When we love deeply, we mourn deeply. Grief expert and Zen priest Dr. Joanne Cacciatore knows firsthand that when a loved one dies, the pain of grief can feel unbearable—especially in the case of a traumatizing death that leaves us shouting, “NO!” with every fiber of our body.

She understands that the process of grieving can feel wild and nonlinear—and often lasts for much longer than other people, the nonbereaved, tell us it should.

In this course, Dr. Jo expands on her bestselling book Bearing the Unbearable, revealing how grief can open our hearts to connection, compassion, and the very essence of our shared humanity.

Scroll down to learn more, or click the “Enroll” button below to start this course today!

Tuition: $247 USD

When you enroll in this course you agree to our terms of use. Enrolled students have lifetime access to course materials. Wisdom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your tuition supports the creation of more courses like this one. Thank you! For more about our terms, please see the Wisdom Academy FAQ.

It has always been a central part of Wisdom’s mission to preserve and publish the rich and profound source texts of Buddhism. Many of the most important of these source texts can be found in our Classics of Indian Buddhism and Library of Tibetan Classics series. These series have been created by some of the most prominent and knowledgeable scholars in the field, and each represents a significant contribution not only to Buddhist scholarship, but to the cultural and literary histories of India and Tibet. The Classics of Indian Buddhism and Library of Tibetan Classics series contain a rich collection of essays, stories, and teachings brimming with timeless human experience and wisdom that transcends the centuries and forms a vital part of the human story.

We hope you will consider becoming part of Wisdom’s story, and part of the story of humanity’s spiritual and literary heritage, by becoming a sponsor of these important works. Your support helps sustain the creativity, wisdom, and intelligence of centuries past, so that it may help illuminate the world for centuries to come.

Below you’ll find more information about each series.

Library of Tibetan Classics

When the Dalai Lama’s translator Thupten Jinpa first approached Wisdom Publications to collaborate with him and his Institute of Tibetan Classics in Montreal, Canada on the monumental Library of Tibetan Classics, we were honored to accept. The thirty-two-volume series will span nearly a millennium and a half, and will cover the entire expanse of Tibet’s classical literary heritage, from religion and folklore to art and poetry, philosophy and psychology to medicine and much more. The texts have been selected in close consultation with preeminent lineage holders and with senior Tibetan scholars, especially His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

In every way, the series has been designed with a broad audience in mind—while being “…of great value to scholars, the translations are accessible to nonspecialists as well, and thus should allow a wide audience to gain access to the treasures of the Tibetan tradition” (Georges Dreyfus, Williams College). The series includes the works of many great Tibetan teachers, philosophers, scholars, and practitioners, representing all major Tibetan school and traditions. It is our privilege to play a part in the preservation and sharing of their invaluable writings, with their ability to teach, enrich, and inspire. With eight volumes published and several in the works, we are in the midst of an extraordinary journey, and we would like to invite you to join us.

“I have no doubt that, when combined with the methods and insights of modern science, the Tibetan Buddhist cultural heritage and knowledge will help foster a more enlightened and compassionate human society, a humanity that is at peace with itself, with fellow sentient beings, and with the natural world at large.”

—His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

We welcome donations of any size. With a donation of $2,000 or more, you will become a Subscribing Benefactor, and your name will be listed in future volumes of the series. You will receive a gift copy of each future volume, and will be able to purchase published volumes at a 50% discount. We have funded much of the Library from our general operating revenues, and are also immensely grateful to all the generous supporters who have helped make the series possible, helping us to advance this mission-oriented work.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to become a supporter of Tibet’s cultural legacy. The remarkable depth and breadth of that legacy finds the expression it deserves in this series—and while it may be contained in thirty-two volumes, its potential for good in the world is boundless.

