2022/09/16

Jay L. Garfield - Wikipedia

Jay L. Garfield - Wikipedia

Jay L. Garfield

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Jay Lazar Garfield (born 13 November 1955) is an American professor of philosophy who specializes in Tibetan Buddhism. He also specializes on the philosophy of mind, cognitive science, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, ethics, and hermeneutics. He is currently Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities at Smith College, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Melbourne, Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Buddhist Studies at Harvard Divinity School, and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at the Central University of Tibetan Studies.[citation needed]

Academic career[edit]

Garfield received an A.B. from Oberlin College in 1975, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in 1986, where he worked with Wilfrid Sellars and Annette Baier. At the Central University of Tibetan Studies in India, he studied Nagarjuna with Geshe Yeshe Thabkhas.

He taught from 1980-1995 at Hampshire College, from 1996-1998 at the University of Tasmania, and since 1999 at Smith College.

He is editor-in-chief of the journal Sophia, and is on the editorial boards of Philosophical Psychology, Journal of Indian Philosophy and Religion, Australasian Philosophical Review, Philosophy East and West, American Institute of Buddhist Studies/Columbia Center for Buddhist Studies/Tibet House, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and the Journal of Buddhist Philosophy.

Garfield was the inaugural Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor of Humanities and Head of Studies, Philosophy, at Yale-NUS from 2013-2016. He said, "This Professorship has given me the opportunity of a lifetime – working with motivated, creative and talented students and colleagues and working in a community committed to building something entirely new, an Asian liberal arts college with a truly global curriculum."[1] During his professorship at Yale-NUS, Garfield was one of six scholars who participated in a conference with the 14th Dalai Lama on "Mapping the Mind: A Dialogue between Modern Science and Buddhist Science."[2]

Controversy over "If Philosophy Won't Diversify"[edit]

Garfield has long been a critic of what he sees as the narrow approach of Western philosophers. He has noted that "people in our profession are still happy to treat Western philosophy as the 'core' of the discipline, and as the umarked case. So, for instance, a course that addresses only classical Greek philosophy can be comfortably titled 'Ancient Philosophy,' not 'Ancient Western Philosophy,' and a course in metaphysics can be counted on to ignore all non-Western metaphysics. A course in Indian philosophy is not another course in the history of philosophy, but is part of the non-Western curriculum."[3] Because of his knowledge of Buddhism and commitment to encouraging the study of Asian philosophy, Garfield was invited to be the keynote speaker at a conference on non-Western philosophical traditions organized by graduate students in philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania in 2016. However, he was "outraged" that there were only "one or two" members of the regular faculty in the department who attended the event, because he felt that this showed a lack of support for their own students' interest in non-Western philosophy.[4]

Garfield discussed this issue with another speaker at the conference, Bryan W. Van Norden, and they wrote an editorial that appeared in The Stone column of The New York Times in May of that year, entitled "If Philosophy Won't Diversify, Let's Call It What It Really Is."[5] In this editorial, they state: "we have urged our colleagues to look beyond the European canon in their own research and teaching." However, "progress has been minimal." Consequently, so long as "the profession as a whole remains resolutely Eurocentric," Garfield and Van Norden "ask those who sincerely believe that it does make sense to organize our discipline entirely around European and American figures and texts to pursue this agenda with honesty and openness. We therefore suggest that any department that regularly offers courses only on Western philosophy should rename itself 'Department of European and American Philosophy.'"

The article received 797 comments in just 12 hours. (None of the other Stone columns that month had over 500 comments.) Garfield later explained, "I woke up to all this email in my inbox [with] people asking, 'Are you okay?' 'Do you need to talk?'" Garfield soon realized that his colleagues were expressing concern for his well-being because so many of the comments on the article expressed "vitriolic racism and xenophobia. And some of it was clearly by philosophers and students of philosophy.'"[6] One typical comment was that Western philosophy deserves precedence because "there is a particular school of thought that caught fire, broke cultural boundaries, and laid the foundation of modern science (Does anyone want to fly in a plane built with non-western math?) and our least oppressive governmental systems."[7] On the other hand, there were also many supportive comments: "Hear! Hear! Inclusion is the order of the day. ... More wisdom from more perspectives — what could be better? We have so much to learn from each other, if only we listen."[8]

Garfield and Van Norden's article was almost immediately translated into Chinese,[9] and over twenty blogs in the English-speaking world have commented or hosted discussions, including Reddit.[10] Garfield and Van Norden's piece has continued to provoke strong reactions. Some have applauded their call for greater diversity in the US philosophical canon.[11][12] In addition, their piece has been featured in several recent essays arguing for greater diversity in philosophy.[13][14][15]

However, there has also been extensive criticism of the Garfield and Van Norden article. Articles in Aeon and Weekly Standard argued that "philosophy" is, by definition, the tradition that grows out of Plato and Aristotle, so nothing outside that tradition could count as philosophy.[16][17] Professor Amy Olberding of the University of Oklahoma wrote a detailed reply to critics of Garfield and Van Norden, arguing that criticisms fall into a stereotypical pattern that betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the issues.[18]

Publications[edit]

Books[edit]

  • Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live without a Self (Princeton University Press 2022)
  • Buddhist Ethics: A Philosophical Exploration (Buddhist Philosophy for Philosophers) (Oxford University Press 2022)
  • Dignāga’s Investigation of the Percept: A Philosophical Legacy in India and Tibet (with Douglas Duckworth, David Eckel, John Powers, Yeshes Thabkhas and Sonam Thakchöe, Oxford University Press 2016)
  • Moonpaths: Ethics in the Context of Conventional Truth (with the Cowherds, Oxford University Press 2015)
  • Engaging Buddhism: Why Does Buddhism Matter to Philosophy? (Oxford University Press 2015)
  • Sweet Reason: A Field Guide to Modern Logic, 2nd Edition (with James Henle and Thomas Tymoczko. Wiley. (2011)
  • Western Idealism and its Critics. Central University of Tibetan Studies Press, Sarnath, India, 2011, English only edition, Hobart: Pyrrho Press 1998.
  • Moonshadows: Conventional Truth in Buddhist Philosophy (with the Cowherds, Oxford University Press. (2010)
  • An Ocean of Reasoning: Tsong kha pa’s Great Commentary on Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārika (with Geshe Ngawang Samten), Oxford University Press, 2006.
  • Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation. Oxford University Press, New York, 2002.
  • Translator and commentator, Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.
  • Cognitive Science: An Introduction (with N. Stillings, M. Feinstein, E. Rissland, D. Rosenbaum, S. Weisler, and L. Baker-Ward). Bradford Books/MIT Press, 1987; 2nd edition (with N. Stillings, M. Feinstein, E. Rissland, D. Rosenbaum, S. Weisler, and L. Baker-Ward), Bradford Books/MIT Press, 1995.
  • Belief in Psychology: A Study in the Ontology of Mind. Bradford Books/MIT Press, 1988.

Edited collections[edit]

  • Madhyamaka and Yogācāra: Allies or Rivals? (ed., with J Westerhoff), Oxford University Press, 2015.
  • The Moon Points Back: Buddhism, Logic and Analytic Philosophy (ed. With Y. Deguchi, G. Priest and K. Tanaka). Oxford University Press, 2015
  • Contrary Thinking: Selected Papers of Daya Krishna (with N Bhushan and D Raveh), Oxford University Press (2011).
  • Indian Philosophy in English: Renaissance to Independence (with N Bhushan), Oxford University Press (2011).
  • Oxford Handbook of World Philosophy (with W Edelglass), Oxford University Press (2010).
  • Pointing at the Moon: Buddhism, Logic Analysis (with T Tillemans and M D’Amato), 2009, Oxford University Press.
  • TransBuddhism: Translation, Transmission and Transformation (with N Bhushan and A Zablocki) 2009, the University of Massachusetts Press.
  • Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings (with William Edelglass) 2009, Oxford University Press.
  • Foundations of Cognitive Science: The Essential Readings. Paragon House, New York, 1990.
  • Meaning and Truth: Essential Readings in Modern Semantics (with Murray Kiteley). Paragon House, New York, 1990.
  • Modularity in Knowledge Representation and Natural Language Understanding. Bradford Books/MIT Press, 1987.
  • Abortion: Moral and Legal Perspectives (with Patricia Hennessey). University of Massachusetts Press, 1984.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Impact of philanthropy felt far and wide across Yale-NUS College". National University of Singapore Giving. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  2. ^ "His Holiness the Dalai Lama Meets Scientists on 'Mapping the Mind'". Central Tibetan Administration. Retrieved 14 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Marshall, Richard. "Buddhist Howls". 3AM Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Jay Garfield: Engaging Buddhist Philosophy". The Wisdom Podcast. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  5. ^ Garfield, Jay L.; Van Norden, Bryan W. "If Philosophy Won't Diversify, Let's Call It What It Really Is". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Jay Garfield: Engaging Buddhist Philosophy". The Wisdom Podcast. Wisdom Publications. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  7. ^ Shawn. "Comment on Garfield and Van Norden, "If Philosophy Won't Diversify"". New York Times. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  8. ^ Goldin, Ellen. "Comment on Garfield and Van Norden, "If Philosophy Won't Diversify"". New York Times. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  9. ^ Garfield, Jay L.; Van Norden, Bryan W. "哲学若无多样性，只配称为欧美哲学". Aisixiang. Translated by Wu, Wanwei. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  10. ^ "What's your take on the recent NYTimes article advocating diversification in philosophy departments in the west?". Reddit. Retrieved 10 December 2016.See notes below for some of the other websites
  11. ^ Miller, Joshua A. "Diversify or Die". Anotherpanacea. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  12. ^ Whitaker, Justin. "Getting Buddhist Philosophy (and Other Non-Western Thought) into the Academy". American Buddhist Perspectives. Patheos. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  13. ^ Levine, Peter. "The Lack of Diversity in Philosophy Is Blocking Its Progress". Aeon. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  14. ^ Krishnamurthy, Meena. "Adamson, Greek-Responding Philosophy, and the Indian Subcontinent". Philosopher. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  15. ^ Sayer, Emily. "Vassar College Wants More Diversified Courses". The Miscellany News. The Miscellany News. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  16. ^ Tampio, Nicholas. "Not All Things Wise and Good Are Philosophy". Aeon. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  17. ^ Peon, D. Kyle. "Yes--Let's Call Philosophy What It Really Is". Weekly Standard. Weekly Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  18. ^ Olberding, Amy. "When Someone Suggests Expanding the Canon..." Daily Nous. Retrieved 10 December 2016.

External links[edit]

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The 16 Best Books on Buddhism & Meditation | The Buddho Foundation

The 16 Best Books on Buddhism & Meditation | The Buddho Foundation

The 16 Best Books on Buddhism & Meditation


You started meditating, for whatever reason. Maybe it’s a way to relax a bit more, to let go of stress, or to make suffering that you have experienced more bearable. Maybe the meditation is driven by the feeling that there is more we can access, or it is part of an investigation of reality.

It could just be that at some point you want to complement your meditation with some book-wisdom. Although absolutely not necessary, from time to time a book can be motivating and inspiring and can help you to put experiences into perspective.

