Let's Talk Religion - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

What is Zen Buddhism? Dec 03, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we continue exploring the rich spiritual tradition of Buddhism through one of its most profound and important schools - Chan/Zen. We dive into the history and development of the school, as well as its characteristic teachings about meditation, koans, liberation and Buddha-nature.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Chuang Zhi (2019). "Exploring Chán: An Introduction to the Religious and Mystical Tradition of Chinese Buddhism". Songlark Publishing.
Hershock, Peter D. (2004). "Chan Buddhism". University of Hawaii Press.
Red Pine (translated by) (1989). "The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma". North Point Press.
Red Pine (translated by) (2002). "The Diamond Sutra". Counterpoint.
Red Pine (translated by) (2008). "The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng". Counterpoint.
Westerhoff, Jan (2009). "Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka: A Philosophical Introduction". Oxford University Press.
Ziporyn, Brook (2016). "Emptiness and Omnipresence: An essential introduction to Tiantai Buddhism". Indiana University Press.

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Ibn al-Farid - The Mystical Poet of Love Aug 20, 2023

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Explore the mystical world of Sufi poetry with Ibn al-Farid, one of the greatest poets of the genre. In this episode, we delve into the life and works of this revered 13th-century poet, examining the spiritual and philosophical themes that make his poetry so enduring. From his famous ode "The Wine Ode" to the magnificent "Poem of the Sufi Way", as well as his spiritual musings on the path to divine union.

Sources/Recomended Reading:

Akkach, Samer (2007). "'Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi: Islam and the Enlightenment". Oneworld Academic.
Homerin, Emil (2001). "From Arab Poet to Sufi Saint: Ibn Al-Farid, His Verse and His Shrine". The American University in Cairo Press.
Homerin, Emil (Translated by) (2001). "'Umar Ibn al-Farid: Sufi Verse, Saintly Life". Classics of Western Spirituality. Paulist Press.
Homerin, Emil (Translated by) (2005). "The Wine of Love and Life: Ibn al-Farid's Khamriyya and al-Qaysari's Quest for meaning". University of Chicago.
Homerin, Emil (2012). "Passion Before Me, My Fate Behind: Ibn Al-Farid and the Poetry of Recollection". SUNY Press.
Scattolin, Giuseppe (1993). al-Farghānī commentary on Ibn al-Fāriḍ's mystical poem "al-Tāʾiyyat al-kubrā". Mélanges de l'Institut dominicain d'études orientales du Caire. Volume 21.
Sirriyeh, Elizabeth (2005). "Sufi Visionary of Ottoman Damascus: 'Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi, 1641-1731". Routledge.
Todd, Richard (2014). "The Sufi Doctrine of Man: Ṣadr Al-Dīn Al-Qūnawī's Metaphysical Anthropology". Brill.

#sufism #mysticism #poetry

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Lal Ded - The Mystic Poetess of Kashmir Aug 15, 2023

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Join me on a journey through the life and poetry of Lal Ded, one of the most revered mystic poets of Kashmir. Lal Ded lived in the 14th century and her poetry has since inspired generations of people in the region and beyond. In this video, we explore Lal Ded's life, her poetry, and her impact on the culture of Kashmir.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Dyczkowski, Mark S.G. (1987). "The Doctrine of Vibration: An Analysis of the Doctrines and Practices of Kashmir Shaivism". SUNY Press.
Hoskote, Ranjit (Translated by) (2013). "I, Lalla: The Poems of Lal Ded". Penguin Classics.
Marjanovic, Boris (Translated by) (2004). "Abhinavagupta's Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: Gitartha Samgraha". Indica Books.
Muller-Ortega, Paul (1988). "The Triadic Heart of Siva: Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-Dual Shaivism of Kashmir". SUNY Press.
Singh, Jaideva (Translated by) (1990). "The Doctrine of Recognition: A Translation of the Pratyabhijnahrdayam with an Introduction and Notes, by Ksemaraja". SUNY Press.
Swami Lakshmanjoo (2015). "Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme". CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Torella, Raffaele & Bettina Bäumer (2016). "Utpaladeva: Philosopher of Recognition". D.K. Printworld.
Torella, Rafaele (Translated by) (2013). "The Isvarapratyabhijnakarika of Utpaladeva: Critical edition and annoted translation". Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

#shaivism #mysticism #kashmir

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The Origins of Andalusian Mysticism Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, we delve into the diverse world of Islamic mysticism beyond just Sufism. Join us as we explore the various types of mysticism that have existed throughout the history of Islam. Discover the differences and similarities between them, and gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating aspect of Islamic spirituality.