Classics of Indian Buddhism

Wisdom’s Classics of Indian Buddhism is a landmark translation series devoted to making the wealth of classical Indian Buddhism accessible to modern readers. Each title is vetted by leading scholars with the assistance of an active editorial board. Carefully reviewed to meet the highest standards of reliability and readability, these classic works explore the full extent of the human condition and the limits of language and reason, and have the power to edify and intrigue a wide variety of readers.

To date, Wisdom has published two volumes in the Classics of Indian Buddhism series: Andy Rotman’s translation of part I of the Divyāvadāna, the Divine Stories, and Mark Siderits and Shoryu Katsura’s Nagarjuna’s Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā). The Divine Stories “…are to the Buddhist tradition what the Arabian Nights is to the Arabic, an ocean of stories from which Buddhist storytellers and artists throughout Asia drew their inspiration. The translation—precise, elegant, vernacular—flows clear as water in a mountain stream” (Wendy Doniger, Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions, University of Chicago).

“At last! At last we have a translation of the Madhyamakakarikas that can be enthusiastically recommended to students! This translation is sensitive to text-critical issues, felicitous, academically rigorous, and it incorporates a useful introduction with an admirable and philosophically sensitive summary of Nagarjuna’s intellectual background and method. This translation has the authentic flavour of Nagarjuna. It should certainly become the first translation of choice for all English language work on the Madhyamakakarikas in the foreseeable future.”

—Paul Williams, Emeritus Professor of Indian and Tibetan Philosophy, University of Bristol, author of Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition

We welcome donations of any size, and thank you for considering this opportunity to help preserve and share the treasures of India’s literary heritage. The stories and teachings contained in the Classics of Indian Buddhism series offer a wealth of inspiration and wisdom as vibrant in today’s world as they were two and a half millennia ago in the land of the Buddha.

Wisdom has a matchless reputation for producing the finest-quality books on Buddhism and meditation. We are now growing and developing several new platforms to expand our reach, including a popular podcast and online courses. Now is an exciting time to join our passionate, dedicated team, gain experience in a rapidly-evolving media company, become part of a legacy, and have a true impact on people around the world.

We provide a rich, meaningful, inspiring, and exciting workplace environment. We occasionally have openings on our team, and we welcome your application. We seek people who are interested in the dharma, deeply committed to hard work, scrupulous, highly ethical, humble, and positive. Every member of our team has a unique opportunity to make a real and lasting contribution to the Buddhist world.

If you’d like to work at Wisdom, send your resume and a cover letter to jobs [at] wisdompubs.org.

Current Openings

There are no current openings, but we always welcome you to submit your resume to jobs [@] wisdompubs.org, and to enquire about internship opportunities.

Wisdom is pleased to offer ebook versions of most of our titles. For your convenience, each title is provided as a bundle of two downloadable files, in formats compatible with popular e-readers and software. Ebooks are meaningful expression of Wisdom’s nonprofit mission to preserve and transmit important works from all the major Buddhist traditions, demonstrating our commitment to provide faster, easier, and more cost-effective worldwide access to the great resource of Buddhism. By purchasing ebooks from Wisdom, you are contributing an essential resource towards sustaining our mission as well as the work of our authors, translators, and other contributors.

Two File Formats for Popular Readers

Wisdom ebooks are provided as a bundle of two ebook file formats, compatible with popular ebook readers and software.

• Mobi—The Mobi file format is used with Amazon Kindle readers. Free Kindle reading apps are also available from Amazon.com for use on many smartphones, computers and tablets.
• ePub—The ePub format is a free and open ebook standard created by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). ePub files can be used with many popular readers including the Nook, Kobo and Sony Reader. Free ePub reading apps are available for computers and popular devices including iPad, iPhone, Android and Windows Phone.

Ebooks FAQ

About Wisdom Ebooks

What ebook file formats are available from Wisdom?
Wisdom offers each title as a bundle of two file formats: Mobi and ePub.

What readers are Wisdom’s ebooks compatible with?
The file formats Wisdom provides are compatible with most popular consumer devices, including: Kindle, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone, Nook, Kobo and Sony Reader.

