This book offers a contemporary philosophy of life drawing upon Buddhist resources from the Vimalakirti Sutra. Among the major themes in this Mahayana Buddhist scripture is the "skillful means" required to live a healthy and undeluded life. The book adopts that theme as a means of developing a practical approach to contemporary Buddhist life. Following many of the brilliant stories in the sutra, this book attempts to provide clear explanations for the primary Buddhist teachings an...

Joel Francisco, a seasoned military veteran, finds himself unexpectedly drawn into a gripping mystery when a body is discovered near the Haven, a property owned by his close friend Timber. With his instincts honed by years of service, Joel is driven by a fierce determination to protect those he loves.Chelsea is recovering nicely after her mother is jailed and, as a dedicated nurse, becomes an unexpected ally after witnessing a chilling scene. Her courage and her deepening bond with...

Memories of a Barefoot Boy captures the author's childhood experiences growing up in rural Texas, reflecting on various aspects of his life, including family, chores, adventures, and the simplicity of life without modern conveniences. Wright describes his childhood home, built by his grandfather, which had a simple layout and a yard devoid of grass. As a child, he found joy playing under the house and exploring the nearby woods. As he grew older, he was assigned various chores, su...

Buddhism is one of the oldest and largest of the world's religions. But it is also a tradition that has proven to have enormous contemporary relevance. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who came to be called the Buddha, the religion has spread from its origins in northeast India, across Asia, and eventually to the West, taking on new forms at each step of the way. Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to Know offers readers a brief, authoritative guide to one of the world's most diverse reli...

There is no greater motive than bloodlust, DNA, and revenge mixed up in a cocktail of hatred …Grateful to be alive, Mason knows he owes his friends and family not only for his life but for protecting his wife and unborn child. When he realizes that it might not be completely over, he’s on guard, yet not capable enough to defend his family, so he must rely on those around him.Tesla can’t believe it’s over. Mason will make it. They have gotten to the...

For Sterling, encountering Toby and the others at the Haven feels like a glimpse of redemption. He is adrift, trapped between the shadows of his past and the foggy uncertainty of his present. The proximity to his mother’s farm, now under his aunt’s control, only heightens his unease. Many years ago she had cast him into the foster system, and now he faces a choice: continue on in silence or confront the storm brewing dangerously close. Does he really want to fully engage in this looming co...

Extending their successful series of collections on Zen Buddhism, Heine and Wright present a fifth volume, on what may be the most important topic of all - Zen Masters. Following two volumes on Zen literature (Zen Classics and The Zen Canon) and two volumes on Zen practice (The Koan and Zen Ritual) they now propose a volume on the most significant product of the Zen tradition - the Zen masters who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world by emphasizing the role of emi...

Welcome to a brand-new connected series of intrigue, betrayal, and … murder, from the USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer. A series with all the elements you’ve come to love, plus so much more… including psychics!A betrayal from within has Terkel frantic to protect those he can, as his team falls one by one, from a murderous killer he helped create.With the bulk of his team down, Terk tries to establish a new base, while struggling to heal the team through the special ...

Timber fulfills his dreams of opening an animal refuge, called the Haven, a sanctuary hidden from the chaos of society, where he and the animals he rescues can find solace and peace. Timber is a loner by choice, so his heart swells with joy each time he saves a creature in need. Yet he never anticipated the unexpected friendships that would blossom nor the overwhelming number of animals seeking refuge from the very first day.Tiffany, a local veterinarian, is thrilled by the news of...

A prisoner of the Kremlin and of a failed exchange several years ago, Royal is losing hope of ever being free again—particularly when the firing squad date is already set for his execution. He has exhausted all avenues of escape. Now it seems to be the end of the line …Janna has been through way-too-much pain and anguish recently, and yet somehow she can’t walk away from helping Royal, even though he’d walked away from her a long time ago. Maybe because she has nothing left to care...

Contemporary thought is marked by heated debates about the character, purpose and form of religious thinking and its relation to a range of ideals: spiritual, moral, aesthetic, political and ecological, to name the obvious. This book addresses the interrelation between theological thinking and the complex and diverse realms of human ideals. What are the ideals appropriate to our moment in human history, and how do these ideals derive from or relate to theological reflection in our time? In...

At Terk’s request, Jonas had discreetly delved into the mystery surrounding the murder of Riff’s fiancée and unearthed a crucial piece of information that could shatter the case wide open. For Riff, the frustration involved in finding the murderer is palpable. He would have taken action much sooner, if only this information had come to light earlier. Yet it had been buried in silence, unnoticed, … until now.Angela had harbored a complex mix of love and resentment for Riff for years...