A moment of intense silence followed and then the Rigden spoke up, his voice even: ÔYou have all been called today before the sacred court and from now, in every breath, in every heartbeat, in the shadow of every moment, in the intensity of the thoughtless state, in life, and in not-life, in physical or subtle form, we declare you our emissaries, our sacred envoys to the world of men. Shambala has a task for youÉÕ Lama Ozer and hisÊnovitiate Tashi leave the hidden monastery where they have lived all their livesÊin answer to a call from the legendary kingdom of Shambala received by the lama while deep in trance. Battling the freezing cold and snow of high, mist-laden mountain passes and the many evil forces that thwart their progress, they trek through Sikkim and Tibet to arrive at the Silver Fortress. Here they meet a host of divine and dark celestial beings, including the golden dakini, Yeshe Nam Lha, daughter of the Goddess Tara; Prince A-KarO, heir to the Lha Empire; and Prince Narasimha, heir to the Rigdens and the Shambala legacy. Both the princes are YesheÕs guardians and suitors, and she must travel with them to Earth where it is decreed that her child, Maitreya, the saviour, will be born. But before that happens they have the Asur forces to combat, and the dark prince Arden, who holds Yeshe captive, enthralled by his brooding menace, bewitched by his spell. Drawing richly from the vast pantheon of otherworldly beings that populate the myths of the Mahayana school of Buddhism, Path of the Swan, the first part of the surreally beautiful Tibetan-Buddhist fantasy series The Maitreya Chronicles, is a mesmerizingÊsaga of the battle between celestials and dark forces, and the descent of the celestials to Earth.

‘Two shall come by the path of the swan, From the world of men in the fourth age – So shall the word be manifest again. So shall the vessel of truth, The Maitreya, come to be born in the world of men.’ Thus have the ancients of the divine kingdom of Shambala prophesized the birth of a new age and its saviour – the Maitreya. Destined to be the mother of the Maitreya, the golden dakini Yeshe Nam Lha has descended to Earth in the guise of a mortal. Accompanied by her celestial guardians – Prince A-KarO and Prince Narasimha – she must now journey to the hidden Mount Meru in order to choose a suitor, and fulfil the prophecy. As her quest takes her through the sleepy towns of Sikkim and Assam to the snowy mountains of Jammu and Leh, Yeshe and her companions encounter a host of magical creatures – the tsen deities who reside in the caves under the Himalayas, the fey warriors of the celestial city of Ney, and the yakshas, gatekeepers of the hidden tunnels on the way to Mount Meru. But not everyone they meet is benevolent. Prince Arden, leader of the dark Asur forces, is on Yeshe’s trail, hoping to bewitch her with his magnetic charm – and Yeshe must overcome her earthly mortality if she is to make the right choice... In this spellbinding sequel to Path of the Swan, Charu Singh deftly draws on the rich heritage of Tibetan-Buddhist mythology to immerse the reader in a story that is as magical and evocative as its precursor.

A moment of intense silence followed and then the Rigden spoke up, his voice even: ÔYou have all been called today before the sacred court and from now, in every breath, in every heartbeat, in the shadow of every moment, in the intensity of the thoughtless state, in life, and in not-life, in physical or subtle form, we declare you our emissaries, our sacred envoys to the world of men. Shambala has a task for youÉÕ Lama Ozer and hisÊnovitiate Tashi leave the hidden monastery where they have lived all their livesÊin answer to a call from the legendary kingdom of Shambala received by the lama while deep in trance. Battling the freezing cold and snow of high, mist-laden mountain passes and the many evil forces that thwart their progress, they trek through Sikkim and Tibet to arrive at the Silver Fortress. Here they meet a host of divine and dark celestial beings, including the golden dakini, Yeshe Nam Lha, daughter of the Goddess Tara; Prince A-KarO, heir to the Lha Empire; and Prince Narasimha, heir to the Rigdens and the Shambala legacy. Both the princes are YesheÕs guardians and suitors, and she must travel with them to Earth where it is decreed that her child, Maitreya, the saviour, will be born. But before that happens they have the Asur forces to combat, and the dark prince Arden, who holds Yeshe captive, enthralled by his brooding menace, bewitched by his spell. Drawing richly from the vast pantheon of otherworldly beings that populate the myths of the Mahayana school of Buddhism, Path of the Swan, the first part of the surreally beautiful Tibetan-Buddhist fantasy series The Maitreya Chronicles, is a mesmerizingÊsaga of the battle between celestials and dark forces, and the descent of the celestials to Earth.

Historical, anthropological, and philosophical in approach, Buddha in the Crown is a case study in religious and cultural change. It examines the various ways in which Avalokitesvara, the most well known and proliferated bodhisattva of Mahayana Buddhism throughout south, southeast, and east Asia, was assimilated into the transforming religious culture of Sri Lanka, one of the most pluralistic in Asia. Exploring the expressions of the bodhisattva's cult in Sanskrit and Sinhala literature, in iconography, epigraphy, ritual, symbol, and myth, the author develops a provocative thesis regarding the dynamics of religious change. Interdisciplinary in scope, addressing a wide variety of issues relating to Buddhist thought and practice, and providing new and original information on the rich cultural history of Sri Lanka, this book will interest students of Buddhism and South Asia.

Myanmar's transition to democracy has been marred by violence between Buddhists and Muslims. While the violence originally broke out between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, it subsequently emerged throughout the country, impacting Buddhists and Muslims of many ethnic backgrounds. This article offers background on these so-called "communal conflicts" and the rise and evolution of Buddhist nationalist groups led by monks that have spearheaded anti-Muslim campaigns. The authors describe how current monastic political mobilization can be understood as an extension of past monastic activism, and is rooted in traditional understandings of the monastic community's responsibility to defend the religion, respond to community needs, and guide political decision-makers. The authors propose a counter-argument rooted in Theravada Buddhism to address the underlying anxieties motivating Buddhist nationalists while directing them toward peaceful actions promoting coexistence. Additionally, given that these conflicts derive from wider political, economic, and social dilemmas, the authors offer a prescription of complementary policy initiatives.--Résumé de l'éditeur.

Inspirational stories of Swama Rama's experiences and lessons learned with the great teachers who guided his life including Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore, and more.

First published in 1990. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

About the life of Buddha