Can I read Wisdom ebooks on my computer?
Wisdom ebooks are compatible with many free reader apps available for desktop and laptop computers, such as Kindle Reader and Calibre.

How do I let Wisdom know about errors in ebooks?
If you find any errors in your ebook files, please email our Production department using the Contact form on our website.

Purchasing Ebooks

Who can I contact for help with my order?
Online orders for Wisdom are managed by Publishers Storage & Shipping Corp. (PSSC). Please call the PSSC customer service line at (800)-272-4050, 9AM – 5PM Monday – Friday EST (GMT -5), or email them at [email protected].

Is it safe to buy from wisdompubs.org?
Yes. Our server supports secure transactions so you can use your credit card with confidence.

How are my files delivered?
After completing your online order, you will receive an email message from Publishers Storage & Shipping Corp. (PSSC) containing your Order Confirmation. For each title purchased you will see two links to download the two file types: Mobi and ePub.

Download and Installation

How do I download my ebook files to my computer?
Your Order Confirmation email from PSSC will contain links to your ebook files. Control-click or right-click each link with your mouse to save the files to your computer.

How do I put my files on my Kindle Reader or other readers?
After downloading your files to your computer, attach your Kindle Reader with the USB cable. Mobi files can then be dragged to the Kindle icon on your desktop. For detailed instructions, please refer to Amazon.com.

How do I put my ebook files on my iPad IPhone, or other tablet device?
Your Order Confirmation email from PSSC will contain links to your ebook files. Tap each link to open the file on your device. You should be given an option to open the file with the default application, or to choose an application. Alternatively after downloading your files to your computer, open iTunes and drag ePub files to the main window. You can now sync your ebook files with your iPhone. To read ebooks on the iPhone you must have a reader app such as the iBooks app installed.

Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism

Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism is a peer-reviewed academic series for outstanding contributions to scholarship on Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, including monographs and collections of articles. Suitable submissions will apply historical-critical analysis to the study of Buddhist literature and address primarily a specialist audience, meaningfully advancing the scholarly understanding of its subject.

Submissions should contain the following:

• A description of your project (500 to 2000 words).
• A curriculum vitae or narrative author biography, highlighting relevant qualifications.
• A provisional table of contents with brief chapter descriptions.
• At least one sample chapter, in finished form. (Submitting more than one chapter or a complete manuscript is also acceptable.) If you are submitting a PDF, please delete identifying names, to permit a blind review.
• A brief bibliography noting previous major projects that focus on the work.
• Any endorsements you may have from people of stature in your field.
• Your complete contact information.

Your work will not be distributed except for the purpose of evaluation for the series. Please email your submission to submissions [at] wisdompubs [dot] org. Feel free to contact us as well if you have any concerns or questions.

If the submission is deemed suitable for consideration, the manuscript review process typically takes in the vicinity of six weeks, depending on the nature of your text and the availability of suitable reviewers.

Prospective translators do not need to implement the series style before submitting a manuscript; adoption of the series style will be necessary only when a translation has been accepted for publication. Those who are curious, however, are welcome to download Wisdom’s Style Guide for Works on Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.

Classics of Indian Buddhism

The Classics of Indian Buddhism series aims to publish accessible translations of important texts from the Buddhist traditions of South Asia. Part of the goal of the series is to present texts that were influential within classical India rather than those that are simply cited widely today. Any significant work from the premodern Indian tradition is suitable for consideration in the series, including philosophical treatises, avadānas, sūtras, narratives, poetry, and tantras. Translations will derive primarily from Sanskrit or Pali texts when those are extant. The series generally avoids republishing old translations or retranslating texts from European languages, but such works can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Volumes in the series may range dramatically in size. Volumes will be published in paperback at affordable prices to make them suitable for course adoption and for retail sales in bookstores. Each volume will include a glossary, a bibliography, an index, and an introductory essay that is comparable in length to a journal article.

