I have owned this book for at least seven years now, and it continues to astonish me. These poems are brief, simple, universal, and beautifully translated. Most notably, Andrew Schelling spotlights Vidya, a poet that should take her rightful place beside Sappho and Japan's Lady Komachi. Although she wrote a thousand or more years ago, you read her and she comes to glorious life with what is, for me, some of the most erotic poetry ever written. Rapturous. Don't miss it.

Much of the available poetry translated from Sanskrit is still translations from the colonial period - translations which are accurate but stilted to our ears. Andrew Schelling has produced a translation which reads as poetry - as poetry that can be enjoyed without any cultural introduction - that can be enjoyed even more if one knows something of its context. An example: "Unable to cast / a semblance / of my girl's face, her dark eyes, / no doubt the moon / is reshaping its cold / disc, only / again to dissolve it"

Exquisite poetry in Sanskrit, exquisite poetry in English. Translations such as this create an easy bridge across cultures - and a step towards less European artistic norms.

The translation appears highly contemporized but the beauty of the sentiment comes through. I throughly enjoyed reading all the poems and continue to marvel at the power and transcendability of poetry written 2000 years ago. Have bought extra copies to give as gifts. Well worth the wait.

In this work, Schelling examines philosophy as it existed in his time. He begins with Descartes, the father of modern philosophy, who he criticizes on several grounds and examines his ontological proof. Then, he moves on to Spinoza, Leibniz and Christian Wolff. Schelling looks at the "Pantheism controversy" surrounding Spinoza, and he rejects the philosophy of Leibniz, which he shows breaks into two parts, the monadology and that in the _Theodicy_. All of whose work he examines and provides criticism. Schelling next considers Kant and argues that he is misguided. Finally, Schelling examines his contemporaries, Fichte and Hegel. Schelling criticizes Fichte and his project of Idealism, and shows how this is doomed to failure. He also provides a cogent criticism of Hegel. Schelling also examines "Naturphilosophie" as proposed by Fichte, and demonstrates how his own thought fits into this picture. Lastly, Schelling examines Jacobi, who criticized the project of German Idealism, and Schelling shows the contradictions within his thought. Throughout this work, Schelling reveals himself to be a monist, opposed to Cartesian dualism, argues against the flawed ontological proof, which he sees to be at the basis of Hegel's philosophy, and shows the need for a historically based metaphysics. The work also includes a discussion of theosophy and mysticism (especially as shown in Jacob Boehme) which Schelling rejects, and a pretty funny chapter on the differences between national philosophies (i.e. why German philosophy is superior to French and English philosophy).

Overall this is an important work which demonstrates Schelling's thought. It also is important for its criticism of Hegel, and the contrast between Schelling and Hegel's philosophy. I should add finally, that the introduction by Bowie is excellent and provides a detailed explanation of all the important issues involved.

ive had this book for several years and used to skim the photo pages. the photos alon give it a 5 rating. reading the text increases my rating to a 7 if it were permitted. charles moore discusses his background as a white man growing up int he south and his early days as a photojournalist. a great book.

Just time for a quick note on a slim volume that delivers. While many this century have attempted haibun, few have managed more than to point nostalgically (and exruciatingly) back into the mists of Japanese literature. Schelling, however, has made of his haibun a work of timeless (and immediate) relevance, one that effectively and resonantly synthesizes his ongoing political, ecological and poetic concerns. Be prepared to travel through a lush, time-charged landscape (Ocosingo is in Mexico); be prepared also to hear, not far in the background, the sounds of heavy machinery, and of kalashnikov-fire.

Bowie's book excels in a number of ways.
First, Bowie gives an exposition of Schelling that is engaging and readable without sacrificing any of the complexity of Schelling's thought. The book's readability is no mean feat considering the difficulty of Schelling's work.
Second, more than just an introduction to an unfairly obscure figure in the history of philosophy, Bowie argues convincingly for the importance of Schelling in understanding important matters in the history of philosophy as well as in ongoing debates. Bowie notes similarities between debates within german idealism and analytic philosophy and pragmatism, and points out that the resurgence of pragmatism and pragmatics in the philosophy of language raises issues addressed earlier (though in a different vocabulary) by Schelling.
Third, by demonstrating the importance and relevance of Schelling to contemporary matters, Bowie makes clear that the history of philosophy is relevant to contemporary philosophy, something occasionally lost to more problem driven approaches.
All in all, I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the history of philosophy, german idealism and the traditions which grew out of german idealism, pragmatism, and questions of interdisciplinarity and the arts in relation to philosophy.

