Pithy Teaching Titles

[forestofclarity]

I recently picked up the book, "Self Liberation Through Seeing with Naked Awareness" translated by John M. Reynolds. I have always loved the title and the translation. One thing he notes in his commentary is the power of titles. According to John Reynolds, a good student can pick up the nature of the work just from the title.

 

Long after I have read a book, listened to a live teaching, or followed a practice, I typically only remember a phrase to sum it up. In some cases, even the title of a book I've never read sticks with me (the last two below), and comes drifting up from time to time.

 

Some of my favorite titles are:

 

Self Liberation Through Seeing with Naked Awareness (trans. John M. Reynolds)

Be as You Are (The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi translated and edited by David Godman)

The Wisdom of No Escape (by Pema Chodron)

The Real is Unknowable, the Knowable is Unreal (by Robert Powell)

 

What are some teaching titles that stick with you?

[thelerner]

A Gradual Awakening by Stephen Levine

The Gods Drink Whiskey by Stephen T. Asma

[C T]

The Adornment of the Middle Way

 

 

Rainbow Painting

[Slim]

Everywhere you go, there you are.

[ThisLife]

.

 

I find this post an absolutely extraordinary synchronicity ! For so many years now that I really can't remember how many, it's been a frequently recurring thought that over the process of reading quite a few 'spiritually-minded' books,.... that there are some book titles that are so precise, concise, and memorable, that it wasn't even necessary to read the book. Their titles seem to say if all better than any book, (including itself), ever could.

 

Tonight I came back late from a wonderful evening with two old friends - and thought I'd check into this site, (just to see what was happening), before nipping off to bed. Amazingly, here I find a thread sharing a thought one of the forum's contributors had had, which I had previously imagined lived alone in my own head. Moreover, the writer was asking for contributors to send lists of their similar experiences !

 

You see, I had just had that same thought resurface this very afternoon while my two friends and I were out hiking in the hills of Cumbria. And the topic had launched a lively exchange of the favourite titles which had resonated for each one of us .

 

Wheww! To find this thread here,... tonight ! I find it warming to realize that there's actually other people who share the same kinds of thoughts. Maybe this seeking for answers to seemingly spiritual questions isn't the loneliest of 'sports' that I've long taken it to be ?

 

Anyway, without further ado,... ( but MANY year of deliberation over the choices ), here's my own contributions. PLUS, a big thank you to the originator of this thread ! :

 

*

 

Be Here Now Ram Dass

 

Cutting through Spiritual Materialism Chogyam Trungpa

 

You Can Never Go Home Again Tom Wolfe

 

Acceptance of What Is Wayne Liquorman

 

.

Edited November 27, 2014 by ThisLife

[Chang]

In Search of the Miraculous by P. D. Ouspensky

[rex]

Start Where You Are: Pema Chodron

Turning Suffering and Happiness into Enlightenment: Dodrupchen Jigmé Tenpé Nyima

A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night: H.H. Dalai Lama

Buddhahood Without Meditation: Dudjom Lingpa

Being Right Here: James Low

Simply Being: James Low

Smile at Fear: Chogyam Trungpa

Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway: Susan Jeffers

[rex]

Don't Believe Everything You Think: Thubten Chodren

[子泰]

first aid usmle step 1 (๑_ ๑)゛゛

[doc benway]

To Be Human - Jiddu Krishnamurti

Awareness - Anthony Demello

Dao De Jing - Lao Zi

I Am That - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

The Question to Life's Answers - Steven Harrison

The Book: On The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are - Alan Watts

Unbounded Wholeness - Anne Klein and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Awakening the Luminous Mind - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

[rex]

After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: Jack Kornfield

[tumoessence]

No Way by Ram Tzu

From Normal to Healthy by Kuhlewind

Edited October 7, 2015 by tumoessence