While accuracy is vital, translations should be prepared with an ear to readability. What is needed is a happy medium—a middle way that takes into account all of the words of the original text but is free of archaisms and neologisms. The result should be an English text that reads smoothly and also provides the reader with a feel for the original. In order to keep the appeal broad, translations should eschew brackets except as a last resort, translate the majority of technical terms, and avoid notes that are excessively long or tangential. Translators are nevertheless expected to use diacritics and to translate verse in such a way that is distinct from prose.

You need not wait until you have a final submission before contacting the series editors. Even if you have only an idea for a translation you’d like to pursue or have only partially completed a translation, we would be glad to discuss it with you and consider how your work could be developed to best fit within the series. Please contact us at CIB [at] wisdompubs [dot] org if you have further questions.

Submissions should contain the following:

• A description of the project (500 to 2000 words). Explain the importance of the text you are translating (i.e., why it should be termed a “classic” of Indian Buddhism) as well as the history of your work on the text (when, where, why, and with whom it began and progressed).
• A curriculum vitae or a narrative author biography, highlighting any relevant qualifications.
• A provisional table of contents.
• At least one sample chapter, in finished form. Submitting more than one chapter or a complete translation is also acceptable.
• A brief bibliography, to include all editions consulted in the preparation of the translation, as well as all significant previous translations and major projects that focus on the work.

All materials should be submitted by email as attachments. You may submit either word-processing documents in a unicode font or PDFs. Your work will not be distributed except for the purpose of evaluation for the series.

Prospective translators do not need to implement the series style before submitting a manuscript; adoption of the series style will be necessary only when a translation has been accepted for publication. Those who are curious, however, are welcome to download Wisdom’s Style Guide for Works on Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.

Please email your submissions to submissions [at] wisdompubs [dot] org.

For over twenty-five years, Wisdom’s Books for Prisoners Program has strived to provide the resources of Buddhism to incarcerated individuals. We have been in contact with more than two thousand prisoners, donating more than 12,000 books. In addition, we’ve also provided many thousands of books to various prison Dharma programs, including Liberation Prison Project, Prison Dharma Network, and Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Each week we receive letters from prisoners, requesting books or sharing touching stories of how they have benefited from the teachings on compassion, mindfulness, and liberation found in our books. Wisdom has an ongoing commitment to this program and to respond positively to all requests.

We are always moved by the expressions of gratitude that we receive from prisoners, some of which you can read below.

Wisdom receives many beautiful works of art made by prisoners. To the right is Shakyamuni Buddha (1999, Oil on Canvas, 14”x19”) by Chris.

“I am most grateful for the books you have provided me. My mother said recently that over the past five years she had seen the anger melt away from my letters. Much of this is due to your help.”—M.N.

“You have helped me construct a meditation practice that has enabled me to turn off the crazy prison noise to be able to play with my mind pretty much everyday.”—J.T.

“I truly consider you all as embodiments of Avalokiteshvara-Kuan Yin—helping to pass on the Dharma so all beings can hear the voice of the World-Honored-One and find lasting peace and joy.”—L.D.

“The books I have received from you have helped change the way I perceive my stay in prison and better deal with everyday problems.”—B.T

“Incarceration provides excellent opportunity for reflection ad meditation for any willing to follow the path. Those efforts have been rewarding to me. I am at peace with myself, my fellow man, have had no disciplinary incidents in the past five years, and now have one of the best and most responsible of prison jobs. When I was transferred to this institution, I had to leave most of my possessions behind at the previous institution. I donated the books you provided me to the Sangha at that place, where I hope they will prove as valuable to others as they were to me.”—B.V.

“Let me begin with a sincere thank you for your kindness and generosity over the past six years that I have been incarcerated. The books you have sent me were often my only connection to the sanity of the Dharma. They provided light and inspiration through some very difficult days.”—R.H.

