Gyan Publishing House Buddhist Parables [Hardcover]

by Translated by Eugene Watson Burlingame

The present book is an English translation of Mahipati's Marathi poem Bhakta-Vijaya which records the legends of Indian saints, irrespective of their difference in caste, community, creed, language and place of origin. It is one of the most fascinating of religious story-books Thus we have the record of different saints - Yayadeva, Jnanadeva, Namadeva, Ramananda, Tulasidasa, Kabir, Suradasa, Narsi Mehta and Guru Nanakadeva. A lot of information is available on Ekanath-the greatest scholar-philosopher-saint-poet-cum-social reformer and the towering personalities Tukaram and Ramadasa. It also records the miraculous and fascinating legends of several saints, how they spread the Bhakti cult, how they struggled against discrimination between man and man and how they tried to uproot the malpractices which prevailed in the name of Religion in those days.

Genres: Buddhism

382 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Blaine Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although first published in 1922 in an era of premature understanding of Buddhism, this nonetheless is a treasure trove of Buddhist similes, allegories, parables, fables, and other illustrative stories and anecdotes found in the Pali Buddhist texts. They convey teachings of the Buddha himself or of some of his followers for the purpose of conveying spiritual, moral, and common sense lessons. This volume was the first time many of these appeared in English.

Most are drawn from the compendium of Jataka Tales, texts describing the previous lives of the Buddha or, that person who would later become the Future Buddha. There's the parable of The Grateful Elephant and Grateful animals and ungrateful man. There are other stories with titles Partridge, monkey, and elephant; The hawk; Snake-charm; Dragon Jewel-neck; and the classic tale everyone still refers to Blind Men and the Elephant.

Included are also many excerpts from the Milindapanha, an early Buddhist text recording an extended dialogue between the Graeco-Bactrian King Menander and the Buddhist sage, Nagasena, reputedly to have taken place in-around 200 BCE.

Stories and tales from other great civilizations of the world such as India and China can both be perplexing and familiar - perplexing in that they're not only from ancient times but from cultures far removed from our own; familiar in that one sees universal concerns and wisdom expressed across cultures.

[Luisa Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

questo libro è una piccola opera affascinante che raccoglie e restituisce al lettore la saggezza millenaria delle storie buddhiste, tradotte e curate con attenzione filologica. Attraverso parabole semplici ma dense di significato, Burlingame apre una finestra su un universo spirituale dove ogni racconto è un invito alla riflessione, alla compassione e alla consapevolezza. Il linguaggio, pur rispettando l’originale, rimane accessibile e scorrevole, permettendo di assaporare la bellezza di queste antiche narrazioni senza perdere la loro profondità. Un libro da leggere lentamente, lasciando che ogni storia germogli dentro di noi.

[Blaine Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although first published in 1922 in an era of premature understanding of Buddhism, this nonetheless is a treasure trove of Buddhist similes, allegories, parables, fables, and other illustrative stories and anecdotes found in the Pali Buddhist texts. They convey teachings of the Buddha himself or of some of his followers for the purpose of conveying spiritual, moral, and common sense lessons. This volume was the first time many of these appeared in English.

Most are drawn from the compendium of Jataka Tales, texts describing the previous lives of the Buddha or, that person who would later become the Future Buddha. There's the parable of The Grateful Elephant and Grateful animals and ungrateful man. There are other stories with titles Partridge, monkey, and elephant; The hawk; Snake-charm; Dragon Jewel-neck; and the classic tale everyone still refers to Blind Men and the Elephant.

Included are also many excerpts from the Milindapanha, an early Buddhist text recording an extended dialogue between the Graeco-Bactrian King Menander and the Buddhist sage, Nagasena, reputedly to have taken place in-around 200 BCE.

Stories and tales from other great civilizations of the world such as India and China can both be perplexing and familiar - perplexing in that they're not only from ancient times but from cultures far removed from our own; familiar in that one sees universal concerns and wisdom expressed across cultures.