5 comments about Way of Chuang Tzu (New Directions Paperbook).

1. This is a very good translation made by Tomas Merton of Chuang Tzu's works. This also gives a little bit of the view of Tomas Merton due to his Note to the Reader section and his specific selection of some of Chuang Tzu's writings to put in this book. This book has many good proverbs and stories written by Chuang Tzu which can be very enlightening and sometimes humorous. Chuang Tzu is one of the greats of Taoism but of course Lao Tzu takes the top position. If you are interested in the learning about the roots of Taoism you should check out this book and some about Lao Tzu also.



2. If you have an interest in learning the deeper meanings of Tao then this is a book you must add to your collection. A seldom translated philosophy of poetic renderings are clearly detailed in the transliterations of Thomas Merton...the spirit of Tao is clearly revealed.



3. There are a plethora of translations of Chinese classics out there, but please know that many of these "translations" are just "re-imaginings" of the original, i.e. the authors usually do not know Classical Chinese (let alone modern Chinese!).
   
   Merton is one such "translater". This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as one is aware that this does not strictly reflect the original text (although it may resemble it). What we have here is a picking over of existing translations of the Chuang-tzu and a recombination of them. This is often done with some artistic licence.
   
   Merton is better than most in that he is somewhat sensitive to the original material. Things get vastly worse with translations of the Daodejing (for example, Ursula le Guins monstrous butchering). If you want a more accurate account of the Chuang-tzu then I recommend A.C. Grahams' expert translation which is a relatively successful facsimile of the Chinese original (given the difficulty of rendering Chinese into English anyway).



4. Like a fine wine, this collection is best consumed slowly. As it is clearly stated in the foreward, this is not a faithful reproduction of Chuang Tzu but a collection of personal and spiritual interpretations of his work. Readers that expected otherwise might consider reading the description of the book before purchasing it. It would seem embarassing to write a negative review of a product that goes in complete contradiction of the product's clear description and intentions.
   
   Thomas Merton was a Trappist Monk who took a particular interest in Buddhism and Asian spirituality. Because Merton tragically died at a young age, we will never see a final product of this work. In "The Way of Chuang Tzu", Merton selects writings of Chuang Tzu which reflect a Christian mentality. Obviously, Chuang Tzu was not a Christian. However, this does not disqualify his writings to a Christian audience in any way. If the reader can go into this book with an open mind, he/she is likely to enjoy it. Those who are closed minded to this type of work which may seemingly blur the line between faiths according to their view may be outraged. I would strongly encourage open-mindedness.



5. I am a recently retired teacher who for thirty-five years have begun every class (Theology, Sexuality, Physics, Chemistry, Math and in summers Arts and Crafts to kids 4-12 years old) with a sounding of small brass cymbals (Tibetan), a minute of silent breathing followed by a short reading from the Tao Te Ching, Emily Dickinson, a portion of the Sermon on the Mount, or the Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton.
   I meet former students now pushing into their fifties who baldly admit that those moments have stayed with them all these years and they have included meditation as one of the most important activities in their lives.
   Thomas Merton's Introductory Notes say it far better than I ever could and should be read .
   I can only wholeheartedly recommend that you buy this book and keep it at your desk or bedside for a quick straightening out of your mind concerning what is really important in life.

5 comments about The Inner Teachings of Taoism.

1. Cleary did a remarkable translation of this complicated topic giving the reader an opportunity to comprehend the alchemical symbolism of Taoism.



2. This is a great taoist alchemy treatise. The root text by Chang Po Tuan is presented along with enlightening commentaries. It has helped me understanding the "Secret of the Golden Flower" translated by Richard Wilhelm and introduced by C.G. Jung and revealed the meaning of so many symbols of taoist alchemy.
   Not a very easy reading but it's worth the effort.



3. it is difficult to get lost along the way when you have a book like this in your possession. i've given away a couple copies as gifts. i've recommended this book to several people. this book is sold in taoist temples throughout china. buy this book! a great handbook for taoists everywhere, and people everywhere.



4. One of the best books written on taoist alchemy you will ever find. If you are a serious practitioner i think this book is a must have. Genuinely puts to rest the age old ideas people have that there is some mystical pill for immortality. Very well written and translated. Great read for anyone interested in the deeper meanings of taoist alchemy or willing to give the tao a try.