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Sources/Further Reading:

Casewit, Yousef (2017). "The Mystics of al-Andalus: Ibn Barrajan and Islamic Thought in the Twelfth Century". Cambridge University Press.
Casewit, Yousef (2020). "Shushtarī’s Treatise on the Limits of Theology and Sufism: Discursive Knowledge (ʿilm), Direct Recognition (maʿrifa), and Mystical Realization (taḥqīq) in al-Risāla al-Quṣāriyya". Article. Divinity School, The University of Chicago.
Casewit, Yousef (2020). "The Treatise on the Ascension (al-Risālaal-miʿrājiyya): Cosmology and Time in the Writings of Abū l-Ḥasan al-Shushtarī (d. 668/1269)". In "Light upon Light: Essays in Islamic Thought and History in Honor of Gerhard Bowering". Edited by Jamal J. Elias & Bilal Orfali. Brill.
Cornell, Vincent J. (Tranlated by) (1996). "The Way of Abu Madyan: The Works of Abu Madyan Shu'ayb". The Islamic Text Society.
Cornell, Vincent J. (1998). "Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism". University of Texas Press.
Ebstein, Michael (2014). "Mysticism and Philosophy in al-Andalus: Ibn Masarra, Ibn al-Arabi and the Isma'ili Tradition". Brill.
Fierro, Maribel (2005). "Proto-Malikis, Malikis, and reformed Malikis in al-Andalus". In "The Islamic School of Law: Evolution, Devolution, and Progress". Edited by Peri Bearman, Rudolph Peters & Frank E. Vogel. Harvard University Press.
Karamustafa, Ahmet T. (2007). "Sufism - the formative period". Edinburgh University Press.
Knysh, Alexander (2000). "Islamic Mysticism: A Short History". Brill.
Stroumsa, Sarah & Sara Sviri (2009). "The Beginnings of Mystical Philosophy in al-Andalus: Ibn Masarra and his Epistle on Contemplation". JSAI 36. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Wymann-Landgraf, Umar F. Abd-Allah (2013). "Malik and Medina: Islamic Legal Reasoning in the Formative Period". Brill.

#sufism #mysticism #andalucia

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What is Kashmir Shaivism? May 16, 2023

Show notes

Finally it is time to talk about the tantric tradition of non-dual Kashmir Shaivism, as well as some of its representatives like the great Abhinavagupta.

Music by:

Filip Holm

Banaras Baba & Kolkata Kid

Pawan Krishna

Palace on Wheels

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Chakravarty, H.N. (Translated by) (2012). "Tantrasara of Abhinavagupta". Edited by Boris Marjanovic. Rudra Press.
Dyczkowski, Mark S.G. (1987). "The Doctrine of Vibration: An Analysis of the Doctrines and Practices of Kashmir Shaivism". SUNY Press.
Hoskote, Ranjit (Translated by) (2013). "I, Lalla: The Poems of Lal Ded". Penguin Classics.
Marjanovic, Boris (Translated by) (2004). "Abhinavagupta's Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: Gitartha Samgraha". Indica Books.
Muller-Ortega, Paul (1988). "The Triadic Heart of Siva: Kaula Tantricism of Abhinavagupta in the Non-Dual Shaivism of Kashmir". SUNY Press.
Singh, Jaideva (Translated by) (1990). "The Doctrine of Recognition: A Translation of the Pratyabhijnahrdayam with an Introduction and Notes, by Ksemaraja". SUNY Press.
Swami Lakshmanjoo (2015). "Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme". CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Torella, Raffaele & Bettina Bäumer (2016). "Utpaladeva: Philosopher of Recognition". D.K. Printworld.
Torella, Rafaele (Translated by) (2013). "The Isvarapratyabhijnakarika of Utpaladeva: Critical edition and annoted translation". Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

#hinduism #kashmir #mysticism

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Islamic Pacifism in West Africa May 08, 2023

Show notes

The concept of "jihad" in Islam is often oversimplified, and in this episode we explore one example of a "pacifist" tradition within Islam assoicated with Salim Suwari and the Suwarian tradition.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Babou, Cheikh Anta (2007). "Fighting the Greater Jihad: Amadu Bamba and the founding of the Mouridiyya of Senegal, 1853-1913". Ohio University Press.
Clark, Andrew Francis (1999). "Imperialism, Independence, and Islam in Senegal and Mali". Africa Today, Volume 46, Number 3/4, Summer/Autumn. Indiana University Press.
Creevey, Lucy E. (1985). "Muslim Brotherhoods and Politics in Senegal in 1985". The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 23, No. 4. Cambridge University Press.
Kimball, Michelle R. (2018). "Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba: A Peacemaker for Our Time". The Other Press Sdn. Bhd.
Mbacké, Khadim (2005). "Sufism and Religious Brotherhoods in Senegal". Markus Weiner Publishers.
Sanneh, Lamin O. (2018). "The Jakhanke: The History of an Islamic Clerical People of the Senegambia". Routledge.
Wilks, Ivor (1968). "The Transmission of Islamic Learning in the Western Sudan". In Literacy in Traditional Societies, ed. J. Goody. London.
Wilks, Ivor (2011). "al-Hajj Salim Suwari and the Suwarians: A search for sources". Transactions of the Historical Society of GhanaNew Series, No. 13 (2011), pp. 1-79 (79 pages). Published By: Historical Society of Ghana.
Willis, John Ralph (1970). The Jihād of al-Hajj cUmar al-Fūtī: Its Doctrinal Basis. . . Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of London.
Willis, John Ralph (2013). "In the Path of Allah: The Passion of al-Hajj 'Umar". Routledge.