So you have decided to read a book on meditation or buddhism (or both). But where to begin?

Choosing the right book at the right time is not that easy. Many different authors have dedicated many words to the Buddha and his teachings. There are books that might be easier to read first and books for people who want to go even deeper, books about Theravāda, about Zen, about Tibetan buddhism, books that contain translations of ancient writings, and books that mainly contain the authors experiences, opinions or interpretations. And with all books, the question always arises whether the author really knows from his own experience what he/she writes about and whether the content can really be trusted (at least to some extent).

You might even wonder if it is not just best to start with the Pali Canon (the ancient writings that contain the direct teachings of the Buddha). The answer to that is yes and no.

Ahba has indicated that when reading the Pali Canon you are at least sure that the content is good, this cannot always be said with certainty for many other works by modern authors. However, Ahba also gives warnings for delving into the sutta’s as well as the Abhidhamma.

The reason fort his caution is that the sutta’s (teachings of the Buddha) are context-dependent. That is, the Buddha was a master at adapting his message to his audience so that his teachings had the best effect. This also means that the wisdoms in the sutta’s are context-dependent. Without knowledge of the context and the accompanying nuances, one can arrive at wrong insights or interpretations.

Ahba indicates that it is like trying to catch a fish in a very cloudy pond. The fish can’t see you, but neither can you see the fish. All you can do is move your hand haphazardly back and forth in the water, hoping to meet a fish. Maybe you’ll catch a fish, but maybe you won’t, and who knows how long it will take.

Of course it’s fine to read the sutta’s, just be careful with thinking you gained all kinds of true insights from them.

When it comes to studying the Abhidhamma (the teachings on ultimate reality), Ahba also makes it clear that wanting to dive too deeply into the Abhidhamma, i.e. reading the seven books of the Abhidhamma itself, makes no sense without a trained Abhidhamma teacher. The chance of confusion and speculation otherwise is too great.

This warning given by Ahba actually also applies to the Abhidhammattha Sangaha, the summary of the Abhidhamma.

It is like trying to catch a fish in a very clear pond. You can see the fish very well, but they can also see you. Every time you think you can catch a fish it is gone before your hand has reached it.

It’s the same with deeper knowledge of the Abhidhamma, just as we think we can grasp it, it slips away. If we think we can actually understand it through solely studying it we just fool ourselves.

Read for inspiration, for guidance during practice, for reassurance or confrontation with one’s own concepts and ideas, perhaps just to form a small hairline crack in your notion of a ‘self’. Don’t read with the intention of gaining wisdom, that only leads to misplaced arrogance.

True wisdom comes only through direct personal experience, through meditation, by practicing every day. Always keep that in mind.

With that note we’re going to venture into some books.

With these 16 recommended books on buddhism and meditation we hope to show a (in our experience) reasonably safe path in the swamp of choices. Of course the list is not a definitive work. It is just an advice from someone who has read a lot.

This is also just a start, if you want more advice (or personal advice) afterwards you can always contact us.

Please note that there is an order to the list. We start with more accessible works and gradually move to works that may offer more depth to the experienced student. If the book exists as a pdf we will place a link.

There are almost only Theravāda Buddhist books on this list because that is where buddho meditation comes from. That said, we consider this list a nice starting point for practitioners of other traditions as well.

When it comes to books from other lineages, for example, we can warmly recommend the Venerable Shunryu Suzuki (not to be confused DT. Suzuki) for Zen and the Venerable Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for Tibetan Buddhism.

Have fun reading!


1. Happiness – Matthieu Ricard


What is happiness? And how can you develop happiness? The title might give the impression that it’s a somewhat woolly, superficial work, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Matthieu Ricard, a monk in the Tibetan tradition for many years and long-time translator to the Dalai Lama, was a scientist before he became a monk and that clearly shows in this book. He writes in a very clear and accessible way about one of the most important but also complex subjects possible.

It could be that some readers might find that the book uses too many quotes from other scientists and philosophers, but as far as we are concerned this is one of the best books to get a feeling for the essence of Buddhism.
2. A Stil Forest Pool – Ajahn Chah


Ajahn Chah is one of the greatest Buddhist meditation teachers of the last century. We heartily recommend all the books with his teachings.

His way of teaching actually resembles the way Ahba teaches.

With simple, loving, humorous, often surreptitiously confronting examples and lessons, he always makes you think. Just like Ahba, he emphasizes time and again that it is really you who, through your own desire, causes all your problems.

At the same time he knows how to convey the feeling of true freedom and inner peace, based on his own experience.

We have placed this specific collection of his teachings in this guide because it is a very nice introduction to the way of a contemporary master teaches, as a counterpart to other more ‘theoretical’ works in this list.

– This specific book is not available online, but you could for example read Stillness Flowing to get a better picture of Ajahn Chah.
3. The Word of the Buddha – Nyanatiloka Mahathera


Nyanatiloka Mahathera was a predecessor of Bhikkhu Bodhi in Sri Lanka and one of the first Western monks of modern times.

His book The Word of the Buddha is exactly what it claims, a small, skillfully chosen collection of quotations from the Buddha’s own teachings (sutta’s), with some explanation here and there.

Here you can read the Dhamma in the words of the Buddha himself, and we think that after the above mentioned books now might be a good time to start with that.

– Read The Word of the Buddha online
4. The Noble Eightfold Path – Bhikkhu Bodhi


Bhikkhu Bodhi is one of our favorite authors, and actually we can recommend all of his books. He is also one of the few authors that Ahba has approved as being trustworthy. Still, many of his writings are very detailed and more suited for the more advanced reader.