5. It's all theory, and a more rational interpretation of the symbolism of Taoism applied to spiritual transformation. Interesting but not for the one looking for specific practice.

5 comments about Tao Te Ching Low Price CD.

1. TTC is one of my favorites. Strongly recommend this translation of TTC to those who want to understand Taoism. I found this book the best translation after going through many different versions. This is by far the best.



2. The author has done an exceptional job with this text. Great book for anyone.



3. Tao Te Ching by ancient spiritualist and teacher Lao Tzu has been one of the most enlightening works I have ever read. I have seen many translations, but Stephen Mitchell's, in my opinion, has the most heart. When I saw there was an audio CD, my heart soared! I love to listen to inspirational works on my drive to and from work, and this is now one of my favorite "listens". Great item, great price!



4. I made a point of reading this just one or two pages at a time, every day or other day, to really digest what I read and not rush through it. That was probably a good thing since it can be a little repetitive, so trying to soak it all up in one sitting could have felt monotonous. But when I reached the end and I closed my copy, I thought "everyone ought to read this, and I wish I could 'explain' it or share with others the feeling that it left in me, but.. well.. it would be like 'pointing at the moon.'" I'm sure I'm still a poor student, but I did feel a change through reading it-- a sense of real potential for some peace and clarity and flexibility-- and now I'm trying to dwell on that and cultivate it.
   
   I highly recommend this if you're searching for an inroad to a deep spirituality unburdened by religious dogmas.



5. I wish I had known that this wasn't a translation before buying. The author basically uses other people's translations and inserts is own perceptions to replace the wording in many of the verses. I was looking to purchase the Tao Te Ching not Mitchell's philosophy based on the Tao Te Ching. I actually bought the audio and stopped on verse 46. It was this verse that really stood out:
   
   Mitchell's version 46:
   
   When a country is in harmony with the Dao
   The factories make trucks and tractors
   
   When a country goes counter to the Dao
   Warheads are stockpiled outside the cities
   
   There is no greater illusion than fear
   No greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself
   No greater misfortune than having an enemy
   
   Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.
   
   
   It is obvious from the above that the author took license with the original (because Lao Tzu would not have mentioned trucks, tractors, warheads, etc), but what is worse, if you review other translations, he obviously inserted his own pacifistic thinking into the version which changed the whole meaning (no greater wrong than trying to defend yourself for example). To illustrate, see the translation from Jonathan Star's book:
   
   When Tao is present in the empire
   men follow their own nature and riding horses work the fields
   
   When Tao is absent from the empire
   men go astray and war horses breed on sacred ground
   
   There is no greater loss than losing Tao
   No greater curse than desire
   No greater tragedy than discontentment
   No greater fault than selfishness
   
   Contentment alone is enough
   Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment
   
   
   Jonathan Star's translation is more literal (in his book he provides the actual Chinese so you can check his translation). Mitchell's "version" is basically Tao Te Ching with Mitchell's own world view intermixed to the point that it changes the meaning of what is being said. He does this throughout his book.
   
   Like I said in the title, Buyer Beware

2 comments about The Living I Ching: Using Ancient Chinese Wisdom to Shape Your Life.

1. As with all of Deng Ming Dao's books, this one is very well written and beautifully designed. He has written as clear of an explanation of the I Ching as I have ever read and if you've ever read any other books about it you know what I mean. I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in learning about the I Ching or if you'd like to learn more about it.



2. Ming-dao does a marvellous job of conveying the essential mystery and poeticism of the I-Ching, capturing its exotic flavor, while at the same time, in the second double-page, explaining the gist of the message for the western reader. Still, it is good to own several versions, because each author provides a valuable slant on the material. I rate this a bit higher than Wu wei's, although his is more straightforward.

4 comments about The Tao of Detox: The Secrets of Yang-Sheng Dao.

1. i have read many of daniel reid's books and they are all incredibly informative and easy to understand, this book is no exception. daniel reid gives a practical way to exist in our society that's full of toxicity and periodically or daily clean or 'detoxify' ourselves. that simple act can great lenghten and improve one's life. the best part is he really gives great suggestions on methods and products people could use to detoxify. i really recommend this book for everyone.



