Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Butterfly,
Please look into Nina van Gorkom. I think you will appreciate her journey and the translations she has done. A very remarkable person.
the grackle
Yep I got that one and - are there good beginners books in Dutch for meditation. Or good internet resources; my English is pretty good but this reading is probably to comprehensive to do in another language then my own
Read your own heart instead. Take Wat Pah Pong for example. These days many university graduates are coming to ordain. I try to stop them from spending their time reading books about Dhamma, because these people are always reading books. They have so many opportunities for reading books, but opportunities for reading their own hearts are rare. So, when they come to ordain for three months following the Thai custom, we try to get them to close their books and manuals. While they are ordained they have this splendid opportunity to read their own hearts.
Listening to your own heart is really very interesting. This untrained heart races around following its own untrained habits. It jumps about excitedly, randomly, because it has never been trained. Therefore train your heart! Buddhist meditation is about the heart; to develop the heart or mind, to develop your own heart. This is very, very important. This training of the heart is the main emphasis. Buddhism is the religion of the heart. Only this! One who practices to develop the heart is one who practices Buddhism.
I recently finished reading Thich Nhat Hanh's "No Death, No Fear", which I checked out from the library. I really enjoyed it, and I may get myself a personal copy for later readings.
I have a few of my own books, though...
"Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion In Everyday Life" by HH the Dalai Lama
"The Dhammapada"
"Bhagavad-Gita" (even though it's Hindu, there is still good stuff in there)
"When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times" by Pema Chodron
I haven't read the Chodron book yet, but I really liked the others.
I also have Thubten Chodron's "Buddhism For Beginners" coming in the mail. That ought to help me along somewhat.
I recently finished reading Thich Nhat Hanh's "No Death, No Fear", which I checked out from the library. I really enjoyed it, and I may get myself a personal copy for later readings.
I have a few of my own books, though...
"Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion In Everyday Life" by HH the Dalai Lama
"The Dhammapada"
"Bhagavad-Gita" (even though it's Hindu, there is still good stuff in there)
"When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times" by Pema Chodron
I haven't read the Chodron book yet, but I really liked the others.
I also have Thubten Chodron's "Buddhism For Beginners" coming in the mail. That ought to help me along somewhat.
I think those are all excellent choices, BB. I'm sure you're going to enjoy than immensely.
Maybe we can set up some kind of buddhist book exchange here? Have a list of the books you have and others can offer a trade. Media mail is fairly inexpensive, so I think it'd be quite a deal. Anyone interested?
I have read a great many books in regards to Buddhism from books from HH the Dalai Lama to Jack Kornfield. Out of all the books there are two that stand out the most for me.
<o></o>
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon
<o></o> Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah
<o></o>
The first one is a collection of select Discourses from the Pali so you have a chance to study the closes thing to Buddha’s teachings we know of and it is accompanied by wonderful commentaries by Bhikkhu Bodhi which are just as insightful as the text itself.
<o></o>
The second one though is my favorite by far. It has a forward by Jack Kornfield and an introduction by Ajahn Amaro which are quite lovely. The real gem lies within the actual content of Ajahn Chah’s wonderful teachings. I have found more wisdom and insight from this book than all my others ones combined. He is truthful and straight to the point at all moments. He lays down your problems in bare form in front of you and then points, this is your problem and this is how to solve it. I highly suggest getting this book.
I agree with you about "Food for the Heart", kenny.
This is the single most important book in my practice.
It has put everything together for me, all the bits and pieces I've been picking up over the last few years. It's brought everything into a coherent whole and I never go anywhere without it.
I'm so grateful that Ajahn Chah lived and taught and grateful that his students put this book together.
One of the first books I read on Buddhism and ultimately the one that peaked my interest in this path was "Seeking the Heart of Wisdom" by Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein. Very good information for the new seeker and it was written in a way that really captures the importance of lovingkindness in our lives. Another great one for me, as a person in the helping profession, was also by Kornfield and was called "A Path With Heart." It's great for anyone grappling with issues either in their spiritual practice or in their daily lives - be it substance abuse, codependency or mental health problems. It also tackles a number of other issues. I'm a big fan of all of the Kornfield / Goldstein / Salzberg works but those two are definitely favorites.
