Our latest library additions include an article by Elliot Wolfson on the symbolism of walking in the Jewish tradition, especially as elaborated in Hasidic writings:

The proper worship of God was said to be realized even as one physically walked about and was engaged in social commerce. As such, halikhah, walking, became a popular metaphor for following the spiritual path.

• In the wake of our “Common Ground: Islam-Buddhism” event, we offer the contributions of our speakers, Rev. Kemmyo Taira Sato and Dr Reza Shah-Kazemi, dealing with Pure Land Buddhism and Islam:

In Mahayana Buddhism the bodhisattva’s ideal is ‘benefiting oneself and at the same time benefiting others.’ In this context ‘benefiting’ means ‘awakening to the truth of life’. In other words, to love others as much as you love yourself is an imperative for any seeker after truth, whatever tradition they belong to.

• A bilingual excerpt of the Confucian Analects (Lun Yu), with access to audio recordings, as a glimpse into this seminal text of the Far Eastern tradition:

The Master said, ‘At fifteen I set my heart on learning; at thirty I took my stand; at forty I came to be free from doubts; at fifty I understood the Decree of Heaven; at sixty my ear became subtly perceptive; at seventy I followed my heart’s desire without overstepping the line.’