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Some 2500 years ago in ancient Northeast India, a young, brilliant and courageous man discovered the sublime answer to how the mind works and how to realise unconditioned happiness and bliss. For the next 45 years, he devoted his life to teaching the doctrine that helped bring unparalleled happiness, peace and relief to numerous people long after his death. In time stories began to emerge proclaiming his greatness and his near-divinity status. Over generations and into distant lands, those stories took on a life of their own. Eventually the real man is buried under a mountain of beautiful fantasies and magical tales. Scholars in Buddhist studies have never lost sight of the historical Buddha. There is a beautiful story to tell about the real man but the materials never quite made it to the mass market because academic books are generally hard to read and appreciate. This book seeks to bring the historical Buddha back into the popular psyche. That story is as intriguing, and is perhaps even more inspiring than the best fantasy story that had ever been woven....

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"Buddha did not waste time with external worldly conditions. He had seen through their transient nature and decided to go in search of happiness directly and not derive it through conditional proxies. At 35 (quite the prime ofhis life), Buddha knew exactly what it was like to taste that exquisite inner peace that is not dependant on fickle, short-lived external conditions. After six years of exacting spiritual practice under very painful conditions, he succeeded in his quest to realise unconditioned happiness (nibbana). By any yardstick, that attainment alone would already have made his life deeply meaningful. While the rest of the world hankers after passing moments of delight, he abided in deep contentment and happiness as a matter of course. There is no comparison!"...

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Table of Contents Abbreviations for Pali Canon Texts | i An Author’s Request | ii Foreword | viii Chapter One: Spread of Dhamma to Kosala | 1 Chapter Two: Establishing the Nun Order | 19 Chapter Three: Sangha Quarrels at Kosambi | 37 Chapter Four: Middle Age – Successes in Dhamma Work | 47 Chapter Five: Middle Age – Trouble and Unpleasantness | 93 Chapter Six: Troubling Times | 123 Chapter Seven: Troubled Old Age | 145 Chapter Eight: Last Days | 160 Chapter Nine: After Parinibbana – safeguarding Dhamma | 205 Short Reflection on Volume 2 | 225 Poems | 228 Glossary of Pāli Words | 231 About the Author | 241 Bibliography | 243 In Noble Service | 247...

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Critical Questions, Wise Responses In the past two decades, the growth of takfiri groups has been increased in West Asia. These extremist groups, influenced by Wahhabism and Salafism, are seeking to promote and institutionalize violence in the region. These groups, by a strategic premeditation and/or by mistake, have changed the priority of fighting and apprising of Zionist regime crimes to takfir of noble trend of Shiism. Many of them, who call themselves sheikhs, by taking advantage of the ignorance of the laity, issue fatwas of killing Muslims in general and Shiites in particular. Meanwhile some by raising unfounded doubts over Shia principals provoke this wave of violence and attempt to institutionalize hate between Muslims. Therefore, in order to prevent the promotion of violence, it is obligatory on every compassionate Muslim to be sensitive and give appropriate answer and inform the masses of these dangerous methods. The content of this book which is in response to questions posed against the Twelver Shiite (Athna'ashariyyah) would be evaluated in this context. This book contains 70 of the most important questions and doub...

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Table of Content Introduction Terminology Of Shi`a The State of Appearance…………………....1 The founder of the School of Shi`ah …. 7 Shia in Lexicon and Terminology…...……11 Shi`ah in Quran and Tradition…………….. 14 Shia and Resorting to the tradition of “The twelve caliphs”……………….…………. 17 Shia of Islamic community, in comparison with the Jews……………………………………… 21 Quran and appointment of Imam……….. 26 Doubts Over Imamat Doubt of being in the charge of Imamate By child...............................................32 The meaning of Ul al- Amr in Sunni traditions............................................35 The meaning of Ul al- Amr in Shi’ite traditions..................................38 The meaning of Imam in Ma’rifah of Imam Tradition………………….……….…………..…… 43 The meaning of Imam in the verse of "Ibtila"…..........................................… 48 Doubts Over Wilayah The cause of revelation of Wilayah verse according to Sunnis quoting ................52 Traditions confirming the content of Wilayah tradition 61 Ghadir Khom Event of Ghadir 65 Cause of Revelation 78 The opinions of scholars of Sunna abo...

