Penguin Classics: Religion & Spirituality

The Koran, now presented in a masterful and fully revised translation, is universally regarded by Muslims as the infallible Word of God. This sacred text was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel nearly fourteen hundred years ago. Its 114 chapters, or surahs, offer a profound narrative central to Muslim belief, encompassing a vast array of themes and...

First published in paperback, this acclaimed new translation of The Qur'an offers English readers a chance to experience one of the most significant religious texts in human history. This sacred scripture of Islam is considered by Muslims to be the infallible word of God, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel. These divine revelations, which occurred over...

A powerful collection of sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr., published in Penguin Modern Classics for the first time. As Martin Luther King, Jr. prepared for the Birmingham campaign in early 1963, he drafted the final sermons for Strength to Love, a volume of his best-known lectures. King had begun working on the sermons during a fortnight in jail in...

A remarkable retelling of Hindu mythology, from one of Europe's greatest literary figures. In Ka, Roberto Calasso delves into the corpus of classical Sanskrit literature, recreating and re-imagining the enchanting world of ancient India. Beginning with the Rig-Veda, Ka weaves together myths from the Upanishad, the Mahabharata, and the stories of the Buddha, all of which pose questions that have...

New to Penguin Classics, the international bestseller by one of Europe's pre-eminent literary figures. The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony is a masterful retelling of the ancient myths and fables we may only think we know. From the tale of Europa and the bull to the fall of Troy, Roberto Calasso weaves his way through the entire world of Greek...

Whether or not Lao-Tzu was a historical figure is uncertain, but the wisdom gathered under his name in the 4th century BC is central to the understanding and practice of Taoism. One of the three great religions of China, Taoism is based upon a concept of the Tao, or Way, as the universal power through which all life flows. Tao...

Describing Tolstoy's crisis of depression and estrangement from the world, A Confession (1879) is an autobiographical work of exceptional emotional honesty. By the time he was fifty, Tolstoy had already written the novels that would assure him of literary immortality; he had a wife, a large estate and numerous children; he was a happy man and in good health—yet life...

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was one of the outstanding figures of the declining Roman Empire. From his own account, he lived a life of sin until his conversion to Christianity at the age of 32. Twelve years later, he gave a personal account of his search for truth in The Confessions, where his analysis of the emotional side of...

Pensees are the unfinished notes which the French mathematician and physicist, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), jotted down in preparation for a reasoned defence of Christian belief. They display a vision of humanity's weakness and the futility of worldly life. Whether his subject is the human heart or the famous wager of faith, Pascal writes with a blend of lucidity and eloquence....

Erasmus of Rotterdam (c. 1466–1536) is one of the greatest figures of the Renaissance humanist movement, which abandoned medieval pieties in favour of a rich new vision of the individual's potential. Praise of Folly, written to amuse his friend Sir Thomas More, is Erasmus's best-known work. Its dazzling mixture of fantasy and satire is narrated by a personification of Folly,...

The original mindfulness book, in a landmark new translation by the award-winning translator of the I Ching and The Art of War. A Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, with flaps and deckle-edged paper. The most translated book in the world after the Bible, the Tao Te Ching, or "Book of the Tao," is a guide to cultivating a life of peace,...

The Bhagavad Gita is a new translation of one of the central texts of Sanskrit, offering a fresh perspective on its timeless teachings. This early epic poem recounts the conversation between Arjuna, the warrior, and his charioteer Krishna, the manifestation of God. In the moments before a great battle, the dialogue sets out the important lessons Arjuna must learn to...

A new translation by Valerie Roebuck of this seminal work of Buddhist literature. One of the best-known and best-loved works of Buddhist literature, The Dhammapada forms part of the oldest surviving body of Buddhist writings and is traditionally regarded as the authentic teachings of the Buddha himself. These teachings were spoken by him during his lifetime and memorised and handed...

A new translation of one of the best-loved and most important books of Christianity, by the Very Revd. Robert Jeffery. One of the most influential and well-loved books of Christianity, The Imitation of Christ is a passionate celebration of God's love, mercy and holiness, which has stimulated religious devotion for over five hundred years. With great personal conviction and deep...

New selection and translation of the great epic story of ancient India, revealing a mythic world of bloody conflict, magic and beauty. The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. It holds immense importance to the culture of the Indian subcontinent and is a major text of Hinduism. Its discussion of human goals—artha or 'purpose',...

This is the Classics edition of one of the greatest works created by any culture, and overwhelmingly the most influential of all Tibetan Buddhist texts in the West. The most graceful English translation of this masterpiece of world literature—prepared with the participation of the Dalai Lama and eminent contemporary masters of this tradition appointed by the Dalai Lama. One of...

The sacred texts of the Hindu faith The Upanishads, the earliest of which were composed in Sanskrit between 800 and 400 BCE by sages and poets, form part of the Vedas—the sacred and ancient scriptures that are the basis of the Hindu religion. Each Upanishad, or lesson, takes up a theme ranging from the attainment of spiritual bliss to karma...

This poem has been called 'the Qu'ran of the Persian language'. Begun in 1262 AD, Masnavi-ye Ma'navi, or 'spiritual couplets', is thought to be the longest single-authored 'mystical' poem ever written. As the spiritual masterpiece of the Persian Sufi tradition, it teaches how to progress to the ultimate goal of the Sufi path - union with God. Jalaloddin Rumi was...

New to Classics The Book of Chuang Tzu draws together the stories, tales, jokes and anecdotes that have gathered around the figure of Chuang Tzu. One of the great founders of Taoism, Chuang Tzu lived in the fourth century BC and is among the most enjoyable and intriguing personalities in the whole of Chinese philosophy.