I have a copy of Siddhartha and haven't managed to read it yet. I enjoyed Deepak Chopra's Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment. I'm thinking of reading his Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment as well.
Has anyone read both Siddhartha and Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment? I wonder how similar they are.
I'll add a few here as well, although I still consider myself a newbie to meditation and dharma and very much a newbie to this site, so I'm not sure if I'm about to faux all over my pas, nonetheless...
Dharma Punx By Noah Levine
Against the stream By Noah Levine
What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
The complete idiots Guide to understanding Buddhism by Gary Gach
You know what there are so many, and I am one of those that love books on subjectsbut would occasionally intellectuise and make academic points that should be experientially known.
Slarti,
Good to see you hear. You know me by another name from the old site.
I liked your choice of books, even though for me its usually "What The Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula. Even an old geezer like me can appreciate "Dharma Punx"however.
You know there can be a fine balance between that which is known by the intellect and that which is known by experience. The path is easier with a shoe on each foot.
I would suggest the Dhammapada and the Heart Sutra.
I have read several versions of the Dhammapadda. The one I repeatedly read (and listen to) is "The Dhammapada - Teachings of the Buddha" translated by Gil Fronsdal. It comes with an accompanying CD read by Jack Kornfield. I keep copies of the CD's in my car - very convenient if stuck in a traffic jam! Will try to get some of the books suggested in this thread - but it aint gonna to be easy getting them in Africa.
Well, I'm sure you can find lots of suggestions on this thread. I think a really good book to start with is What the Buddha Taught by Walpole Rahula. He really lays out the basics in very clear, easy to understand terms.
Hi, I am new to this site and to the Buddha's teachings which I found to be very inspiring to me. Now I have a good idea of what books to start reading to get more of an understanding. Very informative, thanks all
I'm so glad for these forums. I went and picked up The Miracle of Mindfulness and also Touching Peace, both by Thich Nhat Hanh. I really wanted Being Peace by him as well but didn't see it in the book store.
Not "Buddhist" books but a couple of wonderful ones that I read over the holidays:
Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann
and Where Three Roads Meet by Salley Vickers
I find it very necessary to read 'fiction' to help digest all the heavy stuff. In fact, I have learnmed more from novels than from most of the professional texts I was obliged to study.
Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and wanted thank all of you for the great recommendations.
Two books that I have really enjoyed by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche The Joy of Living and Joyful Wisdom. Yongey suffered from anxiety and severe panic disorder as a child. Hearing from a teacher who has had faced real problems and overcome them really inspired me. He examines Buddhism from an Eastern and scientific perspective. He examines what happens to the meditative mind and how meditation actually changes the brain.
Thanks for all these great book suggestions!!! What an incredible thread! I have my summer reading all planned. I have read a few dali lama, pema chordon, and Thich Nhat Hanh books, but now I may have to broaden my horizons.
Thanks and namaste my friends!
Two books that I have really enjoyed by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche The Joy of Living and Joyful Wisdom. Yongey suffered from anxiety and severe panic disorder as a child. Hearing from a teacher who has had faced real problems and overcome them really inspired me. He examines Buddhism from an Eastern and scientific perspective. He examines what happens to the meditative mind and how meditation actually changes the brain.
Thanks for the tip, Haven. They sound interesting. I'll check them out.
Hey. Just thought that I'd contribute to the thread.
Whereas I do read some other books and study other texts and commentaries, I do keep going back to these two..
1) "Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand"- a written version of a famous month long oral teaching of Lam Rim by Pabonka Rinpoche. Though I have both studied and own the three volumes of Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo, I enjoy Liberation, as it is not so much a text as it is a concise practical guide filled with examples and analogies as it takes one through the stages of the path. Pabonka's teaching style really hit's the points home. The opening chapter alone motivates great renunciation and bodhicitta. Probably my Fave, and if I had to choose, the one book I would take with me.
2)Shantideva's "Bodhicaryavattara" (Bodhisattva's Way Of Life). Another great text, this one in verse format.
