see when her husband was blind. That's devoted!

Well, a few years into his reign, Pandu accidentally killed a Brahmin. Killing a Brahmin, even by accident, is a very bad thing to do, so to atone for it, Pandu retired to the forest to do tapasya (penances), leaving the kingdom in the care of Dhritarashtra. After some years, while he was still away in the forest, Pandu died as the result of a curse, and Dhritarashtra just went on ruling Bharat.

As the children grew up, Duryodhana, Dhritarashtra's eldest son, grew more and more jealous of Yuddhisthira, the eldest son of Pandu. You can see that the laws of succession would be a little hazy in this situation, but it looked as though Yuddhisthira, as the eldest Pandu son, was going to be the one to inherit the kingdom whenever Dhritarashtra died-and Duryodhana wanted it for himself. He pulled every dirty trick in the books to try to get it; the Mahabharata devotes hundreds of pages to descriptions of all the ways Duryodhana went about scheming to get rid of the Pandavas, so he could take over the kingdom. Finally, Duryodhana held a huge celebration, and invited all the Pandavas to attend. He had a magnificent palace built to house them, but he had it made of some very flammable material, and during the night, when he expected all the Pandavas to be asleep inside, he set the building afire. Luckily, the Pandavas had been forewarned by a loyal servant, and so they-the five boys and their mother-had escaped through an underground passage and gone off into the jungle, into hiding.

Now, just to give you a little more of the flavor of this story: While they were in hiding, living in a cave in the jungle, the Pandava boys heard that there was to be a swayamvara, a husband-selecting ceremony, for Draupadi, the beautiful daughter of a very high king, to find a suitable mate for her. All the princes would be there, of course, because they all wanted to marry this rich, beautiful lady.

At the gathering, a number of tasks were set for the would-be suitors: stringing a magical bow, shooting a target by looking at its reflection in a pool of water, feats like that. All the princes tried, and all the princes failed. Then this poor young Brahmin priest came along, and he easily accomplished all the tasks, one after the other. That was Arjuna in drag, of course. So Arjuna won Draupadi's hand, and he and his brothers took her and headed back to their cave in the jungle.

As they approached the cave where they were living, the boys yelled out to Kunti, their mother, Come out, Ma! See what we have brought today!

Kunti was in the cave and couldn't see her sons, but she called out, Whatever it be, share it equally among all of you. That's a good thing for a mother to say to her five children-usually! But this time it meant that all five brothers ended up being the husbands of Draupadi-she had five husbands by the mother's "boon."

Well, after some years in hiding, the Pandavas made their way back to the kingdom of Bharat, and Dhritarashtra (who wasn't a bad guy, really-it was his son who was out of control) insisted that Duryodhana give them a piece of land to rule. Duryodhana, as you'd expect, picked out the worst piece of land in the kingdom to give to the Pandavas; it had nothing going for it. But in spite of that, Yuddhisthira and his brothers made a go of it, and created a very good kingdom, prosperous and well ruled. That just made Duryodhana more jealous than ever, of course; he grew insanely jealous, and all he could think about was plotting against the Pandavas.

Duryodhana remembered that Yuddhishthira, the oldest Pandava brother, really liked playing dice, so he challenged Yuddhisthira to a dice game, and got a crooked dice player to play opposite him. The two of them played out their dice game, and in the course of it Yuddhishthira lost everything: He lost his kingdom, he forfeited his brothers into servitude, he sold Draupadi down the river-everything he had, went.

Duryodhana was ecstatic! He was so haughty about what he'd done that he had Draupadi brought in, planning to strip her naked in front of the court, to shame her. But when he went to pull off her sari, he found that no matter how many saris he pulled away, there was always one more underneath. He had piles of saris everywhere, but Draupadi was still clothed, because she was protected by the purity of the dharma. (And, of course, Krishna, whom the Pandavas had met while they were off in hiding, was helping secretly, on the side.)

When Dhritarashtra heard about the episode with Draupadi, he was so embarrassed by his son's behavior that he offered Draupadi three boons. She said, Well, for the first one, let my husbands go free, and for the second, give them back their weapons. And that's enough-I won't even need the third boon. They'll be able to take care of things from there."

