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Need Further Help w/ Recommended Reading
Hello Folks,
Honestly I got frustrated after ordering a bunch of books from shambala.com that were touted as being good for beginners. I am posting here so that someone can hopefully steer me toward some books that can help me.
Just to let you know, I have a VERY low tolerance for books that are "dry, scholarly, inaccessible" OR Sunday-schoolish, preachy and simplistic. Here is some of the stuff I liked and didn't like, so that maybe someone can recommend some books that will be of help to me.
The books on Buddhism that I loved were:
1) Steve Hagen - "Buddhism Plain and Simple". This guy is direct and modern. No babble about mindlessness. Plenty of everyday examples.
2) Gavin Harrison - "In the Lap of the Buddha". This is the best book, from where I stand, because he talks about his own personal struggle with sexual abuse and AIDs. He is totally REAL.
So are there any more Gavin Harrison type buddhist books out there, or authors who are REAL - not just preaching about some mental bullshit?
Some examples of books that I ordered and was frustrated with were:
1). Ajahn Chan "Being Dharma". Its described on shambala.com as "entertaining" ?!? Its preachy and dry. HATE IT!
2) "The bodhi tree grows in LA". This book is completely Sunday-schoolish and preachy with NO depth. YUCK!
Also, I like Pema Chodrun, its stuff I can relate to and learn from. I can't stand Thich Nat Hahn and babble about mindfulness!!!
I hope I haven't offended anyone with this post. Thank You!
Honestly I got frustrated after ordering a bunch of books from shambala.com that were touted as being good for beginners. I am posting here so that someone can hopefully steer me toward some books that can help me.
Just to let you know, I have a VERY low tolerance for books that are "dry, scholarly, inaccessible" OR Sunday-schoolish, preachy and simplistic. Here is some of the stuff I liked and didn't like, so that maybe someone can recommend some books that will be of help to me.
The books on Buddhism that I loved were:
1) Steve Hagen - "Buddhism Plain and Simple". This guy is direct and modern. No babble about mindlessness. Plenty of everyday examples.
2) Gavin Harrison - "In the Lap of the Buddha". This is the best book, from where I stand, because he talks about his own personal struggle with sexual abuse and AIDs. He is totally REAL.
So are there any more Gavin Harrison type buddhist books out there, or authors who are REAL - not just preaching about some mental bullshit?
Some examples of books that I ordered and was frustrated with were:
1). Ajahn Chan "Being Dharma". Its described on shambala.com as "entertaining" ?!? Its preachy and dry. HATE IT!
2) "The bodhi tree grows in LA". This book is completely Sunday-schoolish and preachy with NO depth. YUCK!
Also, I like Pema Chodrun, its stuff I can relate to and learn from. I can't stand Thich Nat Hahn and babble about mindfulness!!!
I hope I haven't offended anyone with this post. Thank You!
0
Comments
1)The "please teach me how to be happy in the moment, refresh my memory about how to stop, breathe, and look deeply!" side. Thich Nhat Hanh is wonderful for this...I've read at least 3 of his books, and keep The Miracle of Mindfulness on my iPhone for emergencies.
2)The "Okay, cut to the chase and tell me about the dharma in modern terms" side. Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen was enjoyable, if you think you can enjoy a book about zen. He doesn't go in for the trappings and the quiet talk, and I can respect that.
There's also a third, nuts and bolts type of book that I enjoy; the type that really goes into the mechanics of meditation. Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, by Daniel Ingram, has been very helpful to me. It really breaks down the practice of Samatha and Vipassana in a most "unclerical" manner. It can be a bit controversial, though, and is probably not for everyone..
That last book is freely available on his website, btw.
Perhaps you might try scouting the local library or bookstore to scan some books first. That way you may get a better idea of what speaks to you more.
Don't forget that in Buddhism, the knowing is in the doing, so the doing in the end is what is most important.
Gassho, and good luck,
Abu