When most people think of Buddhism, they think of pacifism - of a serene Buddha detached from the world.
      But while the Buddha is serene, his detachment is not aloof or uninterested in the rest of us.  In fact, the Buddha is one hundred percent engaged; body, speech, and mind all instruments of love and compassion twenty-four seven.  Buddhism is informed, intelligent, compassionate, and skillfully engaged activism.  It's goal is peace, but it does not shy away from confrontation and conflict.  Consider the monks of Viet Nam and Myanmar.  Consider the Tibetans.  And this is what author and Buddhist practitioner, Robert Sachs says people need to know about the Buddha and his teachings.

       With the book's enormous success of The Buddha at War, Robert's editor at Watkins Publishing asked Robert if he thought that world Buddhist leaders would be so forthright as to comment on current events and the future of our planet.  Would any teacher be willing to go on record to speak about terrorism, the war in the Middle East, drug abuse, population, global warming and the environment - to name just a few topics forefront in the news?   And just as - if not more - importantly, what would they say to allay our fears and help us step into the future in way that makes our intentions and actions part of the solutions?  

      Robert contacted nine of the world's foremost Buddhist scholars and teachers, both from the East and the West.  They have traveled and taught around the globe and have seen with their own eyes the effects of each of the problems addressed in this book.  These teachers are:

 His Holiness Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, Venerable Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally, Ajahn Amaro, Roshi Joan Halifax, Venerable Thubten Chodron, Christopher Titmuss, and Tenzin Robert Thurman

     Each was asked questions from the same questionnaire.  And based on their deep meditative awareness and their experiences in traveling and teaching around the globe, they answered.

      The Wisdom of The Buddhist Elders: Common and Uncommon Sense is the result of Robert's interviews of these luminaries and his reflections on their words.  This is a book of Buddhist wisdom for everyone.  The interviews do not reflect a unified chorus or set dogma, but rather, like facets of a diamond, each contributes sanity and clarity in whatever matter each teacher thinks they can best illuminate.  The reader will sometimes be shocked at their candor, daring, even political incorrectness.  But, The Wisdom of The Buddhist Masters will change how each one of us sees our world and inspire everyone to become - or at least to know - that they are or must become the change they seek in the world.  

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The Passionate Buddha: Wisdom on Intimacy and Enduring Love