Well, Dhritarashtra kept his promise and freed the Pandavas; but as soon as the brothers were free, Duryodhana sucked Yuddhisthira into another dice game. (Yuddhisthira just never seems to learn, does he?) In this dice game, the losers (who, of course, turned out to be Yuddhisthira and his four brothers) had to go off and live in the jungle for twelve years. And then, in the thirteenth year, it got even worse: They had to hide out for that whole year, because if they were found by Duryodhana during the thirteenth year, they'd have to do still another twelve years in the jungle. But if they made it through all that, Duryodhana promised that at the end of their exile they'd get their kingdom back.

So back they went to the jungle. They did their twelve years, and in the thirteenth year, in order to hide out, they became servants to a king in a neighboring kingdom. Duryodhana tried everything to find them, but he couldn't. At the end of the thirteenth year, they came back to Bharat and presented themselves before Duryodhana and said, "OK, we did it. Now we want our kingdom."

Duryodhana said, Tough. I'm keeping it. He said, I wouldn't even give you enough land to carry on the tip of a needle.

Now that is the background to the situation in which we find ourselves at the time when the events in the Bhagavad Gita are about to take place. That is, Duryodhana has finally pushed the Pandavas too far, and they have no choice now but to fight. Injustice has taken over their kingdom. Arjuna and his brothers have been cheated and lied to; truth has been trampled on. The dharma has to reassert itself-the good guys have to make a statement. War is their only recourse.

At this point in the story, an interesting event takes place: Arjuna and Duryodhana both go to Krishna, who happens to be God in an avataric form, and they both ask him for his help. In a kind of Solomon-like decision, Krishna says to them, "OK, here are your options: One of you can have all of my weapons and all of my armies...and the other one can have me, but without any armies or weapons." Arjuna immediately says, "Well, I want you-forget about the armies." His mind was turned toward God, and so he said, "All I want is God on my side."

Well, Duryodhana was very pleased with that! He, being the worldly, adharmic fellow, said, "That's perfect! I'm very happy. I get all the arms and all the might." So now the bad guys have this huge army, while the good guys have a much smaller force. And Krishna, although he's God, is only the charioteer for Arjuna-he's not even carrying a bow.

At this point, let me introduce you to a little more of Krishna's story, so we can see how he came to this moment on the battlefield. Krishna was the child of Vasudev and Devaki, and Devaki had a very mean brother named Kamsa. Kamsa was so mean that he put his own father in jail, just in order to take over the kingdom.

But mean though he was, Kamsa had a soft spot in his heart for his sister Devaki. So when she married Vasudev, Kamsa threw a big celebration for her, with a great feast, and afterward announced that he would drive the chariot himself to take the couple to their new home. While they were on their way there, however, a great voice suddenly spoke from the sky and said to Kamsa, "Beware! The eighth child of this couple will kill you."

Well, that, of course, freaked the brother completely! He was about to kill Devaki and Vasudev right on the spot, but they begged for their lives, and he finally relented. He said, OK, I won't kill you. But you'll have to agree to live in jail for the rest of your lives, and to give me all your children as soon as they're born.

What could they do? They agreed.

So Devaki and Vasudev were imprisoned, and their first seven children were taken away the minute they were born. The first six were killed by Kamsa; the seventh has a complicated story of his own, which we won't go into here.

When the time came for the eighth birth, Kamsa was especially wary. He put extra guards on duty at the prison, and he locked Vasudev and Devaki in chains. But as the time of the birth approached, the guards began to feel very sleepy, and they all dozed off. And then the baby was born. As he came out of the womb, the baby (who, of course, was Krishna) said, "Take me to Gokul, to Nanda's house, and there you will find a girl-child. Substitute me for that baby girl."

Vasudev said, "How can I take you to Gokul? The doors are locked, and I'm in chains." At that point, Vasudev's chains dropped away and the prison door flew open. Well, Vasudev felt that was a pretty clear message, so he took baby Krishna to Gokul and brought the baby girl back in his place. The guards woke up and saw the baby, and went to tell Kamsa. The wicked brother came to the cell, and thinking that the little girl was his sister's child, he grabbed the baby by her feet, planning to throw her to the floor. But as he touched her feet, she flew out of his hands and up into the sky. As she was going, she called back, "I would have killed you, but you touched my feet; and even though you did that intending to kill me, I will treat it as though you were honoring me and let you go this time." Then she disappeared up into heaven.
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1400054036
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harmony; Reprint edition (October 25, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781400054039
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400054039
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.16 x 0.91 x 7.97 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #52,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#14 in Bhagavad Gita (Books)
#64 in Religion & Philosophy (Books)
#116 in Yoga (Books)
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4.8 out of 5 stars 362 ratings

