Showing results for "Sacred Fictions" in Politics & Social Sciences

This landmark collection is the definitive introduction to the Buddha's teachings - in his own words. The American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, whose voluminous translations have won widespread acclaim, here presents selected discourses of the Buddha from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of what the Buddha taught. Divided into 10 thematic chapters, In the Buddha's Words reveals the full scope of the Buddha's discourses, from family life and marriage to renunciation and the path of insight.

On the surface, this is a biography of an accomplished seeker who mastered the practices of yoga and brought a system for understanding the mysteries of body, mind, and spirit to students in the West. But, like the life of Swami Rama, this audiobook offers more than a sequence of astonishing events. As you read the stories of authentic guru-disciple relationships Swami Rama had both with his master and with his own students, you will see how the spiritual wisdom is transmitted through generations. This book also serves as a guide to advanced practices of yoga and tantra not commonly understood in modern times.

Carlotta Peel is not your typical young woman; she is sharp-witted, fiercely independent, and a gifted author with a deep yearning for love and the desire to serve her partner. This first-person narrative takes you on an unexpected and intriguing journey through her life, revealing the complexities of her heart and mind. - Summary by Simon Evers

Quest of the Sacred Slipper is a thrilling mystery that takes investigator Cavanagh on a dangerous journey through the exotic East in pursuit of a stolen relic. As he uncovers deadly secrets, he faces betrayal, assassins, and the wrath of an ancient cult determined to reclaim the slipper at any cost.

Published in 1901, The Sacred Fount invites readers into the intricate mind of an Englishman during a weekend gathering in the countryside. Seeing himself as a keen observer of human nature, the narrator scrutinizes the interactions of his fellow guests, crafting elaborate theories about their relationships and motivations. As he shares his insights, readers are left to decipher the fine line between his observations and his imagination, making for a thought-provoking exploration of human psychology. (Introduction by S. Kovalchik)

Declaring the church corrupt and urging rationality over revelation, Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason directly opposed the existing political and religious order of his time. Initially printed in pamphlet form, his work audaciously employed “vulgar” everyday language, as Paine sought to bring his message, and the appeal of deism, to the masses.

At the center of The Dark Night of the Soul (La noche oscura del alma) is a poem written by the 16th century Spanish poet and mystic St John of the Cross. Consisting of eight stanzas, each of five lines, the poem outlines the journey in pursuit of divine union, within which the only source of light comes from the soul. This recording in English includes the poem itself and St John's two accompanying treatises (1584-1585), essentially commentaries, which offer line-by-line explanations of the poem. Many modern listeners have found guidance and consolation in this work.

Written around the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi and read by Emma Topping.