Favorite Buddhist books

[Gibbon]

I am not sure if this is the right subforum to put this, but I thought it is time to compile a list of recommended Buddhist books.  There were extensive resources collected on the old forum, but we can start afresh here.

I will launch it with The Dhammapada.

Not to do any evil,
to cultivate good,
to purify one’s mind,
this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.

[MarasAndBuddhas]

All books by Sunryu Sazuki have been pretty helpful to me, "mindfulness in plain english" is pretty good, so is "the book" by alan watts. I guess alan watts wasn't really a buddhist in the strict sense, but he certainly dabbled in it and most commentators refer to him as one.

[Anemephistus]

"The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation " would be my favorite fundamental.

Found on Amazon if you like!

[Anemephistus]

All books by Sunryu Sazuki have been pretty helpful to me, "mindfulness in plain english" is pretty good, so is "the book" by alan watts. I guess alan watts wasn't really a buddhist in the strict sense, but he certainly dabbled in it and most commentators refer to him as one.

Would you mind linking to a copy of a couple of your favorites?

[Chaz]

Start Where You Are - Pema Chodren

[MarasAndBuddhas]

All books by Sunryu Sazuki have been pretty helpful to me, "mindfulness in plain english" is pretty good, so is "the book" by alan watts. I guess alan watts wasn't really a buddhist in the strict sense, but he certainly dabbled in it and most commentators refer to him as one.

Would you mind linking to a copy of a couple of your favorites?

Sure thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Mind-Beginners-50th-Anniversary/dp/1611808413/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U9IX34HTJ0ZL&dchild=1&keywords=zen+mind+beginners+mind+by+shunryu+suzuki&qid=1603911823&s=books&sprefix=zen+mind+beginners%2Caps%2C197&sr=1-1

and...

https://www.amazon.com/Not-Always-So-Practicing-Spirit/dp/0060957549/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2PSLEM9CYC08V&dchild=1&keywords=shunryu+suzuki&qid=1603911934&s=books&sprefix=shynryuu+suzuki%2Cstripbooks%2C321&sr=1-2

The first one has many different versions, so dont feel you need to settle on that price, the only differences are the introductions. The only book of his i havent read is "the crooked cucumber", which is less instructional but is more of stories about his monastic practice...

[Gibbon]

Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana:

Free online, 
https://mindfulness-in-plain-english.github.io/

On Amazon,
https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-English-Bhante-Henepola-Gunaratana/dp/0861719069/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Dhammapada, free online:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.intro.budd.html

One of the available editions on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Translation-Buddhist-Classic-Annotations/dp/1590303806/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=dhammapada&qid=1603986105&sr=8-3

[Anemephistus]

Thank you all so much for the links! I live in a place where many of the things I share, and that are contemplated here are not available to discuss in person with others unless I introduce the topics, so I really like being able to find and read credible courses...To any of you have second string picks for things which were more advanced and helped your later practices, Blogs, retreats, podcasts, videos or other things which brought you a better understanding of the topics you were studying?

[Gibbon]

Sorry it took me a while to respond!  Here is a link to the book Chaz recommends:

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living
https://www.amazon.com/Start-Where-You-Are-Compassionate/dp/1570628394

In general, anything by Pema Chodron is good.

Another great book, a classic, is Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Shantideva.  There are a number of translations, here is one:

https://www.amazon.com/Way-Bodhisattva-Bodhicaryavatara-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590303881/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=shantideva&qid=1605476403&s=books&sr=1-2

There are more authors that one can recommend.  About podcasts and video lectures, I don't know much about them but will see what's out there -- maybe we can set up a thread dedicated to such things.

[MarasAndBuddhas]

Sorry it took me a while to respond!  Here is a link to the book Chaz recommends:

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living
https://www.amazon.com/Start-Where-You-Are-Compassionate/dp/1570628394

In general, anything by Pema Chodron is good.

I'm definetly gonig to read this one, the title is basically perfect, some of the problem i've had with her work before is that it can be too wordy.

[Chaz]

I'm definetly gonig to read this one, the title is basically perfect, some of the problem i've had with her work before is that it can be too wordy.

One thing to keep in mind about books like Ani Pema's is that it isn't written in the conventional sense.  She didn't sit down at a typewriter and compose the book.  It was originally a series of teachings, that were recorded, transcribed, edited, proofread and published.  Most of this work is done by her students.

The book is primarily about Lojong, but Ani Pema also teaches about Tonglen practice and how to do it.

Good stuff.