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Ram Dass

Ram Dass, formerly Dr. Richard Alpert, became a multigenerational spiritual teacher and cultural icon spanning from the 1960s through his peaceful passing at his home on December 22, 2019. His zeitgeist shifting book Be Here Now sparked a watershed of Eastern spiritual traditions and practices to become accessible to a Western audience. After a life-altering stroke, Ram Dass spent the remainder of his life on Maui, continuing to write books, share teachings, and hold retreats. His many books include Walking Each Other Home, Polishing the Mirror, Be Love Now, Paths to God, Still Here, and The Only Dance There Is. Ram Dass devoted his life to service, founding the Love Serve Remember Foundation, the Hanuman Foundation, and co-founding the Seva Foundation, Lama Foundation, and the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Taos, New Mexico. For talks, podcasts, or more information, visit ramdass.org.

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Marian Marroquín-Sempé
5.0 out of 5 stars Blew my mindReviewed in the United States on February 23, 2021
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I really didn’t expect this book to impact me the way it did, but here I am, taking the time to let others who are considering buying this book to READ IT. When I came across this book, I was looking for a commentary on the Gita, a life-changing book for me, that I read last year. So I bought this book, expecting it to clarify and further deepen my understanding of the teachings of the Gita. What I got was that and much more. It really isn’t a commentary but the base of a course taught by Ram Dass at Naropa during the 70’s that takes the key aspects of the Gita and teaches them in a way you can use in your everyday life. If the Gita has impacted your life and want to further deepen the way you can work with it everyday, GET THIS BOOK.

16 people found this helpful

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Saavik
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and worth the readReviewed in the United States on July 5, 2021
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Great addition to Ram Dass the collection.

I attempted to read the Bhagvad Gita few times but never fully grasped the allegorical references. It was kind of like reading Melville's Moby Dick without Cliff notes.

After I read Paths to God, I finally understood the inner battle Arjuna faced. Ram Dass might be on a different plane but he still can bring enlightenment to us on this plane of existence.

Thank you, Ram Dass. Thank you to all who collaborated to piece this book together. Love everyone and don't lie

6 people found this helpful

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jessica dukes
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read!Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2021
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I’ve read mannnyyy spiritual books and this one is the best! He uses the gita as prompts then applies it to real life. He touches on almost every point of his philosophy so its great book to learn more about his teachings.

7 people found this helpful

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Pippen
5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, uplifting & mind blowingReviewed in the United States on October 14, 2021
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They say the right teacher or teaching appears,when the student is ready. This book is a must have for all conscious students of life. It is beautifully written & full of key insights to contemplate on the path of awakening.

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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Very complexReviewed in the United States on August 22, 2018
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It was not what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it would be a more literal interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita. If you like Ram Dass, you'll probably like this.

10 people found this helpful

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James
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changingReviewed in the United States on November 22, 2018
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I have this as a digital copy and an audio book, it helps put my spirit back inline when it gets to bleak. Great book very enlightening

11 people found this helpful

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Mona Barnes
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy nowReviewed in the United States on January 24, 2022
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This book is great. Goes in understandable detail about how you can use the Gita to grow on your spiritual journey. If your inquiring about Buddhism and Hinduism and it’s overall universal applications than this is a good book for you. I have enjoyed the pictures of Ram Dass along with photographs of some original work he has done. Less traditional style that helps put some spice in your life.

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Julie Rose
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United States on March 22, 2017
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Now that I'm retired its wonderful to have a curriculum for spiritual work.

13 people found this helpful

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Infinity Drive
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic bookReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2010
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I highly recommend this book. It took me ages to read this book, not because it is a very long book, but because what was in it made me often stop reading and pondering philosophical the concepts the author was putting forth. It made me do lots of pondering between paragraphs and the like (and for this reason I easily lost my place). I was in hospital at the time and found it be a great spiritual support in a very negative environment.

Certainly, what is presented here is a spiritual classic - the author goes through many topics, in particular I found his explanations of reincarnation and karma to be very insightful and gave me new perspective on these ideas.

The book also has some charming and fascinating ancedotes about Ram Dass life with Baba and his adventures in meditation - I found the story about his meditations with the Zen masters Koan very entertaining.

