This book is offered as a support for all of us dealing with one very real question: How do we continue seeking and finding happiness, inner tranquility, and wisdom in our elder years? Through both scholarly examination and thoughtful reflection, these selected discourses guide us in how to apply the teachings of the Buddha to our daily life and practice. Embodying the teachings in this way, we find that even in our elder years it is still very much possible to find ease and joy, even while dealing with the inevitabilities of aging, sickness, and death. The three teachers--a Theravada scholar well-versed in the early teachings of Buddhism; a Zen scholar and practitioner from the Korean Zen tradition; and a lay Buddhist minister and Dhamma teacher rooted in the Thai Forest Tradition--offer a range of perspectives speaking to a wide range of interests, points of view, and levels of experience with meditation and Buddhism. A collection of reflections is additionally offered, which can be used both for private contemplation or to support discussions among friends or communities.

Older and Wiser: Classical Buddhist Teachings on Aging, Sickness, and Death; Mu Soeng, Gloria Taraniya Ambrosia, and Andrew Olendzki; Independently Published; Paperback;
266 pages; $15.95

Mu Soeng, a former Zen monk and teacher, is the scholar-in-residence at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is the author of many books on Buddhism, including Trust in Mind and The Diamond Sutra. He lives in Barre, Massachusetts.

Gloria Ambrosia received her master's degree in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina. A muffin-baking expert, she is the best-selling author of Gloria's Glorious Muffins. Gloria is also a teacher of Buddhism and spirituality at retreat centers throughout the United States.

Andrew Olendzki, PhD, was trained in Buddhist Studies at Lancaster University in England, as well as at Harvard and the University of Sri Lanka. He is the former executive director of both the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.

CONTENTS: Older and Wiser
Preface			1
Introduction			3
1.	A SHIFT IN FOCUS: A TIME FOR RETIRING
	1.1	Bhaddiya Gets Free	10
	1.2	Ten Things to Reflect Upon	16
	1.3	Higher Pleasures	22
	1.4	Looking Forward to Retirement	28
2.	EQUANIMITY
	2.1	Beyond Joy and Sorrow	34
	2.2	Sleeping Well	40
	2.3	The Single Most Precious Moment	46
	2.4	Two Ways to Prepare	53
3.	AGING
	3.1	The Lucidity of Age	62
	3.2	The Worldly Winds	68
	3.3	The Monk and the King	74
	3.4	Getting Near the End	82
4.	ILLNESS
	4.1	Afflicted in Body--Not in Mind	90
	4.2	Stabbed by One Arrow--Not Two	96
	4.3	Healing Wounds	103
	4.4	Patient and Caregiver	110
5.	DEATH AND DYING
	5.1	The Divine Messengers	118
	5.2	Learning to Let Go	124
	5.3	Taking One's Life	131
	5.4	Facing Death Without Concern	139
6.	MOURNING
	6.1	Ananda Alone	146
	6.2	The Mustard Seed	152
	6.3	Unbearable Grief	159
	6.4	The Soothing of Grief	167
7.	PRACTICE
	7.1	The Simile of the Heartwood	174
	7.2	The Parable of Six Creatures	181
	7.3	Working with Fear	187
	7.4	Living in Harmony	193
Suggested Questions for Study Groups			201
	Going Forth: From Home to Homelessness by Mu Soeng		239
	Urban Hermit: A Different Way of Being in the World by Mu Soeng		249
About the Authors			257