There are many other good books that I've read earlier on, such as "The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying", "How To Practice...", for example but the above mentioned are my picks.
I see I am not the only one who liked this book ...
I have just finished reading 'When Things Fall Apart' by Pema Chodron.
I was very impressed & would recommend it 2 everyone - not just those whose lives might be falling apart.
Here's a little sample ...
Somehow, without cultivating unlimited friendliness for ourselves, we don't progress along the path.
Awakeness is found in our pleasure and our pain, our confusion and our wisdom, available in each moment of our weird, unfathomable, ordinary everyday lives.
…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity,
exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.
Rather than letting our negativity get the better of us, we could acknowledge that right now we feel like a piece of shit and not be squeamish about taking a good look.
If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.
When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality.
Essence of the Upanishads, A Key to Indian Spirituality by Eknath Easwaran
Not a 'Buddhist' book, but very interesting as it explores another ancient Indian wisdom text ( Katha Upanishad) that appeared around about the Buddha's time, and taught in the same greater Gangetic plain.
Apart from the serious stuff, the book is interspersed with the authors own day-to-day experiences and reflections:
Outside my window there is a lilac bush, which I see every morning at breakfast. I don't think I ever saw a lilac until I came to this country. I used to ask my English teacher, who happened to be my uncle, "What is this lilac?" He would just shrug and say, "How should I know?"
Now the lilac has become one of my favourite flowers. A few months ago I had only to open the window to smell its heady perfume, and for two or three weeks it was in opulent blossom. Then one day I noticed that the blossoms had shrivelled and died; their fragrance no longer filled the air. How quickly it was over! For me it was not a lesson in horticulture; it was an urgent, personal message: "Everything passes. You haven't got much time." .....
Do check out books by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. It doesn't use big words, simple and straightforward yet highly engaging and entertaining (respectfully)
His books can be purchased at Kechara.com/shop or amazon.com
A few titles I'd recommend:
1) If Not Now, When? Peace Edition - beautiful coffeetable book of quote extracted from Tsem Tulku's teachings as well as sms teachings Tsem Tulku sends to his students
2) Peace - i love how this book is categorized to help us understand what is peace, what is not peace etc...
3) Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale - for those who are seeking to understand how to find a Guru in the Tibetan school of Buddhism, what to expect from a Guru, why is one center and one lama important in our spiritual growth etc... including centre bashing..
Do also get a copy of Life Store of Lama Tsongkhapa depicted in graphic novel style. Very beautifully drawn and the story is accurate. It's catered for both children and adults. You can also get this book from kechara.com/eshop
I love every bit of it, especially the prophecy of Buddha Shakyamuni about the coming of Je Tsongkhapa, his birth, his deeds, etc..You will certainly enjoy this book and find it most informational and inspiring.
I just found a book called The Mindful Path to Self Compassion by Christopher K. Germer. Has anyone read this? I've read the few few chapters and some random sections throughout the book and am very impressed by what I'm seeing. The book is essentially an introduction to mindfulness as well as the Four Limitless Qualities meditations in the context of modern Western life. I actually like this better than Sharon Salzberg's Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness because it more clearly outlines the possible directions one might go in while practicing these meditations and it incorporates recent research in psychology and neuroscience (and includes some cute little cartoons, lol). Germer's explanations of these meditations are also very clear and straightforward.
The cover and title looked similar to The mindful Way through Depression which I read about a year and a half ago and found extremely helpful.
Comments
My work is done. I can depart. LOL
"Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert.
A woman's global quest to re-centre herself and find the happiness within.
It's readable, educational and very entertaining.
It might appeal to a man's 'feminine side'.....:p
Palzang
Please look into Nina van Gorkom. I think you will appreciate her journey and the translations she has done. A very remarkable person.
the grackle
And Nina van Gorkom I'll go look for that...
Add: there's one book however it seems pretty hard for a buddhism newbie to get through, might wait till I have more understanding.
