Product Description

This book compiles the most lively expressions of nonduality, which is the understanding that existence is one undivided whole and that the daily distinctions we make within this unity are useful, but not ultimately true. The book conveys what nonduality itself is, in a nonacademic style that draws heavily on modern, popular writing on the subject. Also included are spirited passages from major traditions - Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #133022 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

The best introduction to a nondual understanding of Reality
The editor of "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", Jerry Katz, exhibits an intuitive grasp of the universality of a nondual understanding of reality through his selection of the broadly ranging texts included in this volume. He succeeds both in presenting the essential features of Nonduality through his selection of the succinct teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi which are formatted in a clear question and answer format, and also in ensuring that his readers do not stray from the important point that Nonduality is not a particular school of thought or system of any one person or culture, but rather lies at the heart of a broad range of writings in many fields, including education, art, and cinema, as well as in mystical writings from all major religions. This is the fruit of this book.

There are many ways to talk about Reality, but none of them adequately encompass the wholeness of Reality. Language focuses on descriptions of the world around us, but necessarily loses focus when we attempt to turn it onto the essential nature of Wholeness. Lacking a basis upon which to distinguish non-dual Reality, each speaker must necessarily create his or her own language for describing the nature of that which they have come to realize in their heart. By placing many of these descriptions, each couched in its own subjective terms, side by side in this volume, Jerry Katz had made it possible for us to find the nuggets of gold buried, sometimes deeply, other times lying close to the surface, in each contribution and thus to see their common nature. As he points out in his introduction to the selection of texts he calls "Nondual Confessions": "It is important to grasp that self-realized people are speaking from an understanding about reality very different from the understanding of most others."

"One" is probably the best introductory text for gaining access to this understanding of Reality. Finding this book is a grace, spending the time to understand its' meaning is worth every moment.

James Corrigan
Author of "An Introduction to Awareness"

Destined to be a classic
It would be hard to find a more sure-footed guide into the territory of nonduality. Not only is the book clear enough to serve as an introduction, but those already familiar with nondual writings will find it offers fresh insights into the timeless sources, as nondual voices from various religious traditions reflect a shared understanding. When someone with such a broad knowledge selects the more outstanding passages, you can be sure they are worthy of your attention. In his own words, "This book contains both the worthwhile and the impossible". Examples of the more radical nondual perspectives appear, and yet the book never loses touch with that very human desire for truth. Jerry Katz has a mission to make nonduality available and relevant to the regular people on the street, so he also includes contemporary writers. Nonduality is showing up in some surprising ways in today's culture, as seen by examples from education, art, pschotherapy, and the movies.

This is living truth, and you will be inspired to take up the challenge of living it yourself. What is this inquiry into our true nature or reality, and how is it relevant to your life now? I especially like how the questions most readers might already be asking are used to provide continuity and bring the focus back to just how all this matters to us. Because Jerry Katz has the sort of inclusive vision that simply wants others to see, too. Reading this small book is a gigantic gift, as you will discover with every minute of unwrapping it.

"As we read these accounts of nondual perspective, over and over again we will find accord with the practice of inquiry and surrender prescribed by Sri Ramana Maharshi. These perspectives are various ways of confessing or calling for a turn toward awareness, Self, God, our unbounded nature. That turning is the job of one who desires nonduality."

Something for everyone
`Selected writings' rather than `essential' but there is nevertheless something here to inspire everyone and perhaps point them in a direction to discover more about the one truth that is the background of all appearance.

The editor is knowledgeable in all of these areas and weaves together the extracts well. All disciplines are unlikely to appeal to everyone equally. Personally, I found Ibn `Arabi a revelation and Steven Harrison's piece on `Education' excellent. The introduction too, by David Godman, provides a superbly concise summary of Ramana Maharshi's teaching. But I found Bernadette Roberts incomprehensible and the Native American piece overly mystical. There is a review of the `Matrix' films that is thought-provoking and an essay by an artist that serves to reinforce a long-standing view that writing by artists is invariably unintelligible - it seems that it is because what they want to say cannot be said that they have become artists in the first place.

`Chacun à son goût', as they say - all of this merely reinforces the view that there is something here for everyone. If you are curious about what non-duality has to offer, look no further.

Dennis Waite, author of Back to the Truth: 5000 years of advaita.