2. I was excited to buy this book because I am familiar with some of Reid's other books on Taoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was hoping for some authentic Taoist and Traditional Chinese dietary and detox processes. Alas, what I got was an uncritical promotion of the worst fads, snake oil, and expensive products and devices imaginable. Taoist teachings emphisize the ability to discern reality from delusion, most of this stuff is pure magical thinking. It reads like Reid is just citing promotional literature for a lot of this stuff. Some of what he says is pure nonsense that circulates around the internet with no substantiation, such as Pasteur's deathbed recantation of the germ theory (never been documented) and the notion that colons are packed full of hard plaque (never been seen at an autoposy). In at least 2 of the products he discusses, the manufacturers have been subject to prosecution for false and misleading claims.
   
   The good - A couple of useful chapters dealing with detox by diet and detox by fasting. Some useful food ideas and several herbal mixtures, both American herbal and TCM, that might be useful. Some simple exercises. These sections warrent 2 stars.
   
   The so-so - The promotion of colon hydrotherapy. There is no evidence of hard plaque in anyone's colon, however the cleansing of the colon is typically part of any detox, so this may be a useful addition to herbs and foods. Despite Reid's uncritical acceptance of the manufacturer's claims, the product he discusses for home use is at least not very expensive and appears well-made. I, for one, wouldn't want to do 14 colonics in 7 days. This would seem awfully disturbing to normal gut flora. But at least it is probably not harmful nor too expensive for those who want it.
   
   The bad - Uncritical acceptance of science fiction theories and products and promotion of these (often very expensive) products with stuff straight for the company's literature. Things like: the Grander Living Water Sytem, proven in independant lab tests to do nothing and which are extremely expensive; "alkaline water" generators which are expensive and produce a product which is immediately acidified by the stomach; water "microclusters" when in fact the stomach and intestinal lining can absorb any conformation of water with ease, body pH (I thought this fad had died out several years back)... the list goes on and on and on. Only 1 page of discussion of the yin and yang of foods, pretty much reduced to yang = acid = bad, yin = alkaline = good. Minus 1 star.
   
   I don't usually like to chime in on the skeptic side of things and sound like some quackbuster. I'm willing to be open-minded and try a lot of new stuff. But I also worked as a microbiologist and in chemistry for a number of years and I know when things just don't work on a physical level. Much of this is just magical thinking and I hate to see people waste a lot of money on it.
   
   I'd suggest skipping this one and just look at some simpler, more basic books on diet and detox. You don't need a lot of expensive products to turn your kitchen into a chemistry lab and your bathroom into a colon treatment center to do a little internal cleansing.



3. This book has a lot of information in it. I came across it randomly in the book store and have recommended my more serious health-nut friends read it for more insight of ways to detox. I couldn't put it down. I hadn't come across a book for detox that really drew me in like this one. Sure, some of this seems so serious and too much for a beginner or even one who has taken on the challenge of detoxing, but it gives the reader an outlook in many dimensions. Get your hands on this book, read it for yourself and decide what you want to incorporate into your next detox. It is another learning curve . . . . there are many thoughts on detox . . . some agree with it and some don't . . . . some take it further than others . . . . Get as much knowledge as you can and decide how you want to go about it. Be smart!



4. Knowledge from the past blended with the most recent useful means of appling it. The physiology of how detox works, might be well established in "Yang-Sheng Dao", but this "how-to" hands the techniques to this baby-boomer in plain terms from more overlapping angles than I could have ever found in one source. Enjoy

1 comments about Tao-Te-Ching: The Classic Chinese Work in English Translation.

1. The Tao Te Ching (Dao De Qing) has been identified as a treatise on philosophy or on religion or on magic. Many students of the Tao, especially Westerners, claim it can do everything from curing warts to improving your love life. So what is it really? Well the editor of this version of the Tao Te Ching has suggested it offers as a guide to a "spiritual way" and is the esoteric portion of Chinese classical tradition. Lao Tzu the nominal author of this work would probably say that it cannot be understood through words at all. Given this caveat and warned by the editor of this book that a certain spiritual depth is needed to truly appreciate these writings one has to approach the Tao Te Ching with a good deal of caution.
   