This work is an exception in that it contains relevant content for the beginner and the most advanced practitioner alike. As the title suggests, it describes the Noble Eightfold Path, the path to liberation as taught by the Buddha.

But, as already mentioned, do not think that accessible means superficial, because Bhikkhu Bodhi knows how to weave his profound knowledge and experience into his writing.

– Read The Noble Eightfold Path online
5. Dependent Origination I t/m III – Ron Wijewantha


This book, or rather this series of three books, is one of the lesser-known gems of the BPS (Buddhist Publishing Society). In this series, Ron Wijewantha writes about Paṭiccasamuppāda, dependend arising, one of the cornerstones of Buddha’s teaching.

Although it appears to be a theoretical book, this is not the case. The book is written from the practitioner’s point of view and emphasizes useful knowledge for daily practice.

The author knows how to mold this very complicated subject into a useful framework for everyday life.
6. Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization – Bhikkhu Analayo


We could undoubtedly have included this sharp analysis of Satipaṭṭhāna, the foundation of mindfulness, later in this list. Indeed, it is a profound and detailed exposition of a single teaching, the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta.

However, because the practice of sati (conscious attention or mindfulness) is of great importance for the development of concentration and understanding, and because there are unfortunately many erroneous views on this subject among practitioners, we have chosen to advise this book in this place, in the hope that the reader will be able to develop a clear theoretical understanding of mindfulness early on the path and apply it in practice.

– Read Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization online
7. Meditation – Ajahn Chah


This gem of collected teachings of Ajahn Chah is again a beautiful complement to the previous theoretical works.

It is listed here because it is especially nice to read when you have already meditated a bit more and maybe even participated in a retreat. In that case, the content will connect even more to your experience.

As far as we are concerned, this is a book with insights from which you can benefit in many meditations and retreats afterwards.

Highly recommended!

– Read Meditation oniline
8. Mind Overcoming its Cankers – Acharya Buddhrakkhita


This book is another possibly slightly lesser-known jewel of the BPS. Acharya Buddharakkhita highlights the unwholesome states of mind in which we almost continuously find ourselves from different angles and provides concrete pointers to deal with them.

It is a book to read and reread again and again.

– Read Mind Overcoming its Cankers online
9. In the Buddha’s Words – Bhikkhu Bodhi


Now we have arrived at the second work by Bhikkhu Bodhi. He is known for his very good translations from Pali, the language in which the original texts have been preserved. This is a collection of sutta’s arranged in ten thematic chapters.

In this work Bhikkhu Bodhi does not just give quotes, but always includes the entire sutta with explanations.

The work gives a nice overview of the scope of the sutta’s and thus offers even more insight into how the words of the Buddha have been passed down through the centuries.
10. The Life of the Buddha – Bhikkhu Nanamoli


This work is a ‘Biography’ about the Buddha written by Bhikkhu Nanamoli. Bhikkhu Nanamoli only uses original texts from the Pali Canon to describe the life of the Buddha.

The book does not describe the usual legend, but only that which is actually preserved in the sutta’s and the Vinaya (the collection of monk rules and stories about these rules).

With this work the reader can also become acquainted with the great disciples of the Buddha and the time and environment in which he lived. As far as we are concerned the best ‘biography’.

– Read The Life of the Buddha online
11. Just Seeing – Cynthia Thatcher


This book is an introduction to the thoery, or rather the way of thinking, of the Abhidhamma, the teaching about the ultimate reality. Cynthia Thatcher, a meditation teacher herself and pupil of the renowned Mahasi Sayadaw, uses this book to explain the way the Abhidhamma looks at the process of consciousness.

It is a nice stepping stone for those who want to learn more about the Abhidhamma later on in this list because a feeling of how the process works breathes more life into the dry theoretical framework of the Abhidhamma.

– Read Just Seeing online
12. Abhidhamma in Daily Life – Nina van Gorkum


This is a real Abhidhamma textbook, complete with questions at the end of each chapter to test whether you understood the content.

Yet it is not an exasperatingly dry reading. Nina van Gorkum knows how to keep the content accessible and still deep enough.

The art of reading this book, as with most theoretical works, is to test and validate the information you read with your daily experiences, both during meditation and in regular life.

– Read Abhidhamma in Daily Life online
13. Abhidhamma studies – Nyanaponika Mahathera


Nyanaponika Mahathera is the direct predecessor of Bhikkhu Bodhi and is equal to the latter when it comes to understanding the deep layers of the Pali Canon.

This is a truly phenomenal work in which the first wholesome citta (moment of consciousness) from the first book of the Abhidhamma is explained.

For those who already have some knowledge and experiencewith Pali texts, it can be humbling to see how much more wisdom can be extracted from the Pali Canon than initially seems possible. We advise you to read the book if you already have some knowledge about Buddhism, especially the Abhidhamma, so that you can enjoy it to the fullest.

For those who can’t wait and want to read it sooner, please do so and then just read it again a few years later! It will be worth your while. The introduction alone is worth reading repeatedly.

– Read Abhidhamma Studies online
14. The Requisites of Enlightenment – Ledi Sayadaw


Ledi Sayadaw is one of the greatest Theravāda monks of the last century, praised for both his enormous knowledge and insight. He was one of the first Burmese monks who was convinced that attaining enlightenment was still possible today and stands at the foot of modern vipassanā meditation method for both lay practitioners and monks.

but be warned, this work is not suitable for the fainthearted. This work requires courage. Not so much because of the enormous information density that can certainly be found in this relatively short work, but mainly because of the rock-solid style of Ledi Sayadaw from which an enormous energy emanates and no escape is possible.