Most of us think of the Buddha as a celibate monk, sitting detached from the rest of the world.  But the Buddha did not start off as the Buddha.  He was Siddhartha Gautama, the heir to a vast kingdom.  And this prince had all the traits and qualities of someone we would define as successful, charismatic, and powerful in the world.  And he was married to the most beautiful woman in the kingdom with whom he shared a child. For a time, Siddhartha forsake his family and his position.  He embarked on a journey to understand the nature of birth, sickness, old age, and death.  Even in his position of privilege, none even these facts of life could be ignored.  And he could feel that there was a deeper purpose to life than just ignoring or trying to escape these facts. Deep down, he could feel the potential of awakening.  he could feel that there was a "basic goodness" or "loving nature" that somehow needs to be aroused in daily life. At first he became a religious ascetic, but learned that giving everything away was just as dissatisfying as having everything one wanted.  Eventually, he awakened to a state of being free from Three Poisons of ignorance, attachment, and aggression.  He became known as the Buddha, the awakened one.  And he taught a life based on what came to what became known as The Middle Way. And although there was the monastic path one could follow, the Buddha's teachings also embraced householders and families.  In the end, in fact, his wife and son rejoined him and learned from him. Based on his own study of Tantric Buddhism, his personal experience in his 33 years of marriage to Melanie, and as a counselor, Robert offers guidance and reflections on all aspects of intimate, committed relationships.  From how to become more conscious in selecting a partner to how to deal with anger, infidelity, even making more sensual and fulfilling one's sexual relationship, The Passionate Buddha will change how you see intimacy and enduring love - whether you are looking for or are committed in a relationship already. (Available in French and Chinese editions.) If you would like to order a copy of this book, click here on PURCHASE.   Tibetan Ayurveda: Health Secrets from The Roof of The World      Tibetan tradition teaches that in aeons past, a beng who concerned himself as to why we all suffer physical, emotional, and spiritual pain came to the understanding that this suffering is based on the Three Poisons.  These Three Poisons are Ignorance, Attachment, and Aggression.  Because of the lack of clarity that comes from these poisons, we lead a life and create a lifestyle that inevitably leads us to fall short of all of our potentials.  This being, who came to this insight, became known as the Medicine Buddha.       It is from the tradition of Medicine Buddha that Ayurveda, the science of longevity, was created.  Although Ayurveda is more commonly thought of as coming from the Indian sub-continent, it made its way to Tibet over several centuries and forms the core of Tibetan Medicine.      Having studied with some of today's finest Tibet doctors and masters, Robert has put together a practical sourcebook for anyone who wants to create a healthy, balanced lifestyle using the principles of Tibetan Ayurveda. In this volume you will find... * self-assessment questionnaires to assess your Ayurvedic constitution and condition * dietary guidelines for all body types * recommendations on forms of exercise that match of of the body-mind types.  This also includes simple form of yoga, Tibetan Tai Ch'i, and breathing exercises * simple forms of meditation * recommendations for daily hygiene, healthy sexual practices, and sleep * detoxification and rejuvenation practices * astrological information and advice      Robert and his wife, Melanie, are known to be able to translate the language of Ayurveda into practical terms for easy use.  Tibetan Ayurveda will become a guide to living that you will benefit from year after year.  (Also available in German, Czech, Bulgarian, Polish, Spanish, and Italian editions.) To buy, click PURCHASE. Nine Star Ki: Feng Shui Astrology for Deepening Self-Knowledge and Enhancing Relationships, Health, and Prosperity With the growing interest in Eastern wisdom traditions and the more recent explosion of interest in Feng Shui and Eastern forms of astrology, Nine Star Ki (the systems Japanese name, also known as Nine House Astrology in China, and the System of Mewas or birthmarks in Tibet), is fast becoming recognized as as one of the most insightful and accessible astrological systems for modern times. Although immensely successful, Nine Star Ki was out of print for several years. Now, in these challenging times, Robert felt compelled to once again bring it back into print with the help of iUniverse. In this edition, you will learn... * how to calculate your Nine Star Ki numbers * the Nine Star Ki archetypes * how to create and understand your own Nine Star Ki numbers * how to make and interpret charts for friends, family, or clients * to understand patterns of communication * how to deepen and make fulfilling all of your relationships * how to address health concerns more effectively * when best to travel, move * Make career choices and business decisions with greater clarity Robert has created tables and methods of calculation that will give you the confidence to begin your Nine Star Ki studies immediately.  (Available in Spanish, German, Greek, Bulgarian, and Dutch editions.) If you are interested and would like to buy this book, please click on PURCHASE. Perfect Endings: A Conscious Approach to Dying and Death      Written with lucidity and compassionate understanding, Perfect Endings shows how the death experience is an expansion into a wider dimension of our core being. As we move through our dying process, all the strength and wisdom we have gained in a lifetime is called forth. This is a time of quickening in which the final stages of living work themselves out as we step into our death and what lies beyond. No matter how it appears, it is, in fact, our finest hour – our perfect ending. Along with his training as a hospice social worker and bereavement counselor, Robert  explains how he uses the Tibetan practice of phowa, or conscious dying, to aid this process in his own counseling practice.      In a series of stories that allow us to be privy to the inner workings of the dying process of individuals with whom Robert worked as a professional hospice counselor, each case illustrates a particular aspect of the transformative process that led each person to his or her own interior landscape. Journeying in tandem with these souls, Robert presents different solutions to the task of letting go of life and provides valuable guidance for caregivers, family members, and those who are facing death themselves.  He also offers his own reflections on such topics as advanced directives, medications in pain management, and assisted suicide.      As well as being a heartfelt book to treasure at home, Perfect Endings  should be in every hospice unit and hospital. (Also available in a German edition.) To order this book, click PURCHASE.      Rebirth Into Pure Land: A True Story of Birth, Death, and Transformation      In 1984, while a western Tibetan Buddhist Lama, Ole Nydahl, was visiting Robert, Melanie, and their 3 children, their youngest daughter, Shamara Phillipa, died in the night from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.      What happened from the point that Melanie discovered that Shamara had died through the next two weeks can only be described as miraculous occurrences that transformed Melanie, Robert, and their two surviving children forever.  Melanie and Robert witnessed the power and beauty of the PHOWA or Transference of Consciousness at The Time of Dying practice performed by Lama Ole, were told of dreams that were had by Buddhist teachers elsewhere, and were led and inspired through this sad and difficult time for them not only with the profound and loving care of friends, but benevolent forces or beings unseen.      This is probably the first personal account of the PHOWA ever to be told by a westerner.  But beyond that, Rebirth Into Pure Land has changed the lives of thousands who have read it, not only because of its description of this practice.  It puts a very human and personal face on the process of dying and how we as humans face the truth of impermanence and need to integrate that truth into our lives if we are to have a full and meaningful life.      This is the core story that has informed and been the inspiration in much of what Melanie and Robert offer their friends, clients, and business associates through their counseling, their business, Diamond Way Ayurveda, and friendship. If you are interested in Rebirth Into Pure Land, click PURCHASE.