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The CGI graphic novel 'The Daimon Hespera' is a dark, subversive story in the urban gothic fantasy style. It is set in a world where supernatural beings fight an eternal war that will determine the ultimate fate of humankind....

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New scientific medical discovery in Islamic method of (Animal slaughter) and without the use of any stunning method: Today we stand before the medical fact of pronouncing "in the Name of God, Allah is Greater" over slaughtered animal when slaughtering. It is mentioned in a unique scientific research project unveiled by a group of Professors, physicians and scientists. They have fought deadly germs through science, driving away the darkness of ignorance and superstition. They have also removed the ignorance that covered the legacy of the Heavenly religions. They have fought deadly germs through science, driving away the darkness of ignorance and superstition. They have also removed the ignorance that covered the legacy of the Heavenly religions....

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Nepal has been blessed with heavenly natural beauty. However, the plate tectonics that gave birth to this natural beauty will one day cause massive loss of life and property. A majority of people living in Nepal are largely unaware of their vulnerability to a massive earthquake. Ironically, foreign diplomats seem to be more active in preparing Nepal for this imminent and unpredictable natural disaster: recently the US embassy funded the construction of a blood bank that can survive the impact of an earthquake, Nepal government and some UN agencies are collaborating to prepare critical infrastructures (like airport, emergency shelter, etc.) for a massive earthquake that is bound to hit this beautiful Himalayan kingdom that has already been cursed with a bloody past and a youth-less present. This short story (fiction, 2200 words) describes the home coming of a youth after a massive earthquake in Nepal. It also tries to emphasize the importance of letter writing in current age of instant communication (email, telephone, etc)....

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The dead bodies recovered from the rubble lay all along the road side like a victory medal of the God. Pulverised concrete had turned the whole city into a dark and grey place. As Alok entered inner parts of the city, roads turned into small mountain of rubble; motionless hands, legs and expressionless faces peeked from these rubble. All the human remains were completely washed with powdered concrete dust and they silently recited the violent tale of furious Mother nature. Bricks had broken free from the tyranny of cement and lay scattered everywhere while naked concrete pillars shamelessly displayed their steel skeletons. A mist created by pulverised concrete floated everywhere like a recently freed spirit and, without any remorse, it flirted with strong smell of decaying human flesh. Stains of dried blood splatted over broken concrete spoke of the bloody feast organised by the Gods. Amid this aftermath of the festival of death, some hope emanated from the light of the pyre of some fortunate dead bodies whose relatives had survived to offer them the last Hindu rites....

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Who you believe in and what you believe is the most important matter in life. In a morally troubled world, how powerful a hold does religion have? Are you confused about religious ambiguity, love of money, love of power, sexual immorality, art? Reading The Brass Bed and other Stories may help, then again it may just raise more questions....

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The Salesman Alabaster Easter The Albatross Cafe She wore clover . . . Tabula Rasa The Two Men The Dancer

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Enchanting, powerful, horrific, beautiful, wise, deadly, compassionate, seductive. Women in Buddhist story and image are all these things and more. She takes the signs of the ancient goddess – the lotus, the sacred grove, the serpent, the sacrifice – and uses them in astonishing new ways. Her story is one of suffering and great trials, and through it all an unquenchable longing to be free. This beautifully illustrated work is as layered and subversive as mythology itself. Based directly on authentic Buddhist texts, and informed with insights from psychology and comparative mythology, it takes a fresh look at how Buddhist women have been depicted by men and how they have depicted themselves....

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1 The Lady & the Tree 2 A Myth of Origins 3 The Death of the Goddess 4 The Little Stick Collector 5 A Magic Birth 6 How Māyā Became a Goddess 7 She Who Ate the Children 8 The King Sacrificed 9 The Real Māyā 10 Let’s Play 11 Perception, Symbol, Myth 12 On Using Jung 13 The Dhamma of Gender 14 Mythic Fact, Historic Fiction 15 The Other First Bhikkhuni 16 A Buddhist Femme Fatale 17 The Weaving of the Web 18 Fears of the Future 19 The Flood 20 The Serpent 21 The Deepest Taboo 22 How to Kill a Dead Nun 23 A Very Grievous Text 24 The Hero Departs 25 The Hero Wakes 26 The Hero Returns 27 Building the Legend 28 The Wicked Stepmother 29 The Princess & the Dragon 30 The Sacred Stepmother 31 Rescuing the Hero 32 The Hard Twin 33 The Sage & the Golden Maiden 34 The Soft Twin 35 What a Woman Wants 36 The Heroine 37 That Indefinable Yearning 38 The Flowering of the World 39 Her Dreaming 40 Things Hidden Since the Beginning...