Even more than the content, it is this energy that gives the work a place in this list. There really is no escape from it, the time for practice is now, the time to liberate is now, no excuses. Period.

– Read The Requisites of Enlightenment online
15. A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma – Bhikkhu Bodhi


We have arrived at the first Buddhist standard work in this list, a translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi with short explanations of the Abhidhammattha Sangaha of Achariya Anuruddha.

It is a summary of the seven books of the Abhidhamma written around the 11th to 12th century. Today this is the standard text when beginning to study the Abhidhamma.

This is a translation approved by Ahba and, according to him, embodies just the right amount of knowledge to be useful for meditation without being overly overwelming.

– Read A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma online
16. Visuddhimagga: The Path of Purification – transl. Bhikkhu Nanamoli


The second standard work in this list and also the last book we will recommend is Bhikkhu Nanamoli’s translation of Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga.

The Visuddhimagga is an epic summary of the entire Buddhist teaching in three chapters, namely morality, concentration and wisdom. Ahba has sometimes said that reading the Visuddhimagga is very, very good.

This is because the essence of the Pali Canon is explained in (sometimes agonizing) detail. It is a largely dry work, so we do not advise to read this book before going to sleep, unless you have trouble falling asleep.

But if you put in the effort, in the end it will be worth your while.

– Read Visuddhimagga: The Path of Purification online






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Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live Without a Self by Jay L. Garfield | Goodreads

Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live Without a Self by Jay L. Garfield | Goodreads

https://www.everand.com/audiobook/611823707/Losing-Ourselves-Learning-to-Live-without-a-Self
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Open to Desire: The Truth About What the Buddha Taught: Epstein M.D., Mark: 9781592401857: Amazon.com: Books

Open to Desire: The Truth About What the Buddha Taught: Epstein M.D., Mark: 9781592401857: Amazon.com: Books








Open to Desire: The Truth About What the Buddha Taught Paperback – January 5, 2006
by Mark Epstein M.D. (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 95 ratings


“A masterpiece. . . . It teaches us how not to fear and repress, but to rechannel and harness the most powerful energies of life toward freedom and bliss.” —ROBERT THURMAN

It is common in both Buddhism and Freudian psychoanalysis to treat desire as if it is the root of all suffering and problems, but psychiatrist Mark Epstein believes this to be a grave misunderstanding.In his controversial defense of desire, he makes clear that it is the key to deepening intimacy with ourselves, each other, and our world.

Proposing that spiritual attainment does not have to be detached from intimacy or eroticism, Open to Desire begins with an exploration of the state of dissatisfaction that causes us to cling to irrational habits. Dr. Epstein helps readers overcome their own fears of desire so that they can more readily bridge the gap between self and other, cope with feelings of incompletion, and get past the perception of others as objects. Freed from clinging and shame, desire’s spiritual potential can then be opened up.
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Review
“A fascinating look at the urge for pleasure, with the goal of helping readers accept the sensation of wanting into their lives in ways that are helpful both spiritually and psychologically.” —Body and Soul
From the Back Cover
Praise for Open to Desire:
"A masterpiece. . . . It teaches us how not to fear and repress, but to rechannel and harness the most powerful energies of life toward freedom and bliss."
—ROBERT THURMAN

"A fascinating look at the urge for pleasure, with the goal of helping readers accept the sensation of wanting into their lives in ways that are helpful both spiritually and psychologically."
—BODY & SOUL
Read more


Product details
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avery; Reprint edition (January 5, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages

4.3 out of 5 stars 95 ratings




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Mark Epstein


Mark Epstein (born 1953) is an American author and psychotherapist, integrating both Buddha's and Sigmund Freud's approaches to trauma, who writes about their interplay. In his most recent book, The Trauma of Everyday Life, he interprets the Buddha’s spiritual journey as grounded in Buddha's personal childhood trauma.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Jan Benda (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.


Top reviews from other countries

D. R. Silvester
5.0 out of 5 stars A Liberating & Stimulating insight into desire from a unique perspectiveReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2007
Verified Purchase

Open To Desire draws upon Pyschodynamic Psychotherapy, Buddhism, Hinduism theories, doctrines and teaching tale(s) in order to examine desire from a previously unexplored angle.

Epstein does not adopt a traditional eastern spiritual stance, but instead opts for looking at desire from a less conventional, more left handed path. That is to say, the author deciphers what he considers to be hidden messages and meanings buried within the teachings of the Buddha, Freud and Sanskrit tradition, teachings that are invariably misinterpreted and misrepresented.

The main thrust is to suggest that desire is an inevitable aspect of the human condition. One cannot be free from desire without sacrificing the most vibrant parts of one's self/being. To be fully alive is to be alive to desire. To experience desire in its many facets and guises.

Paradoxically, desire always frustrates us with our inability to fulfil it. Like trying to grip a handful of sand, the tighter we clasp the faster the sand eludes our desire to hold on to, to possess, to control it. This is where Mr Epstein lucidly illuminates the need to step back and reassess how we engage with desire and the consequences this has for our lives.

The question that forms the nucleus of the book is, how do we hold on to desire without allowing it to torture us with the void that exists between desire and satisfaction?

In this way, we are offered an invaluable insight into how desire for the majority becomes clinging, obsession, compulsion, addiction and suffering. It is clear how desire often tortures us and leads us to the objectification of others. Especially so in the absence of a middle path, an appropach somewhere between excessive indulgence and rigid asceticism.

Whilst elucidating the western way of clinging, possessing and controlling that leads to so much suffering, Epstein refutes conventional eastern wisdom that champions the relinquishing and extinguishing of desire.

