"Polishing the Diamond, Enlightening the Mind" is an offering of concise teachings, stories, and meditations from one of Korea's most revered living Buddhist masters. It is at once a testament to the vitality of Korean Buddhism today and a timeless expression of the transformative role the Buddha's teachings can play in a person's life.

Challenging Western notions of Buddhism as a self-effacing path to rebirth and enlightenment, Sharon Suh shows how first-generation Korean Americans at Sa Chal Temple in Los Angeles have applied Buddhist doctrines to the project of finding and knowing the self in everyday life. Buddhism, for these Buddhists, serves as a source of empowerment and as a wellspring of practical and spiritual relief from myriad everyday troubles. Painful life events and circumstances--psychological stresses, marital discord, adjustments to immigrant life, racial and religious minority status--prompt a turning toward religion in an effort to build self-esteem. The process of coming to find and know the self initiates a transformation that, far from taking future rebirths as its focus, enables the self to enact change in the present. Oral histories from twenty-five men and twenty-five women also offer unexpected insights into distinctly male and female forms of Buddhist worship. As a commentary on ethnicity, Being Buddhist in a Christian World challenges much of the existing literature in Asian American studies by placing religion at the center and illustrating its importance for shaping ethnic identity. Not only does Suh ask how Korean American identity might be grounded in religion, she goes on to examine the implications of this grounding when the religious tradition is considered to be socially marginal.

It is often said that enlightenment means "crossing over to the other shore," that far-off place where we can at last be free from suffering. Likewise, it is said that Buddhist teachings are the raft that takes us there. In this sparkling collection from one of the most vital teachers of modern Korean Buddhism, Zen Master Daehaeng shows us that there is no raft to find and, truly, no river to cross. She extends her hand to the Western reader, beckoning each of us into the unfailing wisdom accessible right now, the enlightenment that is always, already, right here. A Zen (or seon, as Korean Zen is called) master with impeccable credentials, Daehaeng has developed a refreshing approach; No River to Cross is surprisingly personal. It's disarmingly simple, yet remarkably profound, pointing us again and again to our foundation, our "True Nature" - the perfection of things just as they are.

Open up Daily Wisdom and find page after page of illuminating words. You'll encounter ancient Buddhist sages and contemporary meditation masters offering encouragement and quiet counsel - some in spacious poetry, others in lucid prose - on love and living wisely, on meditation and mindfulness, on the pitfalls of anger and necessity of compassion. Whether you're seeking morning inspiration or a few uplifting words to help keep a difficult day in perspective, Daily Wisdom is a valuable companion. Includes words of wisdom from: The Dalai Lama Lama Yeshe Ayya Khema Bhante G. Thich Nhat Hanh B. Allan Wallace Lorne Ladner Sandy Boucher Lama Zopa Rinpoche Master Hsing Yun Sakya Pandita Milarepa Kalu Rinpoche and many more!

This book of real-life stories is a palliative for the pain of everyday life. The basic premise is that intentional acts of kindness can have unintended and far reaching consequences that can affect individuals in extraordinary ways. Here are over forty first-person stories (contributors range from Surya Dass to Thich Nat Hanh to John F. Kennedy, Jr) that concretely demonstrate the dynamic power of compassion. We hear the story of a monk who welcomed a dying, underprivileged child into his home, giving the boy nine months of peace and attention before his death. A civil right protestor tells how she learned compassion and love for the “opposition” from a cellmate. Engaging and inspiring, this is a book that will motivate readers to change their lives and the world through intentional acts of compassion. This is a re-package with a new introduction of a book that was originally published by Conari Press in 2000.

"My religion is compassion," the Dalai Lama has said. Indeed, the vow to be of benefit to others lies at the heart of Buddhist practice. This book collects dozens of profound and moving stories of true compassion. From the Buddhist monk who offered his body to starving animals, to modern Western practitioners who use Buddhist principles for healing and social reform, these stories inspire with their depth, tenderness, humor, and occasional outrageousness. Included are tales of the "crazy wisdom" kindness practiced by many masters in the Tibetan and Zen traditions, as well as selections from the best-loved Buddhist figures of today, including Sogyal Rinpoche, Sharon Salzberg, Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Dalai Lama.