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It hasn't all be translated to english yet. At least I don't think so.
Remember that some of this stuff is written for the monks that were with the Buddha.
And may be much stricter than what is written for the lay Buddhist.
I’m not sure if the best place to start to learn about Buddhism is reading the Pali canon.
Look around the site and read some things about the teachings of the Buddha other than just straight translation of the pali canon.
Some things that you read may seem strange. You don’t have to take all of the writing literally.
And leave your mind open, some of us believe it laterally and others not. I take some of it laterally but not all. I think you’ll find Buddhists very forgiving since we are all on a slightly different path that still leads to the same place.
And some of this stuff you may not understand until you learn some meditation techniques. If you decide to go that far.
What ever you do, relax, have fun, don’t worry .
Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
3,162 posts, read 11,435,824 times
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Originally Posted by nicolepsy
i would love to read some of it if it exists.
The Bhagavad Gita or Song of God in english, is the indian bible, it's a beautiful story with an awesome message, it is also the most advanced psychology book ever written.
Thousands of years before our time, India already had a developed concept of the Psychology of self realization and liberation, way more advanced to western psychology who just focuses in the Ego, but not on the Soul.
The Bhagavad Gita is also the most awesome and complete treaty of the holy science of yoga.
If you'd like a recommendation the most awesome version of the Bhagavad Gita (imho) is God talks to arjuna, an spiritual interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita by Paramahansa Yogananda.
The traditional virtues accorded the highest value in the four epochs are:
Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga: dhyana (meditation). In the highest yuga, the great majority of people can experience spirituality by direct intuitive realization of truth. The veil between the material and the transcendent realms becomes almost transparent. According to Natya Shastra, there are no Natya performances in the Krita Yuga because it is a period free from any kind of unhappiness or misery. Satya Yuga is also called the Golden Age.
Treta Yuga: yajna (sacrifice). Treta Yuga is the mental age. Mental power is harnessed and men are in power, there are inventions that dissolve the illusion of time (inventions are characteristic of both Dvapara and Treta yugas.) Clairvoyance and telepathy are common knowledge.
Dvapara Yuga: archana (worship). In Dvapara Yuga, science flourishes, people experience the spiritual in terms of subtle energies and rational choices, inventions are abundant, particularly those that dissolve the illusion of distance (between people and between things), and power is mostly in the hands of women. The end of this age (in the descending phase) is associated with the death of Krishna, and the events described in the Mahabharata.
Kali Yuga: daana (alms). In the lowest epoch, Kali Yuga, most people are aware only of the physical aspects of existence, the predominant emphasis of living is material survival, and power is mostly in the hands of men. Men have no knowledge of electricity, magnetism or subtle forces of nature. People's relationship with the spiritual is governed predominantly by superstition and by authority.
An alternative view of the yuga cycle and timescale was taught by the 19th/20th-century Indian yogiSwamiSri Yukteswar Giri, guru of Paramahansa Yogananda.
In his book, The Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar explains that the descending phase of Satya Yuga lasts 4800 years, Treta Yuga 3600 years, Dwapara Yuga 2400 years, and Kali Yuga 1200 years. The ascending phase of Kali Yuga then begins, also lasting 1200 years; and so on. The ascending phase of Kali Yuga began in September of 499 AD. Since September 1699, we have been in the ascending phase of Dwapara Yuga, according to Sri Yukteswar.
Agreed, there are many scriptures. But my favorites are the Dhammapada ( Buddhist ) and the Bhagavad Gita ( Hindu ) of which I have a dozen or so translations with commentaries. But my all time favorite is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali ( of which I have over 30 translations with commentaries ). Don't know if Hindu's consider that a scripture or a classic or nothing at all, but to me it is quite profound. I find "wisdom" in most all the scriptures of various faiths.
Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
3,162 posts, read 11,435,824 times
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Originally Posted by bels7
Agreed, there are many scriptures. But my favorites are the Dhammapada ( Buddhist ) and the Bhagavad Gita ( Hindu ) of which I have a dozen or so translations with commentaries. But my all time favorite is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali ( of which I have over 30 translations with commentaries ). Don't know if Hindu's consider that a scripture or a classic or nothing at all, but to me it is quite profound. I find "wisdom" in most all the scriptures of various faiths.
Patanjali's Yoga sutras are the basis of Yoga, the holy science, they are one of the most important pearls of wisdom that ancient India gave to men.
Yoga it's called the holy science because it's the only science developed to understand God and get back to him.
The Bhagavad Gita is a treaty on yoga too, about the ancient art of training and rousing the holy warriors of the soul (the pandus) against the armies of the ego (the kurus)
This is done by introspection, meditation and unselfish action.
That is the true meaning of the battle of kurukshetras.
It is the battle between king soul and the rebel king ego.
We all have an arjuna inside us, waiting for Krsna (god or the christ consciousness in man) to guide us on our path to self realization!
God bless India, the ancient and holy land of aryavarta, and all the pearls it has given to the world.
To get the essence of the vedic religion, the easiest book should be Bhagvad Gita. This was supposed to be the consise edition of the vedic knowledge.
One step above and you have to read the Srimad Bhagvatam. This is more detailed in that the principles are explained in more detail. Very difficult to understand and read though people have claimed to have found new meaning in verses when going the second, third round.
The Vedas were the original collection of divine wisedom but since we are in the age of Kali (Kali yug) where peoples memory spans are shorter, Bhagvad Gita is the best book to read in this day and age. By "read", I mean read and learn and use it in day to day life.
Hope this helps.
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