Refreshingly Open To Desire offers another path, a highly unconventional path, a way of synthesis that is neither tortured by the inability to fulfil desire, or involves a life of asceticism and rigid abstinence.

Refereshingly this is a book with incredibly profound insights, expressed extremely straight forward in language that makes it accessible to the lay-person.

A unique perspective and insight into how desire shapes our lives, and the deeper spiritual message it carries.

I found this book to be very humanistic in its approach to desire and suffering, whilst remaining profoundly philosophical yet grounded in the material world of our exisitence, despite it's obvious spiritual connotations and dimension.

Highly recommended for those with an interest in locating the sources of compulsion, addiction and the objectification of others.

Highly recommended for those self aware enough to see the chasm between their desires and satisfaction.
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K. E. Kearney
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to TreasureReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2013
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I have found Dr. Epstein's book very helpful for me.
It has enabled me to see that there is an alternative
Buddhist path to manage desire. I have always felt that
avoidance was not totally the answer. From one perspective,
cutting off all possibilities for desire is not facing the problems
of clinging and craving. This provides a workable and morally
sustainable alternative.

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Youxine
5.0 out of 5 stars GreatReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2020
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Good read
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Pradnya Shenoy
5.0 out of 5 stars Leaves me with a desire to re-read the book again and again..Reviewed in India on January 27, 2018
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A very intriguing, complex and enlightening insight into desire, an ever-present human trait. Reading Mark Epstein's books is a meditative experience in itself.
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veronica pelicaric
4.0 out of 5 stars Four StarsReviewed in Canada on August 16, 2016
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Love it, as I do all his books
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The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika (Audible Audio Edition): Nāgārjuna, Jay L. Garfield - translator, Zehra Jane Naqvi, Tantor Audio: Books

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The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
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The Buddhist saint Nāgārjuna, who lived in South India in approximately the second century CE, is undoubtedly the most important, influential, and widely studied Mahāyāna Buddhist philosopher. His greatest philosophical work, the Mūlamadhyamikakārikā - read and studied by philosophers in all major Buddhist schools of Tibet, China, Japan, and Korea - is one of the most influential works in the history of Indian philosophy.

Now, in The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, Jay L. Garfield provides a clear translation of Nāgārjuna's seminal work, offering those with little or no prior knowledge of Buddhist philosophy a view into the profound logic of the Mūlamadhyamikakārikā. Garfield presents a superb translation of the Tibetan text of Mūlamadhyamikakārikā in its entirety and a commentary reflecting the Tibetan tradition through which Nāgārjuna's philosophical influence has largely been transmitted. Illuminating the systematic character of Nāgārjuna's reasoning, Garfield shows how Nāgārjuna develops his doctrine that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, that is, than nothing exists substantially or independently. He offers a verse-by-verse commentary that explains Nāgārjuna's positions and arguments in the language of Western metaphysics and epistemology and connects Nāgārjuna's concerns to those of Western philosophers.
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©1995 Jay L. Garfield (P)2021 Tantor


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12 hours and 4 minutes

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Listening Length 12 hours and 4 minutes
Author Nāgārjuna, Jay L. Garfield - translator
Narrator Zehra Jane Naqvi
Audible.com Release Date July 13, 2021
Publisher Tantor Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B097QBC9HD
Best Sellers Rank #16,937 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#31 in Eastern Philosophy (Audible Books & Originals)
#59 in Buddhism (Audible Books & Originals)






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Potonjeri
5.0 out of 5 stars A fine place to start for a curious non-scholarReviewed in the United States on August 8, 2022
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Interesting and enlighte
ning. For clarity, the novice might prefer to start with the textual interpretation before reading the verses.


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TOM CORBETT
3.0 out of 5 stars attachment to emptinessReviewed in the United States on January 21, 2007
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i have not studied all of nagarjunas logic carefully in this book, it seems that he is arguing for the underlying emptiness of all things on the basis of his assumption of dependent or mutual arising. perhaps its a bit more complicated than this though. a cup of tea is not a cup of tea in itself. nor does the teabag have any individual or inherent identity, rather the teabag is a collection of collections without any individuality. just as my finger is a collection of cells, so a teabag is a combination of dependent things. infact he believes that everything depends on the presence or absence of something else. tea leaves depend on the presence of tanins, flavins, cells, maturation, drying, there is nothing inherently existent that could be called the individuality of the teabag. this of course defies common sense, but is reasonable. why cannot a collection be at one and the same time an individuality. ie one in many, or many as one. such an argument though would be contrary to nagarjunas thrust, which is to emphasise the existence of emptiness through dependence. ie everything that is dependent has no individual uniqueness (or soul) since all individuals are merely collections.

i am still studying nagarjuna, it seems that a statement such as "walker is not the same as walking, nor is it different from walking" can be argued any way which can. "walker is not the same as walking, if it were how could the two be told apart, nor is walker different from walking, or otherwise there would be walking without walker." it could be argued on the grounds of oneness that walker and walking are one and the same, that structure and function are inseperable. you could just as easily say that walker is the same as walking and that is why there isnt walking without walker. if nagarjuna says that legs are not the same as arms because they can be told apart he is right, because they can be told apart, but wrong because arms and legs are all part of one body and cannot be separated. so paradoxically one can say that walker and walking are not the same, but one can also say that they are the same (the same body/oneness).

it can be argued that walker is walking, walker is not walking, and as nagarjuna says walker is not the same as, nor different from walking. infact whatever you seek to prove, if you are clever enough, you can prove it. this is the nature of reason and logic. a donkey that is lead by the carrot of the person who possesses it.

