NEW BOOKS> Esoteric Theravada
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H-Buddhism NEW BOOKS> Esoteric Theravada; Plus Commentaries on Shantideva and Tsongkhapa Discussion published by Nikko Odiseos on Monday, December 14, 2020 Dear Friends, I am pleased to share three new works that release next week. The first one I suspect will be of particular interest to this list. 1. Esoteric Theravada: The Story of the Forgotten Meditation Tradition of Southeast Asia by Kate Crosby (King's College, London) I am going to share one of the endorsements as I think it best conveys how truly groundbreaking this work is and why scholars of all Buddhist traditions may find this of interest: "This book is one of the most important works on the history of Southeast Asian and Southern Buddhist meditation for decades. It shows how a whole tradition of practice, meditation, and mindfulness was lost—almost—in the wave of interest in Buddhism for its 'scientific' and rational elements over the last hundred and fifty years. The Borān Kamaṭṭhāna is the living meditative tradition of Cambodia and Thailand. Until only a few decades ago, it was taught throughout these regions. Crosby’s book shows how this expressive, embodied system of samatha/vipassanā meditation constitutes the oldest documented lineage of Buddhist practice in South and Southeast Asia. Belittled by modernist impulses, the system offers a complete path of spiritual development that works on principles found in South and Southeast Asian generative grammar, medicine, yantra, and the Abhidhamma. This account of how Borān Kamaṭṭhāna originated as an enactment of Asian generative systems is brilliant, concise, and revelatory. Borān Kamaṭṭhāna is scientific, but in ways steeped in highly sophisticated ancient models of grammar and medicine colonialists did not understand. Reformist agendas, still active today, undermined its rich meditative line: Crosby’s work is essential reading for anyone interested in a true picture of traditional Buddhist practice in these regions. Esoteric Theravada rewrites the recent history of Southern Buddhist meditation." —Sarah Shaw, author of Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means PAGES: 320 ISBN: 9781611807943 http://shmb.la/esoteric-theravada The following two books may also be of interest to those on this list: 2. From Here to Enlightenment: An Introduction to Tsong-kha-pa's Classic Text The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment by the Dalai Lama, edited by Guy Newland The latest in The Core Teachings of the Dalai Lama series http://shmb.la/core-teachings( ), this is a distillation of Tsongkhapa's three volume Lamrim. Citation: Nikko Odiseos. NEW BOOKS> Esoteric Theravada; Plus Commentaries on Shantideva and Tsongkhapa. H-Buddhism. 12-14-2020. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/6963112/new-books-esoteric-theravada-plus-commentaries-shantideva-and Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1 H-Buddhism PAGES: 232 ISBN: 9781611809343 http://shmb.la/here-to-enlightenment 3. Peaceful Heart by Dzigar Kongtrul RInpoche A presentation of Shantideva's chapter on zopa, or patience, from the Bodhicaryāvatāra. PAGES: 232 ISBN: 9781611804645 http://shmb.la/peaceful-heart There are many more recent releases on our website, http://shmb.la/buddhism, as well. Desk and Exam copies can be requested from our worldwide distributor, Penguin Random House at http://shmb.la/desk-exam. Best Wishes, Nikko Nikko Odiseos President Shambhala Publications | Snow Lion Publications | Bala Kids 4720 Walnut St | Boulder, CO 80301 | o: 720-799-8245 [email protected] Citation: Nikko Odiseos. NEW BOOKS> Esoteric Theravada; Plus Commentaries on Shantideva and Tsongkhapa. H-Buddhism. 12-14-2020. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/6963112/new-books-esoteric-theravada-plus-commentaries-shantideva-and Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 2.