History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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A good survey of Eastern religions

World Religions: Eastern Traditions

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195415213

Book Description

This second edition of the introductory text World Religions: Eastern Traditions examines in detail the major Eastern religious traditions: Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Each tradition is explored in depth from its origins, through its development, to the religion's meaning and practice in today's society.

Customer Reviews:

A good survey of Eastern religions.......2004-11-20

There is no such thing as a completely unbiased and objective text on religious studies. As other commentators on this volume have noted, there are some definite biases in this volume, but one must also allow for biases on the part of the readers, too. This book, edited by Willard Oxtoby of the University of Toronto, is the kind of book often used for introduction to world religions courses. This is part of a two-volume set; this volume deals with the major religions to come out Asian continent, as well as a few lesser-prominent traditions, such as Pacific Island religious varieties.

In his introduction, Oxtoby addresses the issue of objectivity and the insider/outsider consideration about religious studies writing. The other authors, Vasudha Narayanan, Julia Ching and Roy Amore, write of Hindu and Buddhist traditions respectively, and while Oxtoby is a Christian, he writes on the subjects of the Sikh, Asian/Pacific, and general topics in the text. Narayanan also writes on the Jainist tradition, while Ching writes on less prominent East Asian religions, closer in affiliation with their own traditions than a Western academic like Oxtoby. We are not given the specifics of denomination or sectarian affiliation here, but given the purpose of writing broadly-useful texts, such classifications might hinder rather than help progress.

There are major chapters on Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, East Asian, and Asian/Pacific religions, in addition to a general chapter looking at the nature of religion in philosophical and social science terms. Each chapter incorporates history, particularly the beginnings of the religions, and the fundamental belief structures. For each major faith, a description of the current state of affairs is also included.

There are photographs throughout, but not so many for a 500+ page book. There are maps, diagrams and charts relating to the subjects. Perhaps the most useful are the highlighted text boxes, which often draw into greater relief key scriptures, historical events, personalities or ideas -- given the difference in languages, most chapters conclude with a glossary of key terms. Pull-boxes can include information such as scriptural citations (Bhagavad Gita, Dhammapada, etc.), prayers and liturgical pieces, or snapshot descriptions of key issues.

The concluding chapter on the nature of religion develops ideas from the philosophy of religion, the sociology and pscyhology of religion, as well as a general overview synthesis of key areas of similarity. Given that the bulk of the two volumes discusses the particularities of the religions of the world, a few pages on the similarities and shared elements is welcome. Oxtoby writes that, 'if there is one common denominator among the religions, it is humankind. Human action, human thought, and human devotion.' Well said.

Each major section begins with a timeline of key dates in the development of that tradition. Each section concludes with lists for further reading, references, and useful study questions for those who use this as a text book or conversation partner. The book has a very good index, and is well constructed to stand up to regular student use (and abuse).

Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition

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Did the Exodus really happen?
The Exodus Route
Not far enough
There is historical evidence...
No Rear Guard Action

Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition
James K. Hoffmeier
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 019513088X

Book Description

Scholars of the Hebrew Bible have in the last decade begun to question the historical accuracy of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. The reason for the rejection of the exodus tradition is said to be the lack of historical and archaeological evidence in Egypt. Those advancing these claims, however, are not specialists in the study of Egyptian history, culture, and archaeology. In this pioneering book, James Hoffmeier examines the most current Egyptological evidence and argues that it supports the biblical record concerning Israel in Egypt.

Customer Reviews:

Did the Exodus really happen?.......2007-05-29

Did the Exodus really happen?

This question beats at the heart of this interesting book. In resolving his answer in the affirmative Hoffmeier discusses linguistic similarities and historical happenstances that support the view that the Exodus really did occur.

And to be sure, there is strong evidence that Judaism did indeed pick up many traditions previously common to Egyptian religion such as circumcision and not dining with foreigners (for dietary reasons). Likewise, the fact that Torah -- argued written in its final form after the exilic period contains accurate references to Pi Ramses and Pi Thom, cities that flourished several centuries earlier. What's more, the account that Moses was raised in Pharoah's nursery or that semites really could rise to high positions in Egyptian polity is not implausible.

However, these considerations are separate and apart from adducing, based on the best available evidence what really did happen and did occur.

Since Hoffmeier used it in his analysis, let's revisit the Merneptah Stele. The Meneptah Stele -- discovered by Flinders Petri in 1896 -- was originally created by Pharoah Merneptah around 1215 BCE to commemorate his campaign of conquest.