i find his logic is clear (it is)infact, it is pure genius, but as with all logic one has to realise that at this moment logic is thoroughly illogical. though perhaps when he wrote it was thoroughly logical. logic being logical? logic being illogical? two sides of the same coin. if logical can be illogical why discuss something as important as emptiness using logic? this defies a common understanding of nagarjuna, unless of course he wished to impress buddhist emptiness upon the minds of the common people. or, perhaps he really did believe in the immutable logos (reason) of plato. that insoluble all pervasive notion of truth. personally i see that reason has its uses (many of them groundbreaking and earth shattering), but can often be used to say what you want, especially when it comes to philosophy.

i find the argument for emptiness grounded in dependent arising 'can' be compelling, or not compelling. its just how you approach it. in that a collection does not necessarily indicate an individuality, it could be seen as a collective, for example a sea sponge colony 'may' have no singular conscious individuality as the colony as a whole, but then a human being is a collection with a consciousness . but as i see it, dependent arising could be used as a proof against emptiness just as much as a proof for it. i believe that the buddha would have days where he took time out from such an approach, that is he would respect the agile logical display of nagarjuna, but have said "not on mondays nagarjuna" (but only if you dont mind my friend).

i dont think that the buddha was about dogmatising certain concepts and words such as emptiness, as useful as they may be. even freedom can become an obstacle to relationship and his word "liberation" can be in buddhism taken to mean many different things. it may just be that mental freedom and freedom from suffering are synonymous. emptiness is representative of water and air, but one should not forget the presence of fire, or gold (earth)(male elements)that are representative of fullness/form. to argue away form for emptiness seems unbalanced. just as to argue away emptiness for form would be unbalanced, though it may be an interesting excercise (and not too difficult). infact rising to the challenge if one looks in minute detail/huge magnification at an area of space one will find it a quantum soup, and not nearly as empty as one expected. infact buddha is implacable when he says emptiness is form for this could imply that there is no emptiness, only form. or visa-versa one could argue that all is empty.

i have also read nagarjunas, i think its called the flower garland, which was less a discussion of emptiness and logical proof for such, though his approach in the middle way comes across in this book too. no, i remember now its called the discourse of the precious flower garland.

i realise that my comments on nagarguna's mulamadhyamakakarika may seem disrespectful regarding the buddhist saint, and have no desire to show disrespect, but i do feel that all in all, though brilliant his arguments are not compelling ground for emptiness. this is because i am aware of the bias behind reason. there are other ways to illustrate emptiness. the buddhas "emptiness is form" for example is a much clearer statement of anti-logic, that i find very elegant. also the prescence of the zero in any effective numerical system requires a hypothetical emptiness.

i have no doubt that in the original tongue nagarjuna was a marvellous poet, sadly this does not come across in this translation or in "verses from the centre" a different translation of the same work. perhaps, in his poetic form his genius would have shone out as much as it does from his rational genius.

this is an interesting book to read, a fascinating insight into the mind of an early buddhist saint and an example of how one can use logic to prove anything, even that which intuitively seems almost impossible. but personally i dont feel it tells me anything, other than showing patterns of logic, which are a useful thing to aquire. i must say though that i am 'astonished' by the mans logical dexterity.

i would have found nagarjuna more interesting if he had tried to prove the existence of form and balanced this with a proof for the existence of emptiness. for in truth it is not balanced to prove the existence of emptiness without proving the existence of form. and you cannot prove the existence of emptiness without proving the existence of form, for emptiness is form. it can be argued that all is emptiness, but it can also be argued that all is form. whatever you look for is whatever you find. such is the nature of reality. seek and you will find.

infact... making things fun, and killing the buddhas word, i would say that "form is not emptiness, form is form" is just as true as "emptiness is form". this is the buddas freedom. playing with logic, one does not take reason too seriously on mondays, but... aah, on tuesdays it is profoundly important.

thank you nagarjuna for the encouragement you have given many.

love, flakey xxx.

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T Wright.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best.Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2010
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In reading the entire text, i found the arguements quite overwelming, however the beginning buddhist is not without help. In searching for applicatons to the examinations it can be said that madhyamaka is the synthsis of all other schools. This is a great starting place for organization. monastics usually study these topics for 20 years intensively , they relate most to the abidharma. Having said this , i would reccomend Geshe Tashi Tsering's Foundations book series, especially Relative truth , ultimate truth ( Vol 2) as the companion to this text. In learning the divisions of the two truths by the four major schools one may place the examinations of nagarjuna in thier context and avoid misintrepretation which garfield says " the danger is to mistakenly view the subtleties of emptiness as nihlism". ( paraphrase) So this would be a great guide to the study applicaton and classification of the book's chapters .. July 8, 2010

I am not a monk, nor have i been given a systematic , structured schooling in buddhist philosophy. My review is based solely upon comparison with my limited understanding of the subtleties of madhyamaka. Nagarjuna is called a master by many prominent buddhist thinkers, to note Tsong khapa. It is said that Nagarjuna is an "Arya" being. "Arya" meaning sees all subtle levels of Dukkha. ( Rather elementary) However it is said repeadedly that without ethics,concentration and then wisdom the madhaymaka is an enigma. Thats why the dalai lama explains it as such. Presupposing the student has built this foundation - Ethics, Concentration, Wisdom. Then one is ready for Madhyamaka.

Garfield gives the best version to western philosophers. I would caution though taking Garfield's view as the monastic view. Even though he gives a great explanation , thouroughly extensive and simplifies deep points in the madhyamaka, he is not able to approach it from the soterilogical point of view, as compared to that of an Arya being. in the madhyamakaavatara, which is like an introduction to Nagarjuna, chandrakirti says that he isn't even an Arya, of the 6th bhumi. Im sure Garfield would agree, that to have a thourough understanding of this text one would have to explain from that view.

