Post by Raj Don Yasser on Mar 19, 2018 18:56:25 GMT
From what I've read here on the forum, as well as other sources, it's clear that I'm not alone in appreciating numerous translations and/or editions of books. When it comes to books on Eastern mysticism there are many great (and equally many not-so-great) editions and translations of the classics, so how about listing some of your favorites and the reason why you appreciate that particular edition?
Adi Shankara Crest Jewel of Discrimination on Vedanta Press: I've always enjoyed the Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood edition because it's very "readable" and "accessible". Sometimes that's just what I want. Also, the newer edition on Vedanta Press is almost paperback sized, has no commentary to distract from the message communicated, and can fit in my coat pocket easily.
The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne, Weiser Publications, currently published as True Happiness: The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. I admit, this work has sentimental value: it was the first book I ever bought/read on Advaita Vedanta shortly after moving to Chicago and I still vividly remember finding it on the shelf at Powell's Books and eagerly reading it at a nearby coffee shop. At the time my spiritually immaturity was a barrier and I couldn't appreciate the directness of his message (I was neck-deep into 4th Way cosmology at the time) and it subsequently sat gathering dust on the shelf for over fifteen years.
Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self Knowledge by Arthur Osborne is published by the ashram in Tiruvannamalai, India. This is my favorite "introductory" work on Bhagavan's life and teaching. There's many pictures of Sri Ramana throughout, a couple that I haven't seen elsewhere.
The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne, Weiser Publications. This book includes Bhagavan's original works Self-Enquiry, Five Hymns to Arunchala, and Atma Vidya among others. Another work I bought when younger and couldn't appreciate at the time.
Bhagavad Gita translated by Barbara Stoler Miller. Apparently some consider this a "controversial" translation. Miller seems to appreciate Thelemic aspects (the inherent strength and vigor of the story) and doesn't seem to minimize the profundity of Arjuna's situation. Yes, the battlefield represents the struggle within ourselves, but so much more when understood within the context of the Mahabharata as a whole. As an aside: I highly recommend Peter Brook's The Mahabharata , the complete 6 hour version.
The Ramayana. Unfortunately, after decades of searching for a "good" edition/translation, I haven't found one. Some I've read were well presented (book binding, paper, font size, art work, etc) but the translation was lacking. Others that seemed a better read were published in India on horrible quality, tissue thin paper and bound with just a slight hint of glue keeping it all together. If anybody can recommend a copy that is well bound AND translated well, it would be greatly appreciated.
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. Some refer to this edition as "pedestrian", but the old large format version with the photographs has always been a favorite. When in a more serious mood I defer to the Penguin edition translated by D.C. Lau.
Last but certainly not least: At the Feet of the Guru by Kenneth Grant, Starfire Publications. This is the book I most often suggest to friends and family who ask me to recommend a "good book on eastern thought". I might be in the minority here in stating that this book, more than any of Grant's works, has had the most impact on the direction my life has taken. As written on other threads, this was the book that re-ignited my interest in Thelema and Kaballah, specifically the chapter One and the Same: A Note on the Tree of Life. How I wish a print was available of the beautiful cover art by Steffi Grant. My wife agreed that, should Ms. Grant ever consent to offering prints of this cover art, it would be framed and placed prominently in our living room.
Adi Shankara Crest Jewel of Discrimination on Vedanta Press: I've always enjoyed the Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood edition because it's very "readable" and "accessible". Sometimes that's just what I want. Also, the newer edition on Vedanta Press is almost paperback sized, has no commentary to distract from the message communicated, and can fit in my coat pocket easily.
The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne, Weiser Publications, currently published as True Happiness: The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. I admit, this work has sentimental value: it was the first book I ever bought/read on Advaita Vedanta shortly after moving to Chicago and I still vividly remember finding it on the shelf at Powell's Books and eagerly reading it at a nearby coffee shop. At the time my spiritually immaturity was a barrier and I couldn't appreciate the directness of his message (I was neck-deep into 4th Way cosmology at the time) and it subsequently sat gathering dust on the shelf for over fifteen years.
Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self Knowledge by Arthur Osborne is published by the ashram in Tiruvannamalai, India. This is my favorite "introductory" work on Bhagavan's life and teaching. There's many pictures of Sri Ramana throughout, a couple that I haven't seen elsewhere.
The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi edited by Arthur Osborne, Weiser Publications. This book includes Bhagavan's original works Self-Enquiry, Five Hymns to Arunchala, and Atma Vidya among others. Another work I bought when younger and couldn't appreciate at the time.
Bhagavad Gita translated by Barbara Stoler Miller. Apparently some consider this a "controversial" translation. Miller seems to appreciate Thelemic aspects (the inherent strength and vigor of the story) and doesn't seem to minimize the profundity of Arjuna's situation. Yes, the battlefield represents the struggle within ourselves, but so much more when understood within the context of the Mahabharata as a whole. As an aside: I highly recommend Peter Brook's The Mahabharata , the complete 6 hour version.
The Ramayana. Unfortunately, after decades of searching for a "good" edition/translation, I haven't found one. Some I've read were well presented (book binding, paper, font size, art work, etc) but the translation was lacking. Others that seemed a better read were published in India on horrible quality, tissue thin paper and bound with just a slight hint of glue keeping it all together. If anybody can recommend a copy that is well bound AND translated well, it would be greatly appreciated.
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English. Some refer to this edition as "pedestrian", but the old large format version with the photographs has always been a favorite. When in a more serious mood I defer to the Penguin edition translated by D.C. Lau.
Last but certainly not least: At the Feet of the Guru by Kenneth Grant, Starfire Publications. This is the book I most often suggest to friends and family who ask me to recommend a "good book on eastern thought". I might be in the minority here in stating that this book, more than any of Grant's works, has had the most impact on the direction my life has taken. As written on other threads, this was the book that re-ignited my interest in Thelema and Kaballah, specifically the chapter One and the Same: A Note on the Tree of Life. How I wish a print was available of the beautiful cover art by Steffi Grant. My wife agreed that, should Ms. Grant ever consent to offering prints of this cover art, it would be framed and placed prominently in our living room.