In pertinent parts, he recounts his raids against the peoples of the Levant:

"Desolation is for Tehenu;
Hatti is pacified;
Plundered is the Canaan
with every evil;

Carried off is Ashekelon;
seized upon is Gezer;
Yanoam is made as that
which does not exist;

Israel is laid waste;
his seed is not;
Hurru is become a widow
for Egypt

All lands together they
are pacified."

For Hoffmeier it was significant that the Stele both referred to Israel and referred to them using the heiroglyph for "a people" rather than "a land" or established country. However, a fairer analysis is to examine the reference in context. That is the "people" Israel are referred to in connection with Ashkelon (located near modern Tel Aviv), Gezer (located near central Israel), Yanoam (located near the Sea of Galilee) and Israel and Canaan (itself obviously in the Levant). In other words, in describing the people Israel the Merneptah Stele places them squarely in the middle of the Canaan.

And significantly, the bible puts them in the same place. In the Song of the Sea at Exodus 15: 14 through 16, the Bible says:

"People heard -- they shuddered
Shaking seized Philistia's
residents
Then Edom's chiefs were terried.
Trembling seized them.
All Canaan melted."

Again we see repeated the theme that the Exodus is not placed near Egypt but rather squarely in the Levant.

And this view is significantly boltered by the fact that linquistic analysis of Exodus 15 puts it as having been written around the 13th century BCE...the same time as the Merneptah Stele. (As to the dating of Exodus 15 see The Bible With Sources Revealed by Richard Friedman and Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic by Frank Moore Cross.)

The view that there was no actual biblical Exodus is further supported by the biblical archeological community. See Who Were the Israelites and Where did they Come From by William Dever and the controversial but similar The Bible Unearthed by Israel Finkelstein. Indeed this lack of historical evidence is even conceded by Hoffmeier himself.

For his part though, Hoffmeier focuses on the issues outlined at the outset respecting the Jewish/Egyptian similarities and what they bode relative to historical findings. In each case, other explanations can be offered:

1) For the Jewish similarities of circumcision and dietary customs, other cultures extending as far as the far east used both circumcision and solitary dining practices as incidents of religious practice;

2) For the linguistic similarities, it is not uncommon for geographically connected cultures to be familiar with and use loan words from other local cultures;

3) For the accounts of Pi Ramases and Pi Thom again it wouldn't be suprising for vasal peoples to be aware of power centers in a dominant country like Egypt certainly was during the reign of Ramses II The Great.

4) Likewise the fact that semites were in residence during the Hyksos period several hundred years prior to the writing of the Merneptah Stele and the Song of the Sea is of dubious relevance in uncovering Bible origins.

All told a fair reading of history demands at least skepticism and at most outright disbelief in the actual Exodus. That being said, it also bears repeating that matters of faith can and never should rise and fall with the contents of an archeological shovel.

All these things being said, Hoffmeier presents perhaps the best Israel in Egypt argument and his book is interesting reading.

The Exodus Route.......2007-03-17

Hoffmeier does an excellent job of discussing recent discoveries along the Egyptian Eastern Frontier Canal and its' fortifications. He mentions that the canal was begun during the time of Joseph (twelfth dynasty) but his discussion of the detailed archaeological findings addresses primarily the 19th dynasty period. He shows that the Exodus Route must have gone south of this area because of the strength of Egyptian fortifications. Unfortunately his work does not include the 13th dynasty period when the Exodus took place according to David Rohl, Roger Henry and others.

Not far enough.......2005-08-02

While his intent is laudable, he fails to go far enough in his research or thinking on the subject. For example, the idea that the plagues of Exodus were based on well-known, regular occurences such as the flooding of the Nile is absurd, demanding more belief in the stupidity of ancient man than is warranted. Similarly theories about the Exodus being a "compilation" of a couple of hundred slaves leaving Egypt over a number of years is so stupid as to beggar belief, if it were not advanced under the cover of academia. Long's "The Riddle of the Exodus" presents a better thesis.

There is historical evidence... .......2004-11-29

Note please that my rating should be discounted as I have not rated the book. However I can address two harsh criticisms of it by John J. Geyer "jgeyer1". In that review here at Amazon we read:

" If a rampaging army storms through Canaan destroying city after city one would expect that the remains of those cities would show appropriate destruction layers and that the diplomatic archives of the surrounding countries would notice. There is nothing. "

Actually there is a very much evidence of such destruction to be found in city after city in the Holy Land, albeit at layers not deemed appropriate for the commonly accepted historical era of Joshua's invasion.

