Jr. George Parulski

The need for a book written in simple, clear-cut language has been necessary for many years.

This volume allots the right proportions of space to the varius schools in the vast field of Oriental Philosphy. There is a brief explanation of Taoism and Confucianism; a complete examination of the Buddhist Philosophy and a look at the Hindu Philosophies, some of which have never been explained in the English language. The major portion of the text is of the wisdom of the Orientals. Thus, we can see that the first three parts are meant to bring the readers understanding of the field far enough to enjoy and grow with the pieces of wisdom, selected from over 75 different sources.

Having been in the field of Oriental Philosophy for fifty years of my life, I find this text both refresing and anecessary addition to its field.--Roshi Pakuin

Geprge Richard Parulski, Jr. was born in Rochester, New York. He attended Bishop Kearney and St. John Fisher College to study philosophy and biology. He now teaches Oriental philosophy at St. John Fisher College. To further his knowledge of philosophy, he lived for three years at the Eisho-ji, a Zen temple in Corning, New York, where he received his enlightenment under Roshi Kazure Kudo (died in 1974). Parulski's articles have appeared in Unity Magazine, Rosicrucian's Digest, Personal Growth, New Thought, Vegetarian Times, Orion Magazine and East/West Journal.

Apart from philosophy, he finds time to write fantasy and science fiction. In the field of fantasy he has writen Adventures of Tim Amulet. In science fiction his story, 'October's Childeren,' won the 1974 Quasar award for excellence in SF writing.

About the illustrator

Carolyn Iachetta Parulski was born in Rochester, New York, in 1952. She studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology. In 1971, she won the Scholastic Award for art excellence for a water transparency. Her sumi-e illustrations have won kudos. Among her illustrated books is the fantasy classic, The Adventures of Tim Amulet, authored by her husband.

Contents

Part One Taoist and Confucian Philosophy
Chapter One The Way of Life--Historical Setting; The birth of Lao-tse; The Tao-Te-Ching; The three manifestations of the Tao; The three kinds of Taoism
Chapter Two The Great Teacher--The life of Confucius; Keeper of teh Granaries; Confucian Classics: Five Classics, four Books; The I-Ching; The hexagrams; Mencius; Hsun-tse; Five Confucian points of view
Chapter Three The Genius of the Absurd--Life of Chuang-tse; Philosophy of Chuang-tse; The Yin and Yang Philosophy; Other Chinese Philosophers: Mo-tse, Han Fei Tzu, Chu Hsi, Lu Hsiang-Shan
Part Two Buddhist Philosophy
Chapter Four The Enlightened One--Introduction. Life of th Buddha; Four visions; The Bo-tree; Sermon at Benares; Sermon at Uruvela; Buddhist Philosophical Truths; Four Noble Truths/Eightfold Path; Ten Commandments; Ten Perfections; Nirvana; Emperor Asoka; Hinayana and Mahayana; Esoteric Mahayana; Other Forms of Buddhism: Amida Buddhism; Shingon; Kegon buddhism, Emptiness, Ten Hands; Nichiren Buddhism, The Three Teachings.
Chapter Five Zen Buddhism--Bodhidharma; The Twenty-Eight Patriarchs of Buddhism; Hui-neng; Essence of Zen; The Work, Zen; What is Zen?; The Zen Unconscious; The mushin-No-Shin; Prajna and Dhyana; Soto and Rinzai Sects
Part Three Hindu Philosophies
Chapter Six A Fellowship of Faiths--The Three Periods; Six Systems; Brahman; The Aryans; The Cast System; The Vedas; The Epics: Mahabharata, Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana
Chapter Seven The Six Systems--The Nyaya: Logic, Topics of Discussions, Four Channels of Knowledge; The Vaisesika System: The Six Categories of Being; The Sankhya System: Three Beliefs, Three Gunas, Three States of Being; Purva Mamamsa System; The Vedanta System; Skummarky and Comparison
Chapter Eight Yogic Philosophy--Tkhe Word; Its Meaning; Schools of Yoga; The Five Major Systems; KYogic Philosophy: Seven Parts of Man, ELightfold Path, Thke Yamas, The Niyamas, The Aura, Fourfold Aim of Yoga; Hatha Yoga; Karma Yoga; Bhakti Yoga; Raja Yoga; Jnana (gnani Yoga) Yoga; Other Fokrms of Yoga: Mantra Yoga, Shakti Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Laya Yoga; Other Hindu Philosophies: Jainism, Hare Krishna
Part Four The Wisdom of Orinetal Philosophy
Chapter Nine Wisdom of the Orient--The wisdom of philosophy; How to begin meditation; Breathing exercises; Benefit of Meditation
73 SELECTIONS OF ORIENTAL WISDOM
Appendix One Chronology of Oriental Philosophical Literature
Indian Literature and Philosophical History; Chinese Literature and Philosophical History
Appendix Two Yoga Asanas and Pranayamas
Meditative postures; Breathing postures; Ten popular Yogic postures
Appendix Three Chronology of Ch'an and Zen Masterss
Japanese version; Chinese version
Appendix Four A Guide to Zen Meditative Techniques
Koan meditation; Hosshin Koans; Gonsen Koans; Kikan Koans; Nanto Koans; The Five Ranks; Example of Koans; Other forms of meditation; One-Pointing method; Bubble method; Hinayana method; The lotus method; Mantra meditation; Who Am I?
Appendix Five Sermon at Benares
Notes
Bibliography
Glossary
Index
About the Author
About the Illustrator… (mer)