A simple peasant seeks spiritual fulfilment in this apparently artless tale of popular piety. 'Here, see my belongings—a bag of dry crusts on my back and the Holy Bible in my breast pocket; that's it.' In 1884, a slim volume containing four short tales appeared in Russia. They told of a pilgrim, a lone wanderer, led by his quiet curiosity...

The writings in this volume cast a glimmer of light upon the emerging traditions and organisation of the infant church during an otherwise little-known period of its development. A selection of letters and small-scale theological treatises from a group known as the Apostolic Fathers, several of whom were probably disciples of the Apostles, they provide a first-hand account of the...

A newly updated edition of the landmark translation by the esteemed Biblical scholar. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judaean desert between 1947 and 1956 transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism, and the origins of Christianity. These extraordinary manuscripts appear to have been hidden in the caves at Qumran by members of the Essene...

Coming from a society where women were barred from serious writing and teaching, Julian, an anchorite of the great medieval city of Norwich, nevertheless uses her womanliness and the English vernacular of the day to describe a series of revelations which she received from God in the year 1373. She identifies the female nature of Christ's suffering and the motherhood...

New to Classics, with a new introduction by one of the best known Egyptologists of our time. The Book of the Dead is a unique collection of funerary texts from a wide variety of sources, dating from the fifteenth to the fourth century BC. Consisting of spells, prayers and incantations, each section contains the words of power to overcome obstacles...

A selection of key works from the foundational book of the Orthodox Church, in a landmark new translation. ‘Eat the gnostic bread of wisdom found in this book, and drink the wine which gladdens the heart’ The Philokalia is the most influential book in the recent history of the Orthodox Church, aside from the Bible. It is an anthology of...

Influential writings on the possibility of synthesising Greek thought and Christian faith. Composed during a critical time in the evolution of European intellectual life, the works of Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1327) are some of the most powerful medieval attempts to achieve a synthesis between ancient Greek thought and the Christian faith. Writing with great rhetorical brilliance, Eckhart combines the neoplatonic...

The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works contains The Cloud of Unknowing, The Mystical Theology of Saint Denis, The Book of Privy Counselling, and An Epistle on Prayer. Against a tradition of devotional writings which focused on knowing God through Christ's Passion and his humanity, these texts describe a transcendent God who exists beyond human knowledge and human language. These...

The earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas, and the first extensive composition to survive in any Indo-European language, The Rig Veda (c. 1200–900 BC) is a collection of over 1,000 individual Sanskrit hymns. A work of intricate beauty, it provides a unique insight into early Indian mythology, religion, and culture. This selection of 108 of...

New to Classics, The Rule of St Benedict is one of the most important written works in the shaping of Western society. Founder of a monastery at Monte Cassino, between Rome and Naples, in the sixth century, St Benedict intended his Rule to be a practical guide to Christian monastic life. Based on the key precepts of humility, obedience, and...

The Apocryphal Gospels offers a new translation of the oldest non-canonical Christian gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Judas. In the early years of Christianity, several groups produced 'hidden' or 'apocryphal' gospels, providing alternative versions of the story of Christ. Sometimes these texts complemented the four canonical gospels, sometimes they subverted them,...

A rich new selection of Buddhist writings, representing the full range of historical periods, geographical origins and literary styles. While Buddhism has no central text such as the Bible or the Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of Buddha. This rich anthology brings together works from a broad...

A wonderfully enjoyable storehouse of ancient Chinese history and legends, which also has an important role in understanding 21st-century China. The Most Venerable Book (also known as The Book of History) is one of the Five Classics. For many centuries, it was a central work for anyone wishing to work for the Imperial administration, with its prestige stemming from the...

The Koran, with parallel Arabic text The Koran is universally accepted by Muslims to be the infallible Word of God as first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel nearly fourteen hundred years ago. Its 114 chapters, or surahs, recount the narratives central to Muslim belief, and together they form one of the world's most influential prophetic works...

After the Bible, this is the most important foundational text in Judaism. The Talmud is one of the most significant religious texts in the world, second only to the Bible in its importance to Judaism. As the Bible is the word of God, The Talmud applies that word to the lives of its followers. In a range of styles, including...

New to Classics, a wide-ranging survey of the Jewish mystical tradition. The Torah is both hidden and revealed. There is a secret meaning to the holy Torah that is not written down explicitly or explained in it. This selection offers a comprehensive survey of the Kabbalah, the body of writings in the Jewish mystical tradition. It features texts from a...

Buddhist Meditation by Kurtis R. Schaeffer is a Tibetan Buddhist anthology of accessible and authentic contemplative exercises designed to help cultivate innate yet undeveloped powers of mind, emotion, and body. A Penguin Classic Drawn from Tibet's rich contemplative literature, Buddhist Meditation offers classic exercises focused on the opportunities and challenges of life. These exercises aim at cultivating inner calm and...

"From the Bible through Dante and up to Treblinka and Guantanamo Bay, here is a rich source for nightmares." — The New York Times Book Review Three thousand years of visions of Hell, from the ancient Near East to modern America. A Penguin Classic From the Hebrew Bible's shadowy realm of Sheol to twenty-first-century visions of Hell on earth, The...

Ancient aphorisms on endurance, self-control and perfect joy, widely acknowledged as the Buddha's own teachings. The Dhammapada includes the powerful insight: 'Hate is not conquered by hate—hate is conquered by love. This is a law eternal.' Captivating aphorisms illustrating the Buddhist dhamma, or moral system. Introducing Little Black Classics—80 books for Penguin’s 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge...