Showing results by author "David Christopher Lane" in All Categories

The MSAC Philosophy Group is pleased to announce a new edition of that timeless classic in spiritual literature, The Dhammapada. Attributed to Buddha, this early text in Buddhism sheds a clear light on the teachings of the four noble truths and the eightfold path. This translation is from Max Mueller, the famous 19th century Indologist.

This is the first of a three-part series centering on my personal remembrance of Charan Singh (1916-1990), who was the spiritual leader of Radha Soami Satsang Beas from 1951 to 1990. As such, it isn’t a biography, but rather partial glimpses of my own recollection of how I came to know of Charan, and why I eventually took initiation from him into the meditational practice of Surat Shabd Yoga. I didn’t write this as a devotional eulogy to my deceased spiritual teacher, but more selfishly as a way for me to write down key moments of my association with him...for over four decades.

The true story of how famed K2 mountain climber Paul Petzoldt killed his friend and mentor, Dr. Julian P. Johnson at a spiritual ashram in India. Explores the controversy surrounding what happened on that fateful night on January 25, 1939, and the spiritual scandal that ensued in the Punjab.

Listening to the inner sound to achieve higher states of consciousness has a long history and can be found in different religious traditions around the world (ranging from Gnostic Christianity to Islamic Sufism to Tibetan Buddhism). In this presentation, we will explore the originations of shabd yoga and trace it over time (in its various manifestations) up until the present day. In so doing, we will want to learn how listening to the inner sound is theologically interpreted in varying cultures on distinct continents.

One of the first books ever published to objectively study the life and work of Franklin Jones, also known as Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Adi Da, an infamous cult leader who attracted both devotees and detractors. Contains original essays by Professor Scott Lowe (University of Wisconsin) and Professor David Lane (Mt. San Antonio College).

This book presents a glimpse into the fascinating life and work of Baba Faqir Chand, the famous "unknowing" sage of India. Faqir explains in vivid details how gurus do not know about the miracles and visions attributed to them. He also explains the secrets behind surat shabd yoga practice and provides a detailed description of how to transcend visionary phenomena.

This is the current catalog of audiobooks available from the MSAC Philosophy Group. Also included is an introductory essay by David Christopher Lane, Professor of Philosophy at Mt. San Antonio College, on the subject of audiobooks and why they are important in the future of education.

Tom Blake changed the face of surfing and has long been lauded as one of the true pioneers and innovators in the sport. Although much has been written about him and his contributions (culminating in Gary Lynch's magisterial biography of him, Tom Blake: The Uncommon Journey of a Pioneer Waterman, published in 2001), very little work has been done on Tom Blake's Einsteinian philosophy.

I am fortunate to be able to publish Baba Faqir Chand's satsangs as presented to Harjit Singh Sandhu and skillfully translated by Pulkit Bose. First as a series in Sach Khand: The Journal of Radhasoami Studies and now in book form. These talks that were given in London, England, in 1980 are genuinely remarkable for their utmost clarity and penetrating insights into the nature of spirituality. Baba Faqir Chand is unique amongst masters, since he was exceptionally honest about his experiences and what he learned from them over the course of his long life.

Surprisingly, one of the more lucid insights on the philosophy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead comes from a Hindu mystic, named Baba Faqir Chand, who apparently was not familiar with the original Tibetan text or its English translation. Although Faqir was not conversant with the Bardo Thotrol, he was nevertheless steeped in its philosophy as taught to him by his guru, Shiv Brat Lal of Gopiganj. Faqir Chand, like his lama counterparts, spent much of his life in meditation, attempting to consciously go through the dying process in order to prepare himself for his final exit.

This audiobook contains two interviews of Baba Faqir Chand, the great sage of the Punjab, which were originally published in India in 1978. They were conducted by Professor Mark Juergensmeyer and his research assistant at that time, David Lane. Also included is a new interview with Professor Bhagat Ram Kamal, who is now the spiritual leader at Faqir Chand's ashram, Manavta Mandir. This audiobook provides an insight into Faqir's radical philosophy on spirituality.

This audiobook explores why we should keep open and humble and realize the limits of our cranial capacities and the models of reality we generate.

This book provides a wide overview of Darwin's views on a variety of subjects. It also draws out some of the implications of his groundbreaking work on psychology and philosophy.

This audiobook focuses on two of Samuel Butler's more intriguing writings concerning machine evolution and intelligence, including his most famous piece, "Darwin Among the Machines", and his chapter on Erewhon in "The Book of the Machines". Professor David Christopher Lane has written a brief introduction. Also included is a small biography of Samuel Butler.

I first critiqued Ken Wilber on his misunderstanding of evolution back in 1996, right after his book A Brief History of Everything was published. It has now been 18 years and if anything, Wilber has become even more firmly entrenched in his new brand of creationism, which ironically mimics much of what Christian fundamentalists object to about Darwinianism.

In this partially autobiographical book, Professor David Christopher Lane, PhD., a long-time skeptic of religion and the paranormal, explains why he meditates and why he believes it is extremely beneficial to human well-being. Includes a detailed section on how to meditate using an ancient technique called shabd yoga (listening to the inner sound) without resorting to mythological concepts or overlays.

Lord Dunsany was Edward Plunkett's pen name, and he was a very successful author of numerous books, plays, and short stories. He possessed a remarkable imagination and created fantastical landscapes peopled with unique characters. To listen to his short stories is to be transported to another time and to another place and, in the midst of it all, to be enthralled by the marvel of it all.

Describes the famous 14 dreams of Queen Trishala, the mother of Mahavira, one of the key spiritual figures in Jainism.

August Weismann is regarded by many biologists, including Ernst Mayr from Harvard University, to be second only to Charles Darwin for progressing our understanding of evolution by natural selection. In this book, excerpted from the larger commemorative tome Darwin and Modern Science, edited by A. C. Seward and others, Weismann tackles many of the difficult questions confronting natural selection. In the process, Weismann offers a penetrating critique of Lamarck and provides the listener with rich and robust understanding of evolutionary theory.

There is no doubt in my mind that Faqir Chand is one of the most important shabd yoga masters in history and that his frank confessions of “unknowingness” are of vital importance for those interested in religion and spiritual masters. Faqir reveals what other gurus will not. Here in the MSAC Philosophy Group at Mt. San Antonio College, it is our wish to republish almost all of Faqir Chand's books and pamphlets in English and give them a wider audience.