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The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta is the most influential scripture in Buddhist meditation. It is the foundation text for the modern schools of ‘vipassanā’ or ‘insight’ meditation. The well-known Pali discourse is, however, only one of many early Buddhist texts that deal with mindfulness. This is the first full-scale study to encompass all extant versions of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, taking into account the dynamic evolution of the Buddhist scriptures and the broader Indian meditative culture. A new vision emerges from this groundbreaking study: mindfulness is not a system of ‘dry insight’ but is the ‘way to convergence’ leading the mind to deep states of peace....

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THE GIST: THE HIDDEN STRUCTURE OF THE DHAMMA Foreword: The Vipassananāvādā 1 The Meaning of ‘Buddha’ 1.1 The Ambiguity of Tradition 1.2 The Death of Myth 2 The GIST 1​—​Three Strata of Early Texts 2.1 Before the Buddha 2.2 The First Discourses 2.3 The Gāthā Theory 2.4 The Earliest Collection 2.5 The First Abhidhamma 2.6 Some Problems 3 The GIST 2​—​The Agreement of the Three Strata 3.1 The Seeds of the Saṁyutta 3.2 The Two Saṁyuttas 3.3 The Root Abhidhamma Topics 3.4 The Three Strata Compared 3.5 The Saṁyutta-Mātikā in the Mahāyāna 4 The GIST 3​—​The Aṅgas 4.1 The Nine and the Twelve 4.2 Sutta, Geyya, Vyākaraṇa 4.3 The Three Aṅgas and the First Discourses 4.4 The Aṅgas and the Vedas 5 Aṅgas in the Nikāyas & Āgamas 5.1 Saṁyutta 5.2 Majjhima 5.3 Dīgha 5.4 Aṅguttara 6 The Evolution of the Truths 6.1 Sanskrit Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta 6.2 Spirals of Elaboration 7 What Happened in the Sattapaṇṇi Cave? 7.1 Conclusion A HISTORY OF MINDFULNESS 8 Introduction to Mindfulness 8.1 Samatha & vipassanā 9 Previous Studies 9.1 Von Hinüber 9.2 Anālayo 9.3 Thích Nhất Hạnh 9.4 Ṭhānissaro 9.5 Thích Minh Châu ...

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The Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) and India against West Pakistan, re-sulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation: Bangla-desh....

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Jesus has returned, Judgment Day is over, God has created a new heaven and a new earth where people will live forever in the New Jerusalem. What is that life like? Is it a world of disembodied spirits sitting around playing harps and singing hymns of praise to God? A somewhat boring world? Fortunately, God has promised us much more: Our bodies shall be resurrected, and our new lives shall be what God originally intended them to be. This novel describes how that eternal life might be: An active life, full of love and exploration and a close relationship with God. Kate is a cartographer, trying to draw maps of the new world. But why do the trees and mountains seem to move as the centuries go by? Anna is a zoologist, studying the changes that animals have undergone in the new world. Greg is an astronomer, wondering why the speed of light appears to be slowing down. Together with a number of friends they go on an expedition to explore unknown areas of the New Earth. Will they also solve the mystery about what happened to the lions? claus@Legolas:~/Documents/Shared/WhereAreTheLions$ ...

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A thoroughly representative selection of the poetry of John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester. Rochester (1647–1680) was among the worst (best?) of the Restoration rakes, and also one of the period’s best satirists employing a direct language rife with plenty of four-letter words and an obsessive indulgence of the most vulgar vernacular used on behalf of satirical shredding, scatological humor, and sexual candor. Volume 7 in The Reader's Library Series. ISBN: 978-1-932023-49-7 https://www.facebook.com/williamralpheditions...

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A Rodomontade on His Cruel Mistress Trust not that thing called woman: she is worse Than all ingredients crammed into a curse. Were she but ugly, peevish, proud, a whore, Poxed, painted, perjured, so she were no more, I could forgive her, and connive at this, Alleging still she but a woman is. But she is worse: in time she will forestall The Devil, and be the damning of us all....

