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Two simple questions...

GunnarGunnar
edited February 2010 in Buddhism Basics
1. I have a copy of the Dhammapada, which other texts would you recommend? There are so many out there, and I am a bit confused.

2. What, if any, are your favorite online resources?

Thanks all,

Gunnar

Comments

  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited February 2010
    Welcome to the forum, Gunnar.
    Gunnar wrote: »
    1. I have a copy of the Dhammapada, which other texts would you recommend? There are so many out there, and I am a bit confused.

    The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya
    2. What, if any, are your favorite online resources?

    Access to Insight

    I hope these suggestions are helpful.

    Jason
  • GunnarGunnar
    edited February 2010
    Thanks Jason! I was wondering more specifically about the texts, or canons. Like I said, I have the Dhammapada in book form, I am wandering what other texts there are.

    Thanks again!
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    Thanks Jason! I was wondering more specifically about the texts, or canons. Like I said, I have the Dhammapada in book form, I am wandering what other texts there are.
    Ooooooo, there are lots of other texts. :-)

    If you want to dive right into the suttas, anything translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi is a good choice. If you want some help understanding the suttas, Bodhi's "In The Buddha's Words" contains his translations of excerpts that illustrate important points of Theravada teaching, along with his commentary.

    Are you only interested in the Theravada canon? If you want suggestions on Mahayana texts, we can give those also.
  • GunnarGunnar
    edited February 2010
    I was more specifically interested in Zen, what texts do they usually adhere to?
  • nibbutinibbuti
    edited February 2010
    Hi Gunnar

    Here are some good free books. <embed id="ZeroClipboardMovie_1" src="about:blank" loop="false" menu="false" quality="best" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="ZeroClipboardMovie_1" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="false" scale="noScale" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer&quot; flashvars="id=1&width=80&height=14" wmode="transparent" height="14" width="80" align="middle">

    thecap
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    I was more specifically interested in Zen, what texts do they usually adhere to?
    Are you looking for sutras? Koan collections?
  • GunnarGunnar
    edited February 2010
    RenGalskap wrote: »
    Are you looking for sutras? Koan collections?

    Sutras, I guess for lack of a better term the Zen "bible."

    Thanks again!

    Gunnar
  • ValtielValtiel Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Thanks Jason! I was wondering more specifically about the texts, or canons. Like I said, I have the Dhammapada in book form, I am wandering what other texts there are.
    The suttas in the Pali Canon (the "bible" as you put it =P) are divided into the Nikayas. For example the Dhammapada is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya. I would second Jason's recommendation of the suttas in the Majjhima Nikaya to start with. Jason linked you to a physical copy of the collection, but you can also find it online here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/index.html

    However, Zen also includes Mahayana sutras--I'm sure someone else can suggest some.

    I would also second the recommendation of Access to Insight which contains a good portion of the Pali Canon. For commentaries and personal interpretations and teachings, I would highly recommend What the Buddha Taught.
  • GunnarGunnar
    edited February 2010
    this is starting to get confusing, I am wondering if there is an easy diagram or list of Buddhist texts?
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    this is starting to get confusing, I am wondering if there is an easy diagram or list of Buddhist texts?

    The discourses of the Buddha that are recorded in the Pali Canon are generally considered to be the closest thing we have to what the Buddha taught. You can find a diagram of them here.
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    Sutras, I guess for lack of a better term the Zen "bible."
    No such thing. As an example, the Heroic March Sutra is spurious; it was written in China. Some Chan masters considered it an important sutra, and others detected its spuriousness and rejected it. It was very influential in Chan, but would you include it in the canon? That's just one example of the difficulty of compiling a Chan (Zen) bible.

    Some important sutras:
    Buddhist Wisdom, by Edward Conze. Conze's translation of the Diamond and Heart Sutras. Worth reading just for Conze's comments. Conze has translated other Prajnaparamita sutras.

    Zen and the Art of Insight, by Thomas Cleary. Selections from the Prajnaparamita literature, including a couple sutras. Horrible title, and T. Cleary has a reputation as translator for being fast and sloppy. On the other hand, I don't know where else to find this in English.

    The Lotus Sutra, translated by Gene Reeves.

    The Nirvana Sutra. Unfortunately, the best version available at the moment seems to be Tony Page's re-edited version of Yamamoto's translation. Supposedly, Stephen Hodge is working on a new translation of both the Tibetan text and the 36 fascicle Chinese text. I don't know when that will be published. Page's edition is available free on the web.
  • GunnarGunnar
    edited February 2010
    RenGalskap wrote: »
    No such thing. As an example, the Heroic March Sutra is spurious; it was written in China. Some Chan masters considered it an important sutra, and others detected its spuriousness and rejected it. It was very influential in Chan, but would you include it in the canon? That's just one example of the difficulty of compiling a Chan (Zen) bible.

    Some important sutras:
    Buddhist Wisdom, by Edward Conze. Conze's translation of the Diamond and Heart Sutras. Worth reading just for Conze's comments. Conze has translated other Prajnaparamita sutras.

    Zen and the Art of Insight, by Thomas Cleary. Selections from the Prajnaparamita literature, including a couple sutras. Horrible title, and T. Cleary has a reputation as translator for being fast and sloppy. On the other hand, I don't know where else to find this in English.

    The Lotus Sutra, translated by Gene Reeves.

    The Nirvana Sutra. Unfortunately, the best version available at the moment seems to be Tony Page's re-edited version of Yamamoto's translation. Supposedly, Stephen Hodge is working on a new translation of both the Tibetan text and the 36 fascicle Chinese text. I don't know when that will be published. Page's edition is available free on the web.

    Okay, I thank you all for your responses, I have a lot of material here to sift through.

    This is the beginning of a long and inspiring journey.

    Gunnar
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    I am wondering if there is an easy diagram or list of Buddhist texts?
    The Taisho Daizokyo, a Japanese edition of the Chinese canon, contains 2184 texts in fifty five volumes. Beyond that there are innumerable commentaries, some of which have been as influential as the major sutras. I don't believe that you'll find an "easy" list. :-)
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited February 2010
    Gunnar wrote: »
    I have a copy of the Dhammapada, which other texts would you recommend?
    The Anguttara Nikaya is light reading with alot of variety.

    Very enjoyable. :)
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited February 2010
    dogen zenji is one of the best representatives of zen. he's great. you should read some compilation of his writings or shobogenzo i think is his magnum opus.
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