However a quick google search on "Lisa Liel" or "Lisa JAH" will lead you to her website at http://www.starways.net/lisa/

Titled "Lisa's World", then click on "history", then "The Exodus in History" and scroll down to the chart of the Historical vs. the Biblical view of history of the Land of Israel".

Immediately above that chart we read: "A simple redating of the archaeological periods in the Land of Israel brings the entire scope of biblical history into synchronization with the ancient historical record. Only time will tell whether more archaeologists will follow Cohen and Anati in their slowly dawning recognition of the historicity of the Bible".

Pursuing the website in greater depth will quickly show you that the historical record is full of evidence, but again, that adjustment in dating mentioned is required.

John J. Geyer "jgeyer1" also wrote this criticism: "For the bottom line, as the author acknowledges repeatedly, is that there is NO evidence confirming ANY part of the Exodus story."

But if Lisa Liel's dating shift is done to bring the historical Caanan archaeological evidence into sync with the Biblical, then the same exact time shift shows at the appropriate era in the separate Egyptian historical record this datum: *

Plague is throughout the land.
Blood is everywhere.
The river is blood.
That is our water! That is our happiness! What shall we do in respect thereof? All is ruin!
Trees are destroyed.
No fruit or herbs are found...
Forsooth, gates, columns and walls are consumed by fire.
Forsooth, grain has perished on every side.
The land is not light [dark].

This authentic historical Egyptian record is of troubles plaguing that kingdom dated near the time of the first intermediate period of bloodshed and anarchy resulting from the collapse of the monarchy of the old Kingdom of Egypt. Lisa writes:

"When the Bible tells us that Egypt would never be the same after the Exodus, it was no exaggeration. With invasions from all directions, virtually all subsequent kings of Egypt were of Ethiopian, Libyan or Asiatic descent. When Chazal tell us that King Solomon was able to marry Pharaoh's daughter despite the ban on marrying Egyptian converts until they have been Jewish for three generations because she was not of the original Egyptian nation, there is no reason to be surprised".

* "A.H. Gardiner, Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage from a hieratic papyrus in Leiden (1909). Historians are almost unanimous in dating this papyrus to the very beginning of the Middle Kingdom. The events it describes, consequently, deal with the end of the Old Kingdom".

No Rear Guard Action.......2003-01-02

James Hoffmeier has no doubts that he is not writing this book as a read guard action to stem the tide of the "minimalists." In his preface he concedes that "direct evidence for the events and figures of Genesis and Exodus remains elusive."

However in recent decades, "Egyptology has developed into a discipline in its own right" and Hoffmeier intends to show "Egyptian material that does shed light on ... questions raised by the historical minimalists." The reader should bear in mind that Hoffmeier has no intentions of answering _all_ questions concerning the historicity of Genesis and Exodus.

Hoffmeier writes in a lucid style while engaging his opponents. For example, the story of Moses as an "exposed child" has often been compared to the "Legend of Sargon." Hoffmeier cites the study of Donald Redford (sic) which shows that the story of Moses and Sargon are not even in the same category.

Amazon.com

Professor and religious historian Andrew Rawlinson has done a monumental service. With an effulgent wit and a critical eye he tells the stories of virtually all the teachers, East and West, who have had an impact on establishing Eastern religious traditions in the West. Three branches of Buddhism, two lineages of Sufism, and innumerable Hindu and independent teachers are all fully represented--from Swami Vivekananda to Alan Watts, Madame Blavatsky to Idries Shah, Ruth Fuller Sasaki to Pema Chodron. A 200-year time line, charts of lineages, and tables of significant groupings supplement Rawlinson's biographies to great effect. He details historical links and tangential relationships while deftly narrating controversies without taking sides. Find your own master in this guide to spiritual leaders.

Customer Reviews:

An Extraordinary Panorama of Western Teachers.......2006-08-26

This excellent book is designed to provide a framework for understanding some of the people involved in bringing Eastern Teachings to the West, and often modifying them in the process. It is clear from the introduction that it is not designed to be a detailed exposition of teachings. To do so would require scores of volumes. Some of the teachers represented - or claimed to represent - classical mainstream Hinduism, Buddhism or Sufism. Others branched out on their own, developing independent spiritual traditions. Many of the teachers were given or simply adopted new names of Asian origin. The sub-title of this book is "Western Teachers in Eastern Traditions," though there are some exceptions. Krishnamurti is included because, from the age of 14, he received most of his education in Europe. A few other teachers born and bred in the East are included in passing.

