Suggested Readings

BYOZM doesn’t want to sell you anything. Rather feeding the algorithms of online stores, I thought it would be better to link to an open resource. Each of the links below will take you directly to an Open Library page related to the title.

All links should open in a new tab. Do what you want from there.

General

  • What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula
    • A very good introduction to important Buddhist concepts. Worth reading multiple times. I wish I had started with this book early on – I might have taken Buddhism more seriously.
  • The Noble Eightfold Path, Bhikkhu Bodhi
    • In my opinion Bhikkhu Bodhi is a living legend, and one of the most trustworthy Buddhist scholars to ever come out of the West. Bodhi provides a clear and detailed presentation of the Noble Eightfold Path, and what it means to practice it.
  • Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha, E.A. Burtt
    • I started my journey reading the Tao Te Ching in 1994. Shortly after that I got this book. It might not be the easiest read, but this book packs a lot into just over 200 pages. There’s a special place in my heart for this one.
  • A Buddhist Bible, Dwight Goddard
    • This one is similar to Burtt’s work, but massive.
  • The Dhammapada, Eknath Easwaran
    • I think the first version of the Dhammapada I read was part of a collection – was it in Burtt’s book? Regardless, this is a good version with excellent commentary from Easwaran. Any version of the Dhammapada is worth reading.
  • The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva
    • A beautiful book of verses committed to describing the discipline of the bodhisattva.
  • The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Bhikkhu Nanamoli
    • This is a big one. This book is a good reference as well as a place to take a deep dive into canon. If you’re going to get into it, I highly recommend finding Bhikkhu Bodhi’s recorded lecture series and listening to a lecture before or after reading each sutta.
  • In the Buddha’s Words, Bhikkhu Bodhi
    • A good anthology of suttas with introductions to each subject by Bhikkhu Bodhi. An easier pill to swallow than the MN.

Zen

I’ll spare you the individual anecdotes for the remaining titles. The first four are, for me, what Zen teachings should be. Short and to the point. One moment its a fuzzy idea, the next you are smacked in the face. In my opinion, they are essential reading.

The remaining titles are all very good for a variety of reasons. None of them are perfect or above critique, but all are worthwhile reads. To that point, I don’t think I’ve encountered a book that wasn’t worth a few minutes of my time.