A book writetn with great wisdom and humility from a modern spiritual master. If you are just a little bit interested in these topics - I'd highly recommend this book.
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Neophyte
5.0 out of 5 stars The path less ravelledReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2014
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I found this to be an honest and clear book on paths to God, primarily from within the bhakti yoga path but very inclusive of others. I was particularly moved by Ram Dass's recognition that he needed to surrender to a guru, that this was the right path for him, a Western academic of some standing. It also gave me the freedom to recognise that this is not my path, and the confidence to explore my own. I also found the chapter on karma very enlightening. I was for the first time able to personally penetrate what this meant in my own life. To be read with the heart open.

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Beata D
5.0 out of 5 stars excellentReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2018
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If you are serious about spiritual life you must read / listen to cd
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Liz in Looe
5.0 out of 5 stars A Yoga must read!Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2012
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I have owned this book for a couple of weeks now and am on my third read. Ram Dass makes the Gita so accessible and has some excellent pointers for enabling Westerners to live the Gita in daily life. I was lucky enough to be able to read this whilst travelling to a course on the Gita, and having the two together was just incredible. Thank you so much Ram Dass!!

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cathmclean
5.0 out of 5 stars Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad GitaReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2012
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I found Ram Dass's writing to be an really enjoyable, enlightening and educational read. I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in understanding the Bhagavad Gita or is studying yoga.

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Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita

Ram Dass,

Richard Alpert

4.43 · Rating details · 992 ratings · 71 reviews

For centuries, readers have turned to the Bhagavad Gita for inspiration and guidance as they chart their own spiritual paths. As profound and powerful as this classic text has been for generations of seekers, integrating its lessons into the ordinary patterns of our lives can ultimately seem beyond our reach. Now, in a fascinating series of reflections, anecdotes, stories, and exercises, Ram Dass gives us a unique and accessible road map for experiencing divinity in everyday life. In the engaging, conversational style that has made his teachings so popular for decades, Ram Dass traces our journey of consciousness as it is reflected in one of Hinduism's most sacred texts. The Gita teaches a system of yogas, or "paths for coming to union with God."

In Paths to God, Ram Dass brings the heart of that system to light for a Western audience and translates the Gita's principles into the manual for living the yoga of contemporary life.

While being a guide to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, Paths to God is also a template for expanding our definition of ourselves and allowing us to appreciate a new level of meaning in our lives.

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 25th 2005 by Harmony (first published 2004)

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Mar 03, 2008J-russ rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: re-reading

This book was incredible. Ram Dass walks you through the Gita without it being a book report. He supplements every chapter with excercises and further readings so you don't just read it, you feel it. The book is also inclusive of most religions. He quotes the Bible to explain attachment in a western light and enriches the meaning with his personal experience and texts from the Vedas.
This book is not a beginners book though. He relies on the reader to have a fundemental understanding of Arjuna and his tribulations. Without having read the story and having a grasp on eastern thought and core values as expressed by Jesus one would be left searching for explainations or facts to back up statements the author treats as truthes.
The book requires that the reader have some kind of relationship with God but it does not have to be any particular persuastion. Ram Dass would assure you that when you are ready, you will be reading this book! (less)

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Jun 05, 2009Grant added it

I like Ram Dass. He has a sweetness and approachability to his writting that makes my heart float with his company. He makes me a better person, humble, kind, loving, caring, present, filled with curiosity, God, and love for man.
I skimmed this book. It made me want to read the Gita.
I really like what he says about Hatha Yoga and its ability to change a persons perspective towards their body, especially in relation to consumption.

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Jun 27, 2012Tracy rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book. An easy read. It presented the Gita in such a easy and natural read. I am very familure with the ideas in this book, and it just solidified them for me. I think its a great book for beginners, and those who have been on the spiritual path for awhile. I really like Ram Dass. The book kind of made me want to take drugs though...lol.