“With body, speech and mind I prostrate to you and all who aspire to preserve the precious teachings through skillful means, to all the Compassionate Ones who struggle and suffer every moment that we may find our release from our three-tiered pain, without regard to their own benefit, and to those Ultimate Conquerors who have defeated all obstacles for our benefit.”—D.C.

Any and all support that you can offer to Wisdom will help us continue with our Books for Prisoners Program. Please click the Donate Now button below to make a donation. If you wish to mail a donation directly, please make the check out to Wisdom Books for Prisoners Program, and send it to our offices at 199 Elm Street, Somerville MA 02144. You can also make a donation over the phone by calling us at 617-776-7416, ext. 25.

We look forward to working with you towards the compassionate goals of this program.

Thank you for your support.

We offer our deep thanks for your support. Your donation makes it possible for us to continue to publish the best Buddhist writings, illuminating our world with wisdom and compassion. It also enables us to produce free materials such as our Wisdom Journal and the Wisdom Podcast and our Books for Prisoners project.

We will be sending you a confirmation letter shortly. If you donated over $50, this letter will include your Friends of Wisdom discount code. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Wisdom Academy FAQ

Q: How long will I have access to the course once I enroll?

A: Most Wisdom Academy courses include lifetime access to course materials. In the Wisdom Academy, “Lifetime” refers to each product’s lifetime, not to the lifetime of the customer. While Wisdom’s intention is to make these products available for long-term use, it may become necessary to end the “lifetime” of any single product, group of products, or of this service.

Q: Can I download the videos and watch them later?

A: For security reasons, videos cannot be downloaded and must be watched online with an internet connection—but there are no time constraints as to when you must watch them. For most courses, you will be able to download PDFs of readings and MP3s of guided audio meditations to read and listen to offline. (Note: not all courses have guided meditations.)

Q: I live in a different time zone / want to start this course after its launch date. Can I still participate?

A: Yes! You can log in and take part in the course anytime. While the course is initially “live” just after launch while lessons release weekly, the discussion forums will remain active (for the majority of our courses). Once a lesson has been released you can take part in it anytime.

Q: Is there a specific way I should progress through each lesson?

A: You must mark each item (videos, readings and practices, as applicable) complete before you can take the quiz. You can take the quiz as many times as you like, but need to pass the quiz to be able to proceed to the next lesson.

Q: How do I get my certificate of completion?

A: Once you’ve completed the last lesson, just go to the main course page and click the “Print your certificate!” button. This will open a PDF of your signed certificate in a new window.

Q: What technical requirements are there for taking the course?

A: For an optimal experience, you’ll need to have cookies and JavaScript enabled on your device. We also recommend that you use a modern browser (you can find one at www.browsehappy.com) and have pop-ups enabled on your browser, as quizzes will open in new browser tab. If you get an error message about security certificates in the shopping cart or while logging in, please make sure that your browser and operating system support the latest methods of encryption (you can check your compatibility here: www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html).

Q: What are forum guidelines?

Posts in Wisdom Academy forums must be respectful. We do not permit hate speech, bullying, threats, advertising, sexual content, or any offensive content of any kind. Wisdom Academy administrators reserve the right to remove any post at any time, and we may limit certain users’ access in certain cases.

Q: What is your refund policy?

A: If the student is enrolled in a course that is currently running for the first time, with a new lesson being released each week, a 50% refund can be provided before a course has launched and during the week following the release of the first lesson. After lesson 2 is released, refunds cannot be given.

If the student is enrolled in a “backlist” course and is studying at their own pace, a 50% refund can be given if it is requested within one month of purchase and if no more than two lessons have been completed.

Please note that if a course is bought at a discount during a sale, refunds may not be available.

Q: What currency are Wisdom Academy prices in?

A: Wisdom Academy prices are in USD unless marked otherwise.

Still need help? Please contact us via our contact page.

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