Not only does the book provide us with innumerable informative biographies of the people mentioned, Andrew Rawlinson also provides extensive cross-references that help to illuminate some of the links connecting different teachers. He's also not afraid to expose some of the teachers who have plagiarized the work of others. In some places he has two texts side by side for comparison. Some quite well known people don't come out too smelling of roses. Like any writer, he has some strong views about some of the people whom he discusses. But I have known a number of the people mentioned in the book, and his descriptions of those have been very fair.

The book contains a vast amount of information. But equally important, is that it is a work of scholarship using some novel methods for helping us make sense of the rich and varied tapestry of thought and practice that have marked the transfer of portions of Eastern thought to Western culture.

I've used this book extensively, and in a work of this size and scope it is inevitable that there will be a few facts and opinions with which each reader will disagree. But that is the nature of scholarship: a first attempt is presented, is gets critiqued, re-edited and re-presented.

For anyone trying to get the big picture of the growth of these new religious movements, Andrew Rawlinson's book is an excellent starting point.

Fake information based on personal vendetta.......2005-06-17

Having attended many of Rawlinsons's lessons, I see this book as an outcome of Rawlinsons personal vendetta against anything that was threatening to him during his live. He never was allowed into the inner circles of what he tried to research for the very reason of his egoistic and selfish personality, being a man in great need to shine as Mr. Judge or Mr. Sheriff (sharif)

Rawlinson does not understand what he teaches/preaches. He is a walking dictionary, filled with facts, can draw on these facts like a computer, but what really counts... he does not live what he teaches, it's all rather fiction, he is a walkie-talkie of the finest order.... i.e. a kind of perpetum mobile.

fine piece of scholarship.......2002-11-02

An outstanding work. Well balanced between critical scholarship, and thorough research into the subjects. Overlooks a few teachers, but that's inevitable given the vast scope the book tackles. There is no book like this anywhere in the field of post-modern study of Western spiritual teachers and the phenomenon they represent. Dr. Rawlinson is very fair and impartial in his observations about the personal difficulties and challenges faced by many of the gurus, and how these challenges shaped their work, or in some cases detracted from it.

650 worthless sheet (of paper).......2002-07-09

The mixture that Mr. Rawlinson makes on this book is everything but "enlightning". The encyclopedic style is just on the surface, since the author focuses more on the personal details of the lives he choosed to write about, than on their specific spiritual standpoints. That makes this heavy book more a gossip than an academic work. It's tricky too, because it seems to put an impartial span of spiritual liders of the West, but, what he really wants is to advice about the deviations of this people. Which is not bad at all, if only he had the tools to do it. Instead, Mr. Rawlinson puts all in one bag and you get truly interesting perspectives (like Frithjof Schuon's Religio Perennis or "trascendent unity of religions") paired with plain crazy people.
So, this book is not a help at all; the charts are not clear and have some mistakes here and there.

Why Johnny can't think.............2001-10-21

Another book on comparative religions so filled with bias and self-centered sarcasm one can hardly read from cover to cover. What has happened to our educational system that this sort of thing passes for intelligence? No wonder "Johnny can't read". If you want to learn about the influence of the East on the West from this perspective, skip the cost of the book and simply search the internet for dirt on the particular religion. What a complete disappointment. Andrew Rawlinson never seemed to come close to the lofty title much less most of the religions he criticized.

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Japanese Religious Traditions
Michiko Yusa
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 013091164X

Islam and the Muslim Community (Religious Traditions of the World)

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Islam and the Muslim Community (Religious Traditions of the World)
Frederick M. Denny
Manufacturer: Waveland Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1577660072

Book Description

This comprehensive text combines the historical and the topical into an accessible introduction to the Islamic tradition and the worldwide Muslim community. It interprets the doctrines, devotional practices, and institutions of Islam and provides a ready understanding of world events involving Muslims: the Islamic Jihad movements, the controversy over the adoption of Islamic holy law, and the Islamic revival. Denny explicates the doctrines, ritual practices, and institutional forms of Islam with special attention to their sources in the Qur'an, Islam's sacred scripture, and the Sunna, the record of Muhammad's teachings and personal example. He explores the Shari'a--Islam's holy law--both in its content and its practical application. He also examines the differences between the Sunni and the Shi'i forms of Islam in their historical, theological, and sociopolitical perspectives. Importantly, the book provides a sense of Islamic spirituality and its persisting mystical tradition, strongly influenced by Sufism.

Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religous Traditions (The Library of Perennial Philosophy)

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a defense of Traditionalism not promised by the title
Take a Journey East
A Ground-Breaking Masterwork

Journeys East: 20th Century Western Encounters with Eastern Religous Traditions (The Library of Perennial Philosophy)
Harry Oldmeadow
Manufacturer: World Wisdom
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ASIN: 0941532577

Book Description

Journeys East tells the story of the twentieth century's encounters between East and West by exploring the lives of many of the most fascinating scientists, intellectuals, artists, and spiritual seekers of our time.

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"The West's modern encounter with the East, particularly in the religious domain, was one of the most momentous events of our time.[yet] despite the many distinguished studies in the field, there [is] a certain gap which might usefully be filled." With these words, the author of Journeys East, Harry Oldmeadow, begins to fill that gap. If we accept, as the author does, "that Eastern religious traditions, even today and despite the ravages of modernization, are custodians of a wisdom of which the West stands in the most urgent need," then this book traces for us how and when that wisdom has had an impact on modern Western thought and spirituality in a stunning variety of ways. In short, Journeys East presents readers with a sweeping view of events and people that have contributed and are still contributing much to the assimilation of Eastern ideas into modern Western thought. Oldmeadow moves quickly through the history of Western engagements with Eastern traditions, looks at Eastern influences on Western thought, and concludes with some observations on cross-cultural religious understanding and the inner unity of religions. The two concluding chapters offer important keys that can not only help us to recognize the spirit of the East in current Western ideas, but also to unlock its expansive and timeless secrets within our own intellectual and spiritual lives. Professor Harry Oldmeadow is currently the Coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at La Trobe University in Bendigo, Australia. Over the last decade he has published extensively in such journals as Sacred Web, Sophia, and Asian Philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

a defense of Traditionalism not promised by the title.......2005-10-19

The title of this book suggests that it is a history of 20th century Westerners studying or practicing Eastern religious traditions. Really, the first 330 pages of the book deliver just that, and they do so very well. I was pleased to get good biographical information about figures such as the Theosophists, Jung, Campbell, Eliade, Marco Pallis, D. T. Suzuki, Allen Ginsberg, Ram Dass, Alan Watts, Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths, Ken Wilber and many others. In fact, I really would've enjoyed more of that: more extensive accounts of their lives, their thought and what influenced them.

That section of the book gets five stars from me; even though the sections are way too short and shallow. Figures such as Jung, Merton and Watts, not to mention many others, deserve a richer coverage than this. Nevertheless, the breadth of the coverage is very nice. It is a fine introduction.

I nearly deducted a star even in the first section because the author does not see his task to be one of history, but of evaluation according to Traditionalist criteria (elaborated especially by Schuon and Nasr). He is concerned to report about whether these figures fulfilled the Traditionalist ideal, which in my opinion is a distraction from the more interesting account of what they did, taught and what influenced them.

In the last hundred pages or so, he slips into a defense of Traditionalism and an attack on methodological materialism. I've also recently read Huston Smith's Why Religion Matters, which had this project as its sole subject, and I think that's the better way to handle it.

Essentially, the issue is how to study religion academically. Generally, practitioners and believers of religious traditions study in order to better understand the values and teachings of their tradition, rather than to understand mere historical or psychological contingencies. On the other side, many scholars want universities to be sites of skepticism and questioning rather than indoctrination; but that is inevitably a secular approach. The struggles between the two sides disturb the faculties of many religious studies departments.

I was underwhelmed even by Smith, but Oldmeadow's discussion never rises above sermonizing. I think he anticipated having a sympathetic audience, because he did not address any of the reasons that people disagree with him. He presents ridiculously parodied visions of science and philosophy, casually blaming them for all the ills of industrialism and commercialism.

It would be enough for me to say that I disagree with him; but I want to emphasize how unfairly he presented science and philosophy, and wonder why.