I would suggest TNH's The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching (NL: Hart van de boeddha s leer):
http://www.bol.com/nl/p/boeken/hart-van-de-boeddha-s-leer/666852959/index.html
Ow I got one, http://www.sleuteltotinzicht.nl/div015.htm
Read your own heart instead. Take Wat Pah Pong for example. These days many university graduates are coming to ordain. I try to stop them from spending their time reading books about Dhamma, because these people are always reading books. They have so many opportunities for reading books, but opportunities for reading their own hearts are rare. So, when they come to ordain for three months following the Thai custom, we try to get them to close their books and manuals. While they are ordained they have this splendid opportunity to read their own hearts.
Listening to your own heart is really very interesting. This untrained heart races around following its own untrained habits. It jumps about excitedly, randomly, because it has never been trained. Therefore train your heart! Buddhist meditation is about the heart; to develop the heart or mind, to develop your own heart. This is very, very important. This training of the heart is the main emphasis. Buddhism is the religion of the heart. Only this! One who practices to develop the heart is one who practices Buddhism.
~ Luang Por Chah
The Training of the Heart
I have a few of my own books, though...
"Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn
"An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion In Everyday Life" by HH the Dalai Lama
"The Dhammapada"
"Bhagavad-Gita" (even though it's Hindu, there is still good stuff in there)
"When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice For Difficult Times" by Pema Chodron
I haven't read the Chodron book yet, but I really liked the others.
I also have Thubten Chodron's "Buddhism For Beginners" coming in the mail. That ought to help me along somewhat.
When Things Fall Apart - is a wonderful book that helped me so much when my husband was under going cemo and radiation.
I highly recommend it.
I totally agree with you about Pema Chodron, as you know. What a wonderful teacher and what a wonderful book!
Quite simply, brilliant.
And brilliantly simple, too....:)
Did you ever manage, Les?
<o></o>
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon
<o></o>
Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah
<o></o>
The first one is a collection of select Discourses from the Pali so you have a chance to study the closes thing to Buddha’s teachings we know of and it is accompanied by wonderful commentaries by Bhikkhu Bodhi which are just as insightful as the text itself.
<o></o>
The second one though is my favorite by far. It has a forward by Jack Kornfield and an introduction by Ajahn Amaro which are quite lovely. The real gem lies within the actual content of Ajahn Chah’s wonderful teachings. I have found more wisdom and insight from this book than all my others ones combined. He is truthful and straight to the point at all moments. He lays down your problems in bare form in front of you and then points, this is your problem and this is how to solve it. I highly suggest getting this book.
This is the single most important book in my practice.
It has put everything together for me, all the bits and pieces I've been picking up over the last few years. It's brought everything into a coherent whole and I never go anywhere without it.
I'm so grateful that Ajahn Chah lived and taught and grateful that his students put this book together.
I have a copy of Siddhartha and haven't managed to read it yet. I enjoyed Deepak Chopra's Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment. I'm thinking of reading his Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment as well.
Has anyone read both Siddhartha and Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment? I wonder how similar they are.
Dharma Punx By Noah Levine
Against the stream By Noah Levine
What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
The complete idiots Guide to understanding Buddhism by Gary Gach
You know what there are so many, and I am one of those that love books on subjectsbut would occasionally intellectuise and make academic points that should be experientially known.
Good to see you hear. You know me by another name from the old site.
I liked your choice of books, even though for me its usually "What The Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula. Even an old geezer like me can appreciate "Dharma Punx"however.
You know there can be a fine balance between that which is known by the intellect and that which is known by experience. The path is easier with a shoe on each foot.
grackle
"In the Buddha's Words -an anthology of discourses from the Pali Canon" by Bhikku Bodhi.
I'd also recommend "The Sound of Silence" by Ajahn Sumedho to those who have a grasp of the basic teachings of the Buddha.
_/\_
"Mindfulness in Plain English" & "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness", both by Bhante Henepola Gunaranta.
"Old Path, White Clouds" by TNH.
"Tibetan Book of Living & Dying" by Soygal Rinpoche.
"Awakening the Buddha Within" by Lama Surya Das.
"What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula.
Metta.