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Contents Introduction A Pastoral Dialogue between Alexis and Strephon A Dialogue between Strephon and Daphne Song (Give Me Leave to Rail at You...) Song (Insulting Beauty, You Misspend...) Song (My Dear Mistress Has a Heart...) Woman's Honour (A Song) Song (To This Moment a Rebel...) Written in a Lady's Prayer Book The Discovery The Advice Under King Charles II's Picture The Platonic Lady Song (Phillis, Be Gentler, I Advise...) Epistle To Love The Imperfect Enjoyment A Ramble in St. James's Park On the Women about Town Song (Quoth the Duchess of Cleveland...) Song (Love a Woman? You’re an Ass!...) Upon His Drinking Bowl Grecian Kindness Signior Dildo A Satire on Charles II Tunbridge Wells Upon His Leaving His Mistress Against Constancy To a Lady, in a Letter Song (Leave This Gaudy Gilded Stage...) The Fall The Mistress (A Song) Song (Absent from Thee I Languish Still...) A Song of a Young Lady to Her Ancient Lover Song (All My Past Life Is Mine No More...) A Satire against Reason and Mankind A Letter from Artemesia in the Town to Chloe in the Country The Disabled Debauchee Upon Nothing A...

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The Chunochi, Dhamman, Sounchal, Sarsawah and Malhar areas lie along the eastern limb of Hazara-Kashmir Syntaxis. This is an active fold-and-thrust belt in the sub Himalayas of Pakistan. The Early Miocene to Recent sedimentary rock sequence is exposed in the area. The stratigraphic sequence of the study area includes the Early Miocene Murree formation, Early to Middle Miocene Kamlial formation, Middle to Late Miocene Chinji formation, Late Miocene Nagri formation, Late Miocene Dhok Pathan formation, Pliocene Soan formation and Pliestocene Mirpur formation. The Baluch syncline, Panakah anticline and Nainsukh anticline are the major folds. These are open to isoclinal in nature. The Dhamman fault, Tangai fault, Riasi fault, Gali Samiar fault, Godri Badshah- Kotli fault, Chak Nasru fault, Nuhi Sarota fault and Hill Kalan fault are the major faults. The Riasi fault, Godri Badshah-Kotli fault and Chak Nasru fault are active faults. The sedimentary structures observed in the area are cross bedding, load cast and rip ups. The facing of the stratigraphic units is marked on the basis of these structures....

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This book is considered a very important educating book for children and youth, it is the first book which contains very important necessary Islamic information for youth. Moreover, the significant thing noted in it is the simplicity that can deliver the knowledge to students , readers or the new converters into Islam in a magnificent way of simplicity and no complexity of literally crochet. It is abundant of basic Islamic knowledge. It explains in details how to attain God’s love and to approach the true faith, as well as how to pray , why and what are the fruits of the prayer. As well as why we have to do ablution before performing prayer and how to do it. Furthermore, it contains an interpretation of many short Surahs (chosen from Am'ma part) which are often recited in the prayer. It also supports the meaning of these Surahs by mentioning many real stories which ease understanding the meanings and have the part of disciplining children according to the high moralities of Islamic way. We can say this valuable book contains simple necessary Islamic jurisprudence such as the rules of female prayer and many other important rules...

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In Am'ma Part we can see how Al’lah overwhelms us with His Favor and Charity and guards us by His Mercy and great Care. Within it, we can see the Godly Justice has been manifested Itself with Its most magnificent meanings. How great is he who recites them or reads them! How great is he who draws attaintion to them or publishes them! For those people are indeed sources of truth, right and religion. All of these blessings are but drops from the ocean of the favor of he (cpth) who rose high above all that is high. Glorify him (cpth), then, and appreciate him (cpth) in order that you can comprehend these meanings and be able to apply them. Let him (cpth) be your highest example and your leader forever and ever. By Am’ma Part the noble companions woke up from their heedlessness; with it God’s Envoy had started his way to God, and it is that which upgraded the Arab State then the good chosen nations and people and moved them to life filled with bliss and happiness after they had lost themselves in worlds of darkness. This is the way leading to the Gardens, this is the school by which one can leave the ranks of animalization to gradua...