Quite often, in fact, he attacks evolution not only as a cultural or spiritual theory (where it is very questionable), but in biology itself. He claims to have no quarrel with the actual findings of science, merely with the way they are interpreted. That seems to imply that we can search for interpretations of scientific facts to fit our nonscientific intuitions (moral and mystical, for instance).

However, (p. 358):

"[I]t is preferable to believe that God created the world in six days and that heaven lies in the blue skies above the flat surface of the earth than it is to know precisely the distance from one nebula to another whilst forgetting the truth embodied in this symbolism, namely that all phenomena depend on a higher Reality which determines us and gives our human existence meaning and purpose. A materially inaccurate but symbolically rich view is always preferable to the regime of brute fact."

That is a fascinating admission, and ultimately this is why I will remember this book (although I will happily return to its better parts for reference).

Is it not better, I would ask, to know the brute facts and face them honestly, and then to discover and elaborate their rich symbolic, spiritual potential?

I would answer affirmatively without hesitation, and look for inspiration to examples such as Chet Raymo, Loyal Rue, Ursula Goodenough, Carl Sagan or Ed Wilson, perhaps even Brian Swimme, not to mention stars like Einstein. That is on the scientific side of the question, with which I am well familiar.

His portrait of philosophy was just as unfair; in order to do it he had to pass over figures as central as Wittgenstein and as relevant to the stated theme of the book as Jaspers.

The greater part of this review has focused on content in the last 100 pages of this book. The first two-thirds of the book, when he generally stuck to the theme announced by the title and subtitle, were very interesting and deserve the customary five stars of Amazon reviews. But the final pages are not only irrelevant, but so poorly argued, if they were meant to be an argument rather than a sermon, that they deserve one star at best. So I compromise.

I want to close by emphasizing again that the first 2/3 really are a good introduction to the subject, and if that's what you want you'll find it there.

Take a Journey East.......2005-08-13

"Journeys East" deals primarily with Western responses to Eastern wisdom in the 19th and the 20th centuries. Written from what can be broadly called a traditionalist perspective (i.e. agreeing fundamentally with the philosophical perspectives of René Guénon, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, and Frithjof Schuon), this is a profound and comprehensive guide to the interaction between Western thinkers and seekers of the modern era (Carl Jung, Joseph Needham, Bede Griffiths, et al.) and the traditional wisdom of the East (encompassing India, Tibet, China, Japan and South East Asia).
As an undergraduate my twin majors were in Studies in Western Traditions and Chinese Studies. I saw nothing inherently conflicting in studying the best of both East and West (and contra Kipling have found that they often meet). During this time I was lucky enough to study under Kenneth "Harry" Oldmeadow, and this book conforms to the high standards that I have come to expect from him both as a teacher and a scholar. "Journeys East" is an entertaining and philosophically challenging reference source for those who either wish to learn more about those modern Westerners who have studied Eastern religions in depth, or who wish themselves to make a journey East of their own.

A Ground-Breaking Masterwork.......2004-07-07

I can only concur with Prof. Huston Smith, who writes about this book "This is the most comprehensive, engaging, and responsible treatment of the advent of Asian thought to the West that has ever been written -- 'Journeys East' will be indispensable for students of comparative religion".

This extraordinarily well written work ranges across enormous terrain covering more than 100 years of intellectual history reflecting the influence of Asian thought on major 20th century philosophers, artists, spiritual seekers and adventurers. Although it is a serious work of scholarship, reflecting astonishing depth and breadth of erudition and great sensitivity to the subject matter, it is also a highly readable book which will fascinate any reader who is even marginally interested the impact of Eastern thought on the Western mind.

Book Description

This book provides a vivid and detailed picture of the daily life and religious practices of Buddhist monks and nuns in the classic period of Theravada Buddhism. The author describes the way in which the Buddha's disciples institutionalized and ritualized his teachings about food, dress, money, chastity, solitude, and discipleship. This tradition represents an ideal of religious life that has been followed in India and South Asia for more than two thousand years. The introduction by Steven Collins describes Theravada Buddhist literature, discusses the issue of the historical reliability of the texts, and offers extensive suggestions for further reading. The book will be of interest to scholars and students in Asian studies, religious studies, anthropology, and history.

Customer Reviews:

Highly valuable and accessible resource.......2004-01-10

This book supplies something hard to find: a presentation of the daily lives and routine of the original Buddhist monks, as much as we can get, based on solid research, good translations, and a clear understanding of the Buddha's teachings. It is presented in a style that is not overburdened with technical language or jargon. Tremendously useful and pleasant to read. Here is what they wore, what they ate, how they got it, why they were instructed to travel, and how the monastic code (Vinaya) was interpreted as times changed.