   This book is an especially useful version of the work in that it provides a split text with an English translation beside the original text of the Tao Te Ching, but written in modern characters. The English translation provided by Derek Bryce from the original French by Leon Wieger appears quite accurate and the editor notes that Wieger adhered strictly to the classical meanings of the characters. Each of the 81 chapters of the book also incorporates Chinese commentaries on the original text. Now all translation involves some degree of interpretation by the translator particularly when dealing with non-Indo-European languages. Translation of even modern Chinese is a tough chore because it is based on pictographs and has a very different concept of grammar. All this is further complicated by the fact the Wieger's original 1913 translation was in French and Bryce had to then translate it from French to English. This of course doubles the chances for errors, but they seem to be minimal. All things considered this book appears to compare very favorably with more modern translations of this classic work although some would claim the modern tendency to translate the original Chinese into English poetry reflects the original intent of each chapter more accurately.
   
   So will reading this book make one a Tao `master' and ready to set up shop as Chinese sage? Not even close. Understanding the Tao Te Ching this reviewer suspects is the work of a lifetime requiring developing real knowledge of Chinese classical culture and thought patterns. One can get a glimpse of what this astonishing Chinese classic is about from this book, but a real understanding of what Lao Tzu offers requires considerably more effort than this reviewer at least is willing to commit.

5 comments about The Tao of Abundance: Eight Ancient Principles for Living Abundantly in the 21st Century (Arkana).

1. For some time, I had glanced at this book in stores and written it off as some attempt to cheapen Taoism by using it as a tool to promote get-rich-quick schemes and the like. Not a very enlightened way for me to look at the book, but the title and the back cover details did little to convince me it was otherwise. Finally, out of sheer curiosity, I grabbed a copy of /The Tao of Abundance/ and took a closer look. I am very pleased to say that my initial (mis)judgement was rather off base.

   Despite the unfortunate title, /The Tao of Abundance/ has a lot more to offer than one might think. The entire book is devoted to one seemingly simple idea: no matter how wealthy you may or may not be in material terms, if you don't have the spiritual foundation to support it, you cannot find true happiness. As many people can attest, this is a view that's easy to agree with, but difficult to apply to everyday life.

   In this book, Laurence G. Boldt offers a framework for understanding what he calls the "chains of psychological poverty and lack." As he says, our ego and conception of self vs. other keeps us from feeling spiritual abundance. Chapter by chapter, he guides the reader through the concepts, illuminating the various ways we can bring unhappiness upon ourselves. There are exercises to help see how these concepts apply to our own lives, and what we can do to improve the situations we find ourselves in.

   /The Tao of Abundance/ is not about getting rich quick, but at the same time it is not a book of renunciation. This book is about learning to be happy, so that you can enjoy whatever level of material abundance you may have - or not. While a bit dry at times, it is nevertheless a good read with some intriguing insights. A lot of the ground covered here has been talked about in other books based on eastern thought, but /The Tao of Abundance/ approaches things from a refreshing direction. If you are interested in a rather Western guide to how to apply Taoist principles to your life, this book is certainly worth a look.




2. I actually listened to the audio version of this book, I don't know why I feel the need to admit that, but anyway I got it from the library a little over a year ago because I thought it would be about making money, which at the time was something I was very interested in, but instead it was about creating a life that you really love, so that you experience the abundance that is already there, that we mostly take for granted. This was not a new concept to me, but somehow it took that belief to a whole new level through tons of practical examples of how it can be used in ones daily life. Since "reading" this book I have given up all animal products from my diet, gotten rid of Cable and no longer watch TV, started walking most mornings in the park before work, and cleared my brain of enough clutter to find my calling in life, being a doula (and possibly even a midwife), which was something that had NEVER entered my brain before now. So that was a lot about me and not a lot about what the book is about, but when I think of why I would want to read a book, it is always with the hope I will learn something from it that will positively impact my life, and never before has one book has such a significant impact on my whole life.



3. Tons of books are out there on health, wealth and prosperity....and after a while they kinda get boring. But Laurence's work is absolutely magnificent. A masterpiece in ever sense of the word. Laurence creates a beautiful tapestry of Eastern and Western philosophy to create a book that reads more like a poem, than a book of facts. A book that has changed my life - and a book I intend to read throughout my life.