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Jan 19, 2018Joe rated it it was amazing

The perfect companion to my favorite holy text. The Bhagavad Gita offers something for everyone, but it can be a little obtuse for those not educated in Hindu and Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Enter Ram Dass: spiritual leader, honest as a dog, and an excellent writer who captures concepts in a way sure to bring understanding to both beginners and experts alike. His chapters on karma and reincarnation are both standouts, but the whole book offers so much it's hard to pick favorites. From the suggested exercises to the extended references, Ram Dass nails it, through and through. (less)

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Sep 23, 2014Denise rated it it was amazing

Ram Dass is my number one upaguru. His style and wit speak to my heart like no other. I've found the Bhagavad Gita difficult to understand and apply but RD has a way of making such things more clear. I've learned so much from him but his books are worth reading for his excellent story telling alone. He's a character and beautifully meshuga. (less)

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Dec 05, 2017Kendall rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

THIS BOOK IS STRAIGHT FIRE. LOved it. Essential for your spiritual journey

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Nov 11, 2020Leo Walsh rated it really liked it

A solid spiritual classic. Sure, it's dated, suffering from Ram Dass's 60's acidhead syndrome, like Timothy Leary worship and seeing all mystical spiritual practice, from Vedic to Buddhist to shamanic, originating in psychedelics. That's spurious.

And I find it hard to accept what Dass says about wealthy "gurus" driving around in Bentleys and eating from golden bowls: that they're so evolved that they're looking "beyond this world." Sure, some may, but in my experience, those people are often cons. They're the Billy Grahams of the New Age movement, holding splashy tent revivals and not doing the real, lived-in, day-to-day work that a pastor must do to help their parishioners live a good life in an often cold, cruel world.

And I also object to his white-washing of the traditional hindu caste system, a repressive social order writ large and given "religious" justification.

However...

The book offers a solid look at basic, non-technical practice of an honest-to-God Vedic religious outlook. This is not New Age Hinduism Lite, but the real deal. It forces the reader to examine their life through the Vedic holy book THE BHAGAVADGITA, which argues for radical engagement in the world.

What's more, I've always had the sense that Ram Dass believes what he writes. This is not throw away schlock, like THE SECRET. At the time he wrote this, Dass had spent decades living as a yogi, a mendicant monk, ensconced in Vedic teachings and absorbing the spirit of the Hindu deities. Which makes most of his insights at least thought-provoking. And Dass is a harvard-educated social scientist, so his adopted life intrigues.

Four stars. It could be five, but the rah-rah for the caste system leaves me cold. It smacks of southerners mythologizing plantation owners as "benevolent overseers" of their slaves instead of the often cruel slave owners they really were. They did, after all, profit off of the misery of people they owned and felt superior to. (less)

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Sep 18, 2021Ben rated it it was amazing

I read this as I read through my first two readings of The Bhagavad Gita. Soon to do my third reading of the Gita while practicing the exercises at the end. Much like in the book Remember: Be Here Now, this work starts off with the explanations of what it's all about, and it has all it's exercises in the back. When this was compiled, it was done so as a university course. I would recommend that, at the end of each section of this book which you read, take some time to go over the stuff at the end and incorporate it into your readings and practices. There's no one to grade you but yourself, no way to fail. If anything, this book gives one great wisdom into their study of the Gita. Highly recommended for those looking to better understand Indian philosophy or deepen their spirit. (less)

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Nov 19, 2019Bruce Geils rated it it was amazing

This book arrived perfectly on time.

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Nov 18, 2009Nikki rated it really liked it

Despite the fact that the author is a total hippy, I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated the perspective of a Westerner converting to Hinduism...I found it very interesting seeing the differences in how Westerners/Easterners think. I learned a lot about the various practices involved in leading an 'enlightened' life. And I enjoyed his interpretation of the Gita. He included quotes from all the great religious leaders (Christ, Buddha, etc), which I appreciated.

I learned to ignore his discussi ...more

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Oct 09, 2018Countp rated it it was amazing

Simply superb! Ram Dass’ exquisite take on the main themes of the Bhagavad Gita is a must read for anyone interested in different approaches to achieve spiritual freedom. The various aspects and techniques of karma yoga (action), bhakti yoga (devotion), jnana yoga (wisdom), sacrifice and mantra, renunciation & purification are discussed in a poetic, humourous and captivating way. At the end of the book are many extra articles explaining the ins and outs of different types of meditation practices and simple exercises to apply these to your own life. I have thouroughly enjoyed reading this book from the first to the last page and will often be returning to the wisdom contained in it. (less)

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Feb 03, 2008Monica McCarthy rated it really liked it

Recommended to Monica by: Yoga peeps

Funny enough, I read this book while home over Christmas. I had tried reading this book months before but I couldn't get into it. Once the right time for me to delve into the ideas however, I became more and more interested in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, and learning more about the true source of yoga and not just our westernized versions of the practice. I also appreciated Mr. Daas' honesty and candor and immediately recommended and lent my copy to a friend interested in eastern philosophy (less)