Wonders of the Natural Mind, New Edition: The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet

Average customer rating:

Walking without sitting down?
Great Book
Yung-Drung Bon Monastic Centre
The Ligmincha Institute

Wonders of the Natural Mind, New Edition: The Essence of Dzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet
Tenzin Wangyal
Manufacturer: Snow Lion Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559391421

Book Description

This book is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Tibetan Bon tradition.

Customer Reviews:

Walking without sitting down?.......2002-07-07

Thanks so much for this excellent book. It is one of the best books about the practice of this Way on WHOLE day. I don't practice Dzogchen but it is easy to see that the quality of teachings of this book are superior. One of the best books of practical Buddhism that I have read.

The simple way to expose the deepest matters and the humility and high knowledge shows the great level of practice of the author and the importance of this Tibetan school. Helpful to any Buddha follower. Excellent purchase. Recommended 100%.

Great Book.......2000-02-14

This is one of the best books I have ever read on Tibetan culture and religion. It is clear and concise. It is extremely informative, revealing practices that have been kept secret, for some unknown reason, for centuries. A great book!

Yung-Drung Bon Monastic Centre.......1998-12-27

Recently, in the West, a number of books have appeared on the subject of Dzog Chen. This is the first book to describe the Bon-Po point of view of these high teachings. This pleases me greatly. They are derived from the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud, which is the most essential within the Bon-Po Dzog Chen.

Lama Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has been trained in this lineage since he was fourteen by the Venerable Lopon Sangye Tenzin and the Venerable Lopon Tenzin Namdak. From the early days on, he has shown a special gift when it comes to these meditations.

The book is written in clear and concise English. This is particularly important as the teachings are very elaborate and at times hard to understand. The simple language used clarifies tremendously. The authentic descriptions of Dzog Chen give the serious student ample material to practice Dzog Chen.

This book doesn't include stories; it explains the quintessential aspects of Dzog Chen. In other words, it gets right to the point. Especially the chapters such as the ones on Contemplation and Integration. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of these high teachings.

The Ligmincha Institute.......1998-12-27

His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes, "This book will be of great help to readers wishing to find a clear explanation of the Bon tradition, especially with regard to its presentation of the teachings of Dzogchen."

Indeed! *Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a treasure trove of information --- appropriate for any level of practitioner. Here's an excerpt from the back cover of the book:

*Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Bon tradition. Dzogchen has begun to be familiar to Westerners principally through the teachings of the Nyingmapa school, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and other Tibetan teachers residing and teaching in Western countries. In *Wonders of the Natural Mind*, the author presents the Dzogchen teachings based on the *Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud*, the fundamental Bon text. The book gives an epitome of the main points of Dzogchen, its relation to the various systems of Bon teaching, and the author's personal reflections on the practice of Dzogchen in the West.

Book Description

-- PLA, Appearing in University Press Books Selected for Public and Secondary School Libraries, Journal of Chinese Religions

A collection of seminal primary readings on the social, intellectual, and religious traditions of China, Sources of Chinese Tradition, Volume 1 has been widely used and praised for almost forty years as an authoritative resource for scholars and students and as a thorough and engaging introduction for general readers. Here at last is a completely revised and expanded edition of this classic sourcebook, compiled by noted China scholars Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom. Updated to reflect recent scholarly developments, with extensive material on popular thought and religion, social roles, and women's education, this edition features new translations of more than half the works from the first edition, as well as many new selections.

Arranged chronologically, this anthology is divided into four parts, beginning at the dawn of literate Chinese civilization with the Oracle-Bone inscriptions of the late Shang dynasty (1571--1045 B.C.E.) and continuing through the end of the Ming dynasty (C.E. 1644). Each chapter has an introduction that provides useful historical context and offers interpretive strategies for understanding the readings.

The first part, The Chinese Tradition in Antiquity, considers the early development of Chinese civilization and includes selections from Confucius's Analects, the texts of Mencius and Laozi, as well as other key texts from the Confucian, Daoist, and Legalist schools. Part 2, The Making of a Classical Culture, focuses on Han China with readings from the Classic of Changes ( I Jing), the Classic of Filiality, major Han syntheses, and the great historians of the Han dynasty. The development of Buddhism, from the earliest translations from Sanskrit to the central texts of the Chan school (which became Zen in Japan), is the subject of the third section of the book. Titled Later Daoism and Mahayana Buddhism in China, this part also covers the teachings of Wang Bi, Daoist religion, and texts of the major schools of Buddhist doctrine and practice. The final part, The Confucian Revival and Neo-Confucianism, details the revival of Confucian thought in the Tang, Song, and Ming periods, with historical documents that link philosophical thought to political, social, and educational developments in late imperial China.