Andrew Schelling has provided us with several excellent volumes translating Sanskrit and Prakrit poetry. In this volume he teams with Anne Waldman to translate selections from the Therigatha and Theragatha collections in the Pali Tripitaka (Buddhist scripture) into English. In some cases they include the prose which sets the scene in which the song/poem was created. They have found the true gems and given us translations which do not depend upon the reader having detailed knowledge of the Theravadan Buddhist tradition.

An example: "You have your old cottage / now you want a new one / but friend don't you realize / a new cottage is just / a new anguish"

This is an excellent introduction to a little known portion of Buddhist texts.

A friend gave me a copy of this book, as I was looking for some poetry to set to music. I was inspired by the Barbara Stoller Miller translation of the Gita Govinda, pub by Columbia Univ., and my friend thought that this book pushed the envelope just a litte bit further.

The forward and introduction are very informative and make this centuries old poetry come alive in a relevant and contemporary way. The poems themselves are very, very old and Schelling's translations make them shimmer with life. If you've ever researched or read other translations of Sanskrit poetry, you will be thrilled with these translations.

As it turns out, I've received permission to use three of the poems in the book to set to music (in their original Sanskrit language).

This book offer a potent and eggshell fragile look at the range of emotions relating to love, romance and romantic longing.

Highly recommended.

This is a wonderful little book of poetry. The poems of love, physical intimacy, desire, melancholy, longing and rejection in this collection date back over a millennia. A thousand years make these poem as poignant as ever. The poems in this collection are fleeting intimate glimpes into who we are as humans.

This is beautiful poetry from ancient India. It is rich and sensual, evocative and erotic, and not always in the overtly sexual way of the Kama Sutra. It engages life, society, and importantly, nature in all its lost beauty in India, the fragrant jasmine vines, the kadamba and ankota tree, the thunderstorm that releases a sudden coolness on a warm summer evening, the white cranes that cross the darkening sky. Then there is the secret rendezvous, the furtive gesture, the passionate love-making, the loss of youth, the immortal desire for fulfillment, the traveller and his betrayals, the gods engaged in their own love-making, Shiva and Parvati as the divine couple. These are timeless themes made more poignant by our desire for them today.

Middling collection of Chinese Buddhist poems; I didn't feel that there were any hidden gems here, not on the level of Han Shan.

The original Chinese text accompanies the translations, however, which is something that I find pleasing, and presumably you will too, if you are into the language.

Wisdom Publications has done it again: another lovely book that brings out the best in an Eastern tradition. The tradition this time is the poetry of Chinese Buddhist monks, and in this volume there are a number of moving and sublime examples of their craft. The poems are presented with visual elegance and an unobtrusive scholarship that makes the volume even more noteworthy. My only objection stems from the organization of the book, wherein six different contributors each choose a poet or group of poets to translate and present. I am not knowledgable enough to know whether it is the fault of the original poets or that of the translators, but the poems in one section really fall flat, and another section is also somewhat below the high state of excellence achieved by the others. But really, this is a minor complaint. The vast majority of these poems will appeal greatly to those who are attracted to this sort of poetry, and the volume over all is very pleasing.

this collection is an excellent introduction for people who get turned on by the idea of monks living in the mountains, writing poetry, sleeping, drinking wine, writing poetry, sleeping, drinking wine et al. i highly recommend it to people who love buddhism, poetry, or chinese culture. the added bonus is the chinese text. i've been so impressed with anything associated with bill porter a.k.a. red pine that i've bought all of his translations. the translations included here are better and in many cases vastly superior to anything else out there.

The poetry contained in this book is no doubt exceptional. But the comments of the editor, and some aspects of the translation misrepresent the teachings of Mirabai. First, this is not erotic poetry. Mirabai was a perfect Saint, and if she refers to the physical love is only as a metaphore of the union of the soul with the Oversoul. Second, Mirabai was not in love with Krishna. Her poems were for her Master, Sant Ravidas (a disciple of Sant Kabir), who was a cobbler by chaste, which was why the royal family taunted her. Krishna, as he himself makes clear, was an incarnation of Vishnu, the sustaining power. Mirabai had merged with the Absolute, she was above Krishna. Also, Krishna lived in the Copper Age, when the Mahabarata war was fougth, whereas Mirabai lived after that, in the Kali Yuga, or present iron age. Third, Mirabai's beloved, her Master Sant Ravidas, was a beam of spirituality and love. How could she refer to his beloved as "the dark one"? More faithful renderings of Mirabai's mystic poetry are available.