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Apr 10, 2013Rose Fuller rated it it was amazing

This book is awesome! Ram Dass is a great writer, he's lead an interesting life, travelling to India and living without money. The book covers different types of yoga, including Bhakti yoga the devotional service to God. Ram talks about his Jewish background, his family, the death of his mother. Buddhism is covered in detail with regards to his experience of the death of his mother and a close friend, with whom he was with while she was dying. The book covers the authors drug experiences on LSD and his temporary lapse of vegetarianism. I will read Rams other books for certain. (less)

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Aug 23, 2018Jessica M rated it really liked it

This is a great companion to the Gita, and has some thoughtful 'homework' readings and exercises at the back of the book. If you are a fan of Ram Dass, you will love it for being full of his anecdotes in his gently comical style. If you are looking for something a little more scholarly and less personal (although that is the point of this book--how to bring the teachings of the Gita into your personal life), you might do better with a different commentary. And of course you should already have read the Bhagavad Gita a couple times before reading this one. (less)

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Jun 06, 2014Marguerite Bradley rated it really liked it

Great read wonderful insight crossing over to the Eastern religions and meeting with the western. Turns out that if you seek it you will find. Open ur heart and mind. Author is funny down to earth hippie that opened his mind with Timothy Leary in the 70s by magic mushrooms and studied eastern religion to find the answers about God. Crosses both east and west cultures bringing full circle to the one the supreme being and to find it within.

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Jul 07, 2014Julie rated it it was amazing

A great book. I enjoyed Ram Dass's writing style. He incorporates the Bhagavad Gita into real life situations by using his own life as examples. He does go off on some explanations and seems to get carried away in his stories, but his stories are wonderful, thoughtful and lived. And it is through his living them and in the sharing of them that are able to learn and apply his wisdom in our own life. (less)

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Jan 12, 2019Nate rated it it was amazing

Wisdom is the path from knowing to being. We can know knowledge, but only be wise. Understanding is the function of many centers, as opposed to knowing, which occurs in only one center. Intuitive wisdom is a non-conceptual appreciation for something by becoming one with it. Intuition is driven by an understanding of the interconnectedness of everything that is being. Bodies, hearts and minds - an organ for each type of yoga.

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Nov 12, 2010Malcolm rated it really liked it

Fascinating book where Ram Dass tries to explain his views of reality, God-ness, and the relationship between western understanding and eastern ideas. I always find his books quite interesting. This book also includes a compendium at the end with a full program for meditation and spritual awakening.
Visit my writing website www.authorsden.com/malcolmwatts (less)

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Jan 18, 2013Hanuman Dass rated it it was amazing

Shelves: neem-karoli-baba-satsang

This is the closest work we have to a commentary by Ram Dass on the Bhagavad Gita. It is based on an extensive course taught in America in the 1970s. There is also over 12 Hours of excellent audio available free on youtube.

I have placed a link to the first session below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYa81H...

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Feb 05, 2017Charles rated it really liked it

Ram Dass really knows how to spellbind in his oral raps that then get transcribed. Be advised, however, that this book is not really focused on the Bhagavad-Gita, at least not in a systematic way. But despite its lack of scholarly rigor, or perhaps thanks to that lack, the book is extremely readable, with chapters on Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga that are remarkable.

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Dec 03, 2017Nicole rated it really liked it

Shelves: spirituality

This is based off of a course that Ram Dass taught at Naropa University.

It was good, but never inspired me to write any quotations or notes. Still an interesting read. It doesn't so much address the Gita as it talks about concepts that are found within. At the end there is section suggesting many forms of spiritual practice, and I took some mental notes from there that I found helpful. (less)

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Mar 26, 2018Valerie Kehoe rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favs, nonfiction, 5-star-books

So much love for Ram Dass. This book was such a beautiful read. I really took time to read it slowly and think about the different teachings. I learned so much and It has affected my life in such a divine way. Very eye opening. Ram Dass has such a loving way of teaching and it was really easy for me to understand. I love this🙏

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Nov 09, 2014Samuel Lewis rated it it was amazing

Ram Dass is the most amazing teacher. His work speaks directly to me and this book serves as an amazing way to connect with his teachings. I found it incredibly valuable that it contains a syllabus for the class!

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알라딘: 장자 - 사유의 보폭을 넓히는 새로운 장자 읽기 앵거스 찰스 그레이엄 A.C. Graham

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