4. Laurence G. Boldt has written a truly useful, elegant and wonderful book that can, in the most subtle way, radically change your perspective on what it is to incorporate eastern philosophy in every area of Western life.
   
   His eight principles of abundant living highlight areas where a sincere aspirant/job seeker can start to incorporate a paradigm shift towards a more peaceful, powerful and meaningful life. In a society that continually raises the bar for material consumption and runaway consumerism Boldt gives the tools to help regain self-esteem and inner balance. For anyone who has been out there, this is no mean feat.
   
   If you're serious about discovering your life's purpose and understanding the underlying economic, social and historic variables that led us to the collective reality we are now living in, this book is a gem and worth its space on your bookshelf.



5. This has to be a preliminary review. This elegant offering has a ton of useful ideas and concepts and comparisons. My first time around I drew the following out of it:
   
   1) System is the Ego. Escape the matrix by escaping ego.
   2) Trust the innate intelligence of nature in harmony.
   3) Money should not cost you your soul or everything else.
   
   The best contribution I can make at this point is to point readers to a few other books that have inspired me as I expect this book to continue to inspire me, and a couple of DVDs.
   
   Books:
   The Tao of Democracy: Using Co-Intelligence to Create a World That Works for All
   The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter
   Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
   The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy
   Collective Intelligence: Mankind's Emerging World in Cyberspace
   The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World
   Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
   
   DVDs
   What the Bleep Do We Know!?
   The Last Samurai (Full Screen Edition)
   Peace One Day
   
   One last thought: Michael Hinton and Jean-Francois Noubelle have pioneered Open Money, and that is one of the things I talk about in my forthcoming opening presentation at Gnomedex in Seattle. My slides and notes can be seen in advance by finding "Open Everything" at my web site in the Archives, EIN Library. In my view, Open Money could be the single most revolutionary idea that is liberating immediately and scales without a problem. Combined with distributed search (Grub) and CISCO AON individually-controlled sharing of both information and CPU power, I see a world well beyond Google in which our brains and our information are under our control and no one can loot that abundance.
   
   Peace! Prosperity! Power in us, not above us.

5 comments about The Book of Chuang Tzu (Penguin Classics).

1. I got this book because I was interested in learning more about Tao -- my only experience had been the Tao of Pooh. This is probably a good book if you know about Tao and the philosophy behind it, but as a newcomer, it wasn't interesting or educational.



2. I prefer Burton Watson's translation to Palmer and Breuilly's, especially after reading parts in the Chinese text. But Palmer and Breuilly won't steer U wrong though. No, this is a decent translation of the entire text, which is not a common sight! Only Burton Watson, James Legge, and Victor Mair have put out complete Zhuangzi translations. AC Graham's translation is also quite good.

   BAO PU-
   embrace simplicity




3. Fantastic!
   
   Chuang Tzu is considered to have been a follower of the Taoist school of thought, influenced by Lao Tzu. However, we know much more about Chuang Tzu. He can be said to fit the classic ideal of a Taoist as a carefree ascetic with a sense of humour living in the forest in harmony with nature. This is certainly the portrayal of him in the book.
   
   It is unclear who wrote the work and many authorities consider only the first few chapters as authentic. That's why it's good to get a translation that covers all the chapters as from reading them it's possible to get the feeling that even if are were a forgery, they are a worthwhile, beautiful forgery.
   
   What is Chuang Tzu's philosophy? This is a question that has plagued people from religious Taoists to scholars for ages, because there is no definite answer but a number of strands. However, he is certainly a critic of contemporary society in terms of what he sees as a life that is too complicated. He is critical both of language as a means of pinning down concepts and civilisation in terms of corrupting people by creating rigidity. Many see him as a moral relativist, but I think he was just an advocate of a simplicity and "naturalness" and thought that moral labels only tended to make people more immoral.
   