With annotations, a detailed chronology, glossary, and a new introduction by the editors, Sources of Chinese Tradition will continue to be a standard resource, guidebook, and introduction to Chinese civilization well into the twenty-first century.

Customer Reviews:

Sources of Chines Tradition, Vol 2.......2005-09-26

This book is excellent for anyone wanting to read primary source information. It is a great help for any college student or proffessor interested in the Chinese Culture. I highly recommend this to any one who is interested in Chinese history.

Excellent resource!.......2005-04-08

This book gets the majority of its bulk from direct translations of actual Chinese texts, and as such it is an indespensible tool for any student interested in Chinese religions and philosohpies. There is very little input on the part of the editors and I, personally, was very thankful this. It can be dreadfully difficult trying to find sources that aren't mired in thousands of pages of theory and speculation, and sometimes a person just needs the root text! An awesome book.

Ancient Chinese History: Vol. 1.......2004-04-02

This book is a collection of readings dealing with ancient Chinese history, especially focusing on philosophy and religion. The readings are organized into chapters related to various stages in Chinese history. Early chapters cover antiquity, Confucius, Mo Tzu, and Taoism. Then comes Confucian tradition, the Legalists, the Imperial Order, the Universal Order, and the Economic Order. This is followed by the Great Han Historians, Neo-Taoism, and Buddhism. This volume is rounded out with the Confucian revival and neo-Confucianism. Each chapter begins with a short introduction essay that introduces the context and events of the time and goes to a selection of original texts on the topic at hand. At the beginning of the book is a chronological table of Chinese history from 2852 BC to 1849 AD that highlights various events in Chinese political philosophy.

This book is a great resource for the serious student of Chinese philosophy and culture. The essays and readings provide a unique window into Chinese thought. The authors assume that the reader will have a basic familiarity with the overall picture of Chinese history, and provide many details and insights into why history took the course that it did. I found the reading selections, drawn from such documents as the Analects of Confucius or historical documents like Ma tuan-Lin's Introduction to the Survey on the Land Tax, particularly illuminating. To find so many documents such as these presented in English, together with essays that explain their context and importance, is invaluable for the serious Asian studies scholar.

Absolutely essential.......2003-07-03

I'll make this short...For anyone interested in Chinese history, literature, or culture, this volume is an absolutely essential collection of primary sources, and includes prefaces and explanations by China scholars. There is no one better than de Bary, and this new edition includes everything from the 1960 edition up through the Jiang Zemin era.

all the classics and essentials.......2003-05-24

I've read a little of this and that about Chinese history and religion, and I needed a book to fill in the basics and the details. This was perfect.

First, the selections included excerpts of almost everything I'd ever heard of: Shang Oracle Bones, the Analects of Confucius and the Confucian classics including the I Ching; Mozi; the Tao Te Ching; Zhuangzi (who famously dreamed that he was a butterfly); Mencius; Xunzi; the Zuozhuan; Sun Tzu's art of war; all kinds of stuff about Chinese schools of Buddhism including the Lotus Sutra and the Flower Garden Sutra and the history of Guanyin and Wutai Shan; Li Po (Li Bo) and Tu Fu (Du Fu); and neo-Confucianism (which was so influential in Korea). In short, this is really, practically the "Eatern Canon" and the selections are deserving of such a label. I was in turns morally and intellectually challenged, uplifted, informed and surprised; but rarely bored and never disappointed.

Second, the introductory essays were exactly what I wanted to know: who might have written it, and when, and who read, and what it meant to them. For all that information, they were still brief and the bibliography was sufficient to help me chase the points that left me curious. An important thing these essays did was to cover the political, historical and social backgrounds (and foregrounds) of the texts, so I learned about Chinese history as well as literature and religion. If that is what you want to do, this book will serve you well.

The binding is excellent, and while the price might look steep I have to say it's a bargain considering what you get.

I didn't read Volume Two, and so I don't know if it is as good. It is certainly a lot smaller!

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