I have been practicing Bhakti Yoga or the yoga of love and devotion to Sri Krishna for 21 years. My spiritual master gave me the name Mirabai when he initiated me. The word "Devi" refers to the Saint Mirabai and "Dasi" means servant. So that means that I am the servant of Mirabai Devi. The position of servant is a spiritual position that the aspiring Bhakta or lover of the Lord Sri Krsna accepts with all of his or her heart. A devotee of Sri Krsna recites the Maha Mantra: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare //Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare for prayer and meditation, follows a spiritual lifestyle and performs devotional service to purify their life. It is through these activities that one can express and consolidate one's desire to make spiritual progress. Actions speak louder than words. My understanding of Mirabai Devi's devotion is that she describes through her poems the absolute attraction of the finite soul for the Infinte Soul which is Krsna. Her poems express the desire of the one who loves to be united with the Beloved, Supreme Lover, Sri Krsna. Her descriptions of Krsna as her Beloved, mean exactly that. She is in love with the Supreme Lover who has a beautiful form, personality, activities, in short everything that would make the Supreme Person or Super Soul infinitely fascinating and capable of attracting the finite souls eternally. She desires no other lover, husband or boyfriend! No one else but Krsna can satisfy her desire to love and to be loved! Therefore, Mirabai Devi does not desire to merge with her Supreme Lover! She wishes to maintain her idenity and to "be" with Krsna by participating in His activities and by reciprocating His love for her through devotional service. The desire to "become one" is understood to be the desire to have the same desire and will as Krsna. So that the will and the desire of God, Sri Krsna becomes the will and the desire of His sincere and loving devotee. No one who is in love wants to "merge" with their lover! To the contrary, it is the separate and distinct form, personality and activities that are attractive in the first place! A true Bhakta, a devotee of Krsna would NEVER want to merge with Krsna! Mirabai Devi describes her love, attraction and desire to serve Sri Krsna because He is God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Her spiritual master is her link to Krsna and she respects and honors him but she is not in love with him. She follows his instructions so that she will one day not be forced to take another physical, material birth. In this way she will be able to be with Krsna in Krsnaloka, the spiritual planet where all souls who have been freed from the repeating cycle of birth and death can live because they have been cleansed of all material desires. When you desire and serve only Krsna you can obtain Krsna! Sri Krsna says in the Bhagavag-Gita (9.34) " Engage your mind always in thinking of ME, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me." I am only a servant of Krsna who by trying to follow in Mirabai Devi's footprints hope to NOT imitate her, because this is not possibile,but to keep the beautiful vision and image of my Beloved Lord Sri Krsna ever in my heart and mind and to one day be as in love with Him as she was! Her poems are not an academic study or sterile metaphors! They are intimate glances into the divine love relationship between Mirabai Devi and Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hare Krsna! Mirabai Devi Dasi (Shirley Marie Bradby)

Mirabai's poetry has remained alive orally in Hindu, Sikh and Muslim traditions. Her's is a poetry of Krishna - an Indian diety relatively well known in the West if only for his place in the Mahabharata.

This translation of Mirabai's poetry from a Prakrit (a vernacular language rather than the formal Sanskrit - i.e. as if in Provencal rather than Latin) uses free verse to put her poems in our contemporary poetry conventions. Andrew Schelling did a superb job - the poetry retains the South Asian religious sensibility while creating poems that stand on their own merit.

A taste: "But life on this crazy planet is torment, / day and night torment. / Mad, raked by separation -- / drifting from country to country -- / look at Mira's black hair / it's turned white.

If you enjoy Rumi, Hafiz, Kabir,Emre then you will enjoy this book.

I thought this was a great book in that it had good lessons for kids to learn from. It showed how the main character coped with her Grandmother's death and how she kept her Grandmother's spirit alive through the growing of the vegetables in her garden. The main character shared her garden and her seeds with other poor children of the barrio. The story has little twists and a happy ending. I think it's great for teaching children the lessons of sharing and coping with the loss of a loved one. I especially recommend this book to Latino parents! My kids loved it!