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This is a book about the reason why Israel was formed and why did the terrorists attacked America on 9/11. This is a book about religion, politics, history and science. It is also about the connection between the formation of Israel and the reason why 9/11 ever happened with the Quran, the Torah & the Bible. It is also a book of religion & science. It will give people an idea of why revenge was the cause of 9/11 rather than Islam. And what does Islam say about terrorism. According to the Torah the Jews believe God gave them Israel so for this reason the world has changed because of so many political and religious actions were taken to establish the world we see today and it has caused many good and bad things for the humans of our world. The tragedy of 9/11 might not have happened if some of the words of the Torah were not been taken into actions by politicians and religious groups. This book will give a different view about the reality of our world with the facts of science and religion + religion and politics. An excellent All in one book on science, religion, politics & the true history of our world....

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In the name of God the All Compassionate the All-Merciful The Almighty Al'lah and the beginning of creation is a very important Devine elucidation, it should be known by every human being that it reveals to man some valuable enlightenments which touch his existence, past and forever-future. You conceive through this sublime demonstration some portions of the high attributes of the Almighty Al'lah and you know through this Devine text how Al'lah is most Merciful, most Kind, most Bountiful and most Just. You read in it and be squinted with many significant important points such as: - Has God been alone before the existence of creation, or not? - Why did He create the creatures, what is His purpose? - What is the realty of the pre-material world “Al-Azal world”? - What is the essence of the creatures ? - Why did the creatures differentiate and contrast from each other, how has the Godly Justice appeared in this differentiation and contrast of creatures; mankind, Jinn, angels, plants, Earth, heavens and etc? - Why then did He send the creatures including mankind into this worldly life? - How do the good deeds affect the spirit...

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What wisdom lies behind the pilgrimage? What benefit comes from its strange rituals? Why should the pilgrim dress in white, untailored cloth? What is the wisdom of circumambulating a big stone named Al-Ka’ba? What does the hajji (pilgrim) benefit from kissing the Black Stone? What is the purpose of walking quickly to and fro between Safa and Marwa? What is the importance of standing on a mountain named Arafat? What is the purpose of throwing seven pebbles? Can these seven pebbles destroy Satan, who is immaterial and invisible? Why are animals slaughtered in these places? If you are eager and interested to know the answers to these exciting questions, then let us sail forth into this research, which leads us to the straight path and ensures that there is no deviation from it. Thus we may live a life of eternal happiness. Let us seize the opportunity to gain a span of life compared to which our worldly life is not worth mentioning. Let us start now, for when death knocks at our door, regret will avail us nothing. At that time, how great will be the loss of those who turned away from their Provider!...

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Zakat "Alms giving": The third of high grade of seeing by God's light. - Islamisation of economic growth, welfare And moral aspects through: Zakah-distribution - Deriving the percentage of Al-Zakat from the verses of God's Noble Book. - Alms of fast breaking...

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Completed through panagtitinolong (Ilocano for collective heroism, or bayanihan in Tagalog), this eBook was co-created by students and adults who learned and discussed the ways in which any large task can be completed with the unity of many. Students from Kalihi Uka Elementary's Reading and Art Club read this story out loud and drew pictures of scenes in the book. Some of these children's art works have been incorporated as illustrations for this eBook....

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The reader takes a journey with Lam-Ang to learn, honor and work with everyone’s unique gifts to achieve a common goal.

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This book is a declaration of spiritual warfare, a call to rekindle the fire of the Reformation! Although this battle has been ongoing through many ages, it is time for this generation to know that it must chose which side it will fight on. There can be no peace between Christianity and the religion of the pope! Will you stand for the Reformation and for the gospel of Jesus Christ, or will you capitulate into apostasy?...

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We are saved by grace alone, not grace and the power of human free will; but by God’s grace alone! A grace of infinite and eternal power which always accomplishes what it sets out to do, and it never fails! The question is not just was the death of Christ necessary, but is it sufficient to save us from all our sins and completely set us free from the ancient curse? That is the fundamentally crucial and pivotal question that is constantly overlooked in current dialogues about Evangelicals and Roman Catholics together! Most people don’t even realize how different the papist and the biblical teaching on the atonement are! The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the merits of Christ’s life and death as well as the merits of all the saint s are now held in this thing called the treasury of merits. These merits must now be applied to us through human works and sacraments, which is so blasphemous because now, they teach that even the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice and his righteous life must be earned! The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice are now withheld from you in a reservoir called the treasury of m...

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Part 1: The Sufficiency of Christ as Our Perfect High Priest Part 2: The Sufficiency of Christ as Head of the Church