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Islamic Non-Dualism: The Sufi Poetry of al-Shushtari Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

This episode is a sort of remake of an earlier one I did on al-Shushtari a few years back, with some added content. Join me as we explore on of the most fascinating Sufi poets in history.

Translations of poems and the Baghdad Treatise are from the works of Lourdes Maria Alvarez.

Translations from Risalat al-Qusariyya are by Yousef Casewit.

Sources/Recomended Reading:

Abou-Bakr, Omaima (1992). "The Symbolic Function of Metaphor in Medieval Sufi Poetry: The Case of Shushtari". Journal of Comparative Poetics, No. 12, Metaphor and Allegory in the Middle Ages (1992), pp. 40-57.
Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2009). "Abu-l Hasan al-Shushtari: Songs of Love and Devotion". In the "Classics of Western Spirituality" series. Paulist Press.
Alvarez, Lourdes Maria (2005). "The Mystical Language of Everyday Life": Vernacular Sufi Poetry and the Songs of Abu Al-Hasan Al-Shustari". Exemplaria. 17:1, 1-32, DOI: 10.1179/exm.2005.17.1.1.
Ceballos, Carlos Berbil (2015). "Journeying from the Apparent to Absolute Being: Ibn Sab'in and his Predecessors". Journal of the Muhydin Ibn 'Arabi Society, Vol. 58.
Casewit, Yousef (2017). "The Mystics of Al-Andalus: Ibn Barrajan and Islamic Thought in the Twelfth Century". Cambridge University Press.
Casewit, Yousef (2020). "Shushtarī’s Treatise on the Limits of Theology and Sufism: Discursive Knowledge (ʿilm), Direct Recognition (maʿrifa), and Mystical Realization (taḥqīq) in al-Risāla al-Quṣāriyya". Article. Divinity School, The University of Chicago.
Casewit, Yousef (2020). "The Treatise on the Ascension (al-Risāla
al-miʿrājiyya): Cosmology and Time in the Writings of Abū l-Ḥasan al-Shushtarī (d. 668/1269)". In "Light upon Light: Essays in Islamic Thought and History in Honor of Gerhard Bowering". Edited by Jamal J. Elias & Bilal Orfali. Brill.
Cornell, Vincent J. (1998). "Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism". University of Texas Press.
Cornell, Vincent J. (2007). "The All-Comprehensive Circle (al-Ihata): Soul, Intellect, and the Oneness of Existence in the Doctrine of Ibn Sab'in". In "Sufism and Theology", edited by Ayman Shihadeh. Edinburgh University Press.
Ebstein, Michael (2014). "Mysticism and Philosophy in al-Andalus: Ibn Masarra, Ibn al-'Arabi and the Isma'ili Tradition". Brill.
Johnson. N. Scott (1995). "Ocean and Pearls: Ibn Sab'in, Shustari and the Doctrine of Absolute Unity". In "Sufi: Journal of Sufism" Issue 25.

#sufism #mysticism #islam

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The Gospel of Mary - A Lost Gnostic Text? Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

We celebrate Easter by looking at one of the most interesting non-canonical texts from the early development of Christianity.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Asgeirsson, Jon (2005). "Thomasine Traditions in Antiquity The Social and Cultural World of the Gospel of Thomas". Brill.
Brakke, David (2012). "Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity". Harvard University Press.
Brock, Ann Graham (2003). Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority". Harvard Divinity School.
de Boer, Esther A. (2005). "The Gospel of Mary: Listening to the Beloved Disciple". Continuum.
King, Karen L. (2003). "What is Gnosticism?". Harvard University Press.
King, Karen L. (2003). "The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the first woman apostle". Polebridge Press.
Tuckett, Christopher (2019). "The Gospel of Mary". Oxford University Press.
Van den Broek, Roelof (2013). "Gnostic Religion in Antiquity". Cambridge University Press.
Meyer, Marvin (ed.) (2009). "The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume ". HarperOne.

#marymagdalene #gnosticism #christianity

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What is Ramadan? Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, I share some thoughts about the month of Ramdan, its basic features and some perspectives from scholars on the philosophy behind it.

#Ramdan #Islam #Fasting

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Pythagoras & The Music of the Spheres Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

We continue our exploration of Pythagoreanism by diving into the music of the spheres, and how this idea has influenced thinkers across history.

Sources/Recomended Reading:

Cooper, John M. (ed.) (1997). "Plato: Complete Works". Hackett Publishing Company.
Huffman, Carl A. (2008). "Philolaus of Croton: A Commentary on the Fragments and Testimonia with Interprative Essays". Cambridge University Press.
Huffman, Carl A. (ed.) (2017). "A History of Pythagoreanism". Cambridge University Press.
Kirk, G.S., J.E. Raven & M. Schofield (1983). "The Presocratic Philosophers". Second Edition. Cambridge University Press.
Klavan, Spencer A. (2020). "Music in Ancient Greece: Melody, Rhythm and Life". Bloomsbury Academic.
Zhmud, Leonid (2012). "Pythagoras and the Early Pythagoreans". Translated by Kevin Windle & Rosh Ireland. OUP Oxford.

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