This text would be greatly understanded by the most extensive commentary extant by Rje Tsong Khapa. (Ocean of reasoning) with this commentary one would get the jest of the major commentaries from Chandrakirti, Buddhapalita, and Tsong Khapa. Ocean is a great companion to this text.

With this in mind this version of Nagarjuna's seminal treatise is the best buddhist book available, aside from Lamrim Chenmo.

100% gift to the west, Thank you Garfield,Newland and everyone else for this gift to us all.

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Joe McDonagh
5.0 out of 5 stars Blow your mind wide open with this masterpiece of Buddhist philosophyReviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014
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Nagarjuna systematically destroys any argument against dependent origination as well as any argument for inherent existence in this dialectical classic. If these terms mean nothing to you, I will give a very brief overview.

The basic idea is that nothing in our experiential world, when examined, can be found to exist by its own volition, or from its own side. The technical term for this type of existence is 'inherent existence'. The problem is that even though no such thing can be found, we as humans innately ascribe inherent existence to various things. This innate ascription leads to suffering.

The truth is that all things come into being dependent on other things. This is what's called 'dependent origination'. Because of dependent origination, we say that all things are 'empty' of inherent existence or essence. This philosophy of emptiness (sunyata) is the foundation of this work. There is much, much more depth to this philosophy, but this isn't the place.

It's not an easy read by any means but the practical benefits of this philosophy are enormous. I recommend starting at the work with commentary because you may be intimidated by the verses on their own. It's also easy to get a little hung up on a tricky verse, but you should try to avoid that because the commentary normally clears such verses up. Another point of confusion is that this is a dialectic work, so some of the verses are his opponent's claims. Keep that in mind.

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Max Bes
2.0 out of 5 stars The paper is to thinReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2021
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The quality of the paper is very bad. Thin, greyish, and translucent. Not easy to read, graphically (the content is not easy either, but that is another discussion.)
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Tao
3.0 out of 5 stars DryReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2016
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Very very dry but has some pearls here and there. I couldn't get through this book. I preferred Nargajuna by Jones.
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Mrs. K. M. Fitzgerald
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear translation and accessible commentaryReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2012
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I bought this book in preparation for attending 3 days of teaching on the text by the Dalai Lama. I found the translation very clear and readable. The commentary was really helpful in understanding the historical context of the text, in terms of the ideas that Nagarjuna was responding to. It also gave me a helpful way into a complex and difficult set of ideas.

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Werner
5.0 out of 5 stars Eternally trueReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2013
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As a study work of just for reference then this book does cover the basic philosophical epithets of Buddhist philosophy.
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AA
3.0 out of 5 stars One of few really helpful books in English for navigating ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 16, 2016
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One of few really helpful books in English for navigating this highlight of the Indian Buddhist philosophical tradition. A mostly clear exposition of what is a very condensed and impenetrable text, with helpful links to Western philosophical analogies where appropriate.

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https://www.scribd.com/document/561175900/Ocean-of-Reasoning-a-Great-Commentary-on-Nagarjuna-039-s-Mulamadhyamakakarika
Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika

by
Tsongkhapa,
Jay L. Garfield (Translator),
Ngawang Samten (Translator)
4.59 · Rating details · 39 ratings · 3 reviews
Tsong khapa (14th-15th centuries) is arguably the most important and influential philosopher in Tibetan history. His Ocean of Reasoning is the most extensive and perhaps the deepest extant commentary on N=ag=arjuna's M=ulamadhyamakak=arik=a (Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way), and it can be argued that it is impossible to discuss N=ag=arjuna's work in an informed way without consulting it. It discusses alternative readings of the text and prior commentaries and provides a detailed exegesis, constituting a systematic presentation of Madhyamaka Buddhist philosophy. Despite its central importance, however, of Tsong khapa's three most important texts, only Ocean of Reasoning has until now remained untranslated, perhaps because it is both philosophically and linguistically challenging, demanding a rare combination of abilities on the part of a translator. Jay L. Garfield and Geshe Ngawang Samten bring the requisite skills to this difficult task, combining between them expertise in Western and Indian philosophy, and fluency in Tibetan, Sanskrit, and English. The resulting translation of this important text is not only a landmark contribution to the scholarship of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, but will be invaluable to students of Tibetan Buddhism and philosophy, who will now be able to read this work alongside N=ag=arjuna's masterpiece. (less)

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Paperback, 632 pages
Published April 20th 2006 by Oxford University Press, USA (first published 2006)
Original Title
Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika
Edition Language
English
Review of Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika (Paperback)

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· 39 ratings · 3 reviews



Oct 12, 2007bad rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: buddhism
analysis of phenomenon from the tibetan geluk madhyamaka school of buddhism. the analysis consists of various very well-defined reasonings pertaining to self-emptiness, existence and conceptuality, leading first to an inferential knowledge, built through meditation and contemplation into direct cognition of the true nature of reality - suchness. the reasonings are very old, but this text was composed by je tsongkhapa for instruction of gelukpa monks and the establishment of dharma around 13xx ad. and by analysis, i mean quite rigorous analysis. (less)
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Aug 05, 2011Scott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This is a 15th century commentary on a 2nd century text translated in the 21 century into English. The root text is likely one of the most complicated or esoteric philosophical ideas of the last two millenium. It's like taking your brain apart and putting it back together piece by piece. Be careful when you dip into this casual text. (less)
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May 16, 2011Farhan M is currently reading it · review of another edition
Trying out something obscure - a 14th century Tibetan commentary of a seminal 1st century Buddhist Philosophy text








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