The Great Courses: Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad

No understanding of human life could be complete without factoring in the role and contribution of four history-shaping teachers: Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. These 36 lectures take you deep into the life stories and legacies of these four iconic figures, revealing the core, original teachings, and thoughts of each, and shedding light on the historical processes that underlie their enduring impact. First, in their presentation of the vital wisdom of each sage, these lectures offer you the chance to reflect in depth on the most essential values of spirituality and the art of living, seen from four archetypal perspectives. Second, these lectures provide far-reaching insight into the historical contexts and individual lives of the four sages, and how the religious and philosophical traditions we associate them with came into being. The lectures serve as a unique window on the origins of these traditions, through their focus on the teachings, actions, and historical roles of the sages who inspired them. In uncovering the original wisdom and practices of each sage, you'll grapple with these key questions: How did each man understand the nature of the universe and ultimate reality? How did each envision the human self and the matter of human fulfillment? What moral and ethical principles did each advocate, and why? What spiritual disciplines did each practice and teach as a means of self-realization? What do texts like the Confucian Analects, the Buddhist Pali Canon, the Gospels, and the Hadith of Islam reveal about the movements these individuals inspired? In words reflecting profound and compassionate insight, these lectures bring the teachings vividly to life as they speak to their essential purpose - as a guide to the realities, challenges, and possibilities of life - and as they shed light on the choices we all face in living deliberately and savoring life to the fullest.