I have read several versions of the Dhammapadda. The one I repeatedly read (and listen to) is "The Dhammapada - Teachings of the Buddha" translated by Gil Fronsdal. It comes with an accompanying CD read by Jack Kornfield. I keep copies of the CD's in my car - very convenient if stuck in a traffic jam! Will try to get some of the books suggested in this thread - but it aint gonna to be easy getting them in Africa.
Lots of books by Buddhist masters, Ajahn Chah, Buddhadasa, TNH, Buddha Dhatu etc but mostly from the Theravada traditions
Palzang
Jeremy
I read a book by Ajahn Sumehdo called "Now is the Knowing" which I thought was great. Its freely available from Thai Forest Centres around the world.
I was just wondering if any of you guys have read it and what you think of it?
I can't wait to sit down and start reading.
Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann
and
Where Three Roads Meet by Salley Vickers
I find it very necessary to read 'fiction' to help digest all the heavy stuff. In fact, I have learnmed more from novels than from most of the professional texts I was obliged to study.
Two books that I have really enjoyed by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
The Joy of Living and Joyful Wisdom. Yongey suffered from anxiety and severe panic disorder as a child. Hearing from a teacher who has had faced real problems and overcome them really inspired me. He examines Buddhism from an Eastern and scientific perspective. He examines what happens to the meditative mind and how meditation actually changes the brain.
Thanks and namaste my friends!
Thanks for the tip, Haven. They sound interesting. I'll check them out.
Palzang
Whereas I do read some other books and study other texts and commentaries, I do keep going back to these two..
1) "Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand"- a written version of a famous month long oral teaching of Lam Rim by Pabonka Rinpoche. Though I have both studied and own the three volumes of Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo, I enjoy Liberation, as it is not so much a text as it is a concise practical guide filled with examples and analogies as it takes one through the stages of the path. Pabonka's teaching style really hit's the points home. The opening chapter alone motivates great renunciation and bodhicitta. Probably my Fave, and if I had to choose, the one book I would take with me.
2)Shantideva's "Bodhicaryavattara" (Bodhisattva's Way Of Life). Another great text, this one in verse format.
There are many other good books that I've read earlier on, such as "The Tibetan Book Of Living And Dying", "How To Practice...", for example but the above mentioned are my picks.
I see I am not the only one who liked this book ...
I have just finished reading 'When Things Fall Apart' by Pema Chodron.
I was very impressed & would recommend it 2 everyone - not just those whose lives might be falling apart.
Here's a little sample ...
Somehow, without cultivating unlimited friendliness for ourselves, we don't progress along the path.
Awakeness is found in our pleasure and our pain, our confusion and our wisdom, available in each moment of our weird, unfathomable, ordinary everyday lives.
…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity,
exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.
Rather than letting our negativity get the better of us, we could acknowledge that right now we feel like a piece of shit and not be squeamish about taking a good look.
If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.
When things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality.
Enjoy!
Essence of the Upanishads, A Key to Indian Spirituality
by Eknath Easwaran
Not a 'Buddhist' book, but very interesting as it explores another ancient Indian wisdom text ( Katha Upanishad) that appeared around about the Buddha's time, and taught in the same greater Gangetic plain.
Apart from the serious stuff, the book is interspersed with the authors own day-to-day experiences and reflections:
I am really enjoying this book....
His books can be purchased at Kechara.com/shop or amazon.com
A few titles I'd recommend:
1) If Not Now, When? Peace Edition - beautiful coffeetable book of quote extracted from Tsem Tulku's teachings as well as sms teachings Tsem Tulku sends to his students
2) Peace - i love how this book is categorized to help us understand what is peace, what is not peace etc...
3) Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale - for those who are seeking to understand how to find a Guru in the Tibetan school of Buddhism, what to expect from a Guru, why is one center and one lama important in our spiritual growth etc... including centre bashing..
I love every bit of it, especially the prophecy of Buddha Shakyamuni about the coming of Je Tsongkhapa, his birth, his deeds, etc..You will certainly enjoy this book and find it most informational and inspiring.
I'm sure I'll find it helpful for my meditation practice.
The cover and title looked similar to The mindful Way through Depression which I read about a year and a half ago and found extremely helpful.