The Best Books: Buddhism and Zen Top 10
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The Best Books list Buddhism and Zen Top 10 is designed for beginners and is a mixture of accessible university published books, entry level translations of canonical texts, popular works by modern-day Buddhists, and a very few serious academic works.
1. The Foundations of Buddhism
By Rupert Gethin | Used Price: 70% Off
Buddhism is a vast and complex religious and philosophical tradition with a history that stretches over 2,500 years, and which is now followed by around 115 million people. In this introduction to the foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin concentrates on the ideas and practices which constitute the common ... More »
2. An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices
By Peter Harvey
In this new edition of the best-selling Introduction to Buddhism, Peter Harvey provides a comprehensive introduction to the development of the Buddhist tradition in both Asia and the West. Extensively revised and fully updated, this new edition draws on recent scholarship in the field, exploring the tensions and ... More »
3. Buddhism in Practice
By Donald Lopez
This anthology, first published in 1995, illustrates the vast scope of Buddhist practice in Asia, past and present. Re-released now in a slimmer but still extensive edition, Buddhism in Practice presents a selection of thirty-five translated texts--each preceded by a substantial introduction by its translator. These unusual ... More »
4. Buddhist Scriptures
By Donald Lopez | Used Price: 70% Off
While Buddhism has no central text comparable to the Bible or Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of the Buddha. In this rich anthology, eminent scholar Donald S. Lopez, Jr. brings together works from a broad ... More »
5. Sayings of the Buddha: New translations from the Pali Nikayas
By Rupert Gethin | Used Price: 60% Off
As more and more westerners study and practice Buddhism, reliable modern translations of the Buddha's teachings are increasingly in demand. One of the main sources for knowledge of the Buddhadharma is the four Pali Nikayas or "collections" of his sayings. Written in Pali, an ancient Indian language closely ... More »
6. The Way of Zen
By Alan Watts | Used Price: 80% Off
Discover how the understanding and practice of Zen can bring peace and enlightenment into your daily life in this classic work, now available on CDNarrated by Ralph Blum, this audio program presents readings of carefully chosen selections from Alan Watts’s classic bestseller, illuminated by rare recordings of the ... More »
7. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism
By D. T. Suzuki | Under $1.00
One of the world’s leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, D. T. Suzuki was the author of more than a hundred works on the subject in both Japanese and English, and was most instrumental in bringing the teachings of Zen Buddhism to the attention of the Western world. Written ... More »
8. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
By Shunryu Suzuki | Used Price: 60% Off
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single ... More »
9. The Koan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism
By Steven Heine | Used Price: 70% Off
Koans are enigmatic spiritual formulas used for religious training in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Arguing that our understanding of the koan tradition has been extremely limited, contributors to this collection examine previously unrecognized factors in the formation of this tradition, and highlight the rich complexity and diversity of ... More »
10. The Making of Buddhist Modernism
A great deal of Buddhist literature and scholarly writing about Buddhism of the past 150 years reflects, and indeed constructs, a historically unique modern Buddhism, even while purporting to represent ancient tradition, timeless teaching, or the "essentials" of Buddhism. This literature, Asian as well as Western, weaves together ... More »
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