   The other concept I loved was wu-wei or "non-action". Unlike the cryptic nature of it in the Tao Te Ching, here, Chuang Tzu shows us through a series of misfits, cripples, ascetics and the like - all of whom figure as characters in his stories. Many of them survive and thrive through some kind of skill they've developped which doesn't require much intellectualising. When they're lost in their work (say trapping cicadas), they are happy and achieve success by not struggling, hence wu-wei. For starters, this highlights better than almost any other text I've read the intrinsic dignity of lives that are radically different to the norm in that they can still be worthwhile and fulfilling if we open our minds and see their essence. But Chuang Tzu was concerned in applying that kind of not-overly-intellectual action to government, which is also fascinating.
   
   The edition has some footnotes but the book itself is large sections of narrative/prose/poetry that requires little external explanation. The translation probably leans towards poetic paraphrase over precise equality which I think is good for classic texts. The illustrations are great and really enhance the value of the book as a coherent whole.
   
   A book of moving, funny, sad, chaotic, intuitive parables, stories, allegories and anecdotes that feel like they're speaking to you directly from over 2000 years ago.



4. I am one of those people who discovered Tao with many thanks to Benjamin Hoff.
   
   In his book I read about the Chuang Tzu for the first time as well. And now I have it, I cherish this book. It makes Tao alive for me, shows the way through tales that move you, and, maybe very surprising for a book this old, it can still make you laugh.
   
   I have not read any of the other translations others mention here, but I know this: as a starter on the way it was a very good read, the poetry of the words is amazing.
   
   This book is a keeper, and I am very happy it is on my shelves.



5. Were I too have one book on that proverbial desert island, this would be it. Chuang-Tzu speaks to my heart like no other both in the content of his "teachings" and in presentation. Experience this and there is nothing more. And this particular translation is both readable and true.

2 comments about Cosmic Fusion: The Inner Alchemy of the Eight Forces.

1. The extensive high quality color illustrations gracing most every page of COSMIC FUSION help to elevate what might otherwise have seemed to be an esoteric book on advanced Taoist alchemical energy meditation practices to a very high level of practical applicability. The numerous exercises in COSMIC FUSION help the reader master working with the Taoist eight forces and directions, yet this book also does an excellent job of describing Taoist concepts and cosmology, and how to transform "negative" emotions such as anger, frustration and guilt into kindness with simple techniques such as smiling to one's organs.
   
   We are extremely fortunate that Destiny Books is publishing Mantak Chia's comprehensive works describing Taoist energy practices, and that COSMIC FUSION includes so many high quality illustrations on the finest paper. The illustrations are extremely useful for understanding the basic concepts involved in the exercises and the relationships between various forces and energies, and the text provides delightful overviews, stories and practical guidelines for all concepts covered. Chia has created a true masterpiece in COSMIC FUSION by clearly describing the most important basic steps one needs to follow in order to achieve clearly observable positive results in one's health, vitality, peace of mind, and overall prosperity.
   
   I especially loved the question and answer section in this book, as it covers such a wide variety of topics, from how to energetically protect oneself to how diet influences one's energy (with raw foods contributing to yin, and meat and dairy to yang), to master Chia's pursuit of the elusive secret of how to transfer one's consciousness to the next life through one's energy body... which lives forever.
   
   COSMIC FUSION is an excellent book for all energy practitioners and advanced meditators seeking to live healthier, more harmonious lives, and I give it my highest recommendation!



2. If you have followed any of the Mantak Chia system in the past, this book is truly worth practicing. Not for beginners, it builds on the practices detailed in almost a dozen other books on Taoist Meditation and brings the various teachings together. Be prepared to learn about the pa kua symbol in detail and use it to its fullest extent to bring different energies together in new ways and move to the next level of your meditation practice. You can also look forward to detailed instructions on how to open the thrusting routes and belt routes. This is a must have for the serious practitioner of taoist energy meditation.

1 comments about Hara: The Vital Center of Man.

1. This is a fundamentally important book for anyone seriously interested in any of the Eastern "Ways": sitting meditation, martial arts (external or internal), yoga, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy etc. The clarity of the author's explanations is surprisingly crisp and practical.

   This book was written in 1956, originally in German, so the grammar is a bit old-fashioned, and "man" is used exclusively for "person", but on the up-side, a refreshing air of unbridled enthusiasm prevails throughout.

   I VERY highly recommend this gem of a book to serious spiritual seekers, martial artists, fine artists, all healers esp body workers, and those wishing to have deeper insight into Eastern philosophy.