There are many sources for Buddhist literature:
- Kepler's Bookstore in Menlo Park will donate 10% of your purchase price to IMSB. Buy online, or in the store mention IMSB at the cash register.
- Pariyatti and their publishing arm, Pariyatti Publishing
- Wisdom Publications
- Local independent bookstores.
- Don't forget your local library: even if a book is not on the shelves it's possible to get some books via interlibrary loan.
| For beginners | |
| Arinna Weisman & Jean Smith | The Beginner's Guide to Insight Meditation |
| Henepola Gunaratana | Mindfulness in Plain English |
| Joseph Goldstein | Insight Meditation |
| Martine Batchelor | Meditation for Life |
| Phillip Moffitt | Dancing with Life |
| Sharon Salzberg & Joseph Goldstein | Insight Meditation: A Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate |
| Sharon Salzberg | Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness |
| Shinzen Young | Break Through Pain: A Step-by-Step Mindfulness Meditation Program for Transforming Chronic and Acute Pain |
| Surya Das | Awakening The Buddha Within |
| More mindfulness, concentration and metta practice | |
| Ajahn Brahm | Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond |
| Ajahn Chah | Food For Heart |
| Ayya Khema | Being Nobody, Going Nowhere |
| Bhikku Buddhadasa | Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree |
| Bhikku Buddhadasa | Handbook for Mankind (online book) |
| Christopher Titmuss | Light On Enlightenment |
| Joseph Goldstein | One Dharma |
| Larry Rosenberg | Breath By Breath |
| Sayadaw U Pandita | In This Very Life |
| Shaila Catherine | Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity |
| Shaila Catherine | Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana |
| Practice and everyday life | |
| Eddie & Debbie Shapiro | Clear Mind, Open Heart: Healing Yourself, Your Relationships and the Planet |
| Jon Kabat-Zinn | Wherever You Go There You Are |
| Mark Epstein | Thoughts Without a Thinker |
| Sharon Salzberg | Faith |
| Stephen Batchelor | Buddhism Without Beliefs |
| Stephen Levine | A Gradual Awakening |
| Surya Das | Buddha Is As Buddha Does |
| Sylvia Boorstein | Pay Attention, For Goodness' Sake |
| Introductions to classical study of the Buddha’s teachings | |
| Ajahn Amaro | Small Boat, Great Mountain |
| Analayo | Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization |
| Matthew Flickstein | The Meditator's Atlas |
| Peter Harvey | An Introduction to Buddhism |
| Stephen Batchelor | The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture |
| Walpola Rahula | What the Buddha Taught |
| Ancient Pali texts in translation | |
| Bhikku Ñanamoli & Bhikku Bodhi | The Middle Discourses of the Buddha |
| This collection of 152 discourses of the Buddha and his chief disciples includes many practical teachings for lay people and most of the major doctrines of Buddhism. Written in a fluid narrative format, the Middle Length Discourses may be the most accessible and comprehensive text in the Pali canon. Recommended for the serious beginner to sutta studies. | |
| Bhikkhu Bodhi | In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon |
| This anthology can serve as an excellent overview of the Pali canon. It draws from many texts in the canon organizing a logical yet broad spectrum of the Buddha’s teaching from family life to renunciation and the path of insight. A concise, informative introduction precedes each chapter. | |
| The Dhammapada | |
This collection of pithy poetic teachings begins with the famous verse:All experience is preceded by mind, Led by mind, Made by mind.It is the most popular and widely read of the ancient Pali texts. Many fine translations of the Dhammapada are available, some more poetic, others more scholarly. A few that we recommend include versions rendered by Thomas Byrom, Gil Fronsdal, Harischandra Kaviratna, and Anne Bancroft. | |
| Bhikkhu Bodhi | The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya |
| This translation of 2889 discourses of the Buddha is organized thematically and addresses most of the major doctrines of the Buddha’s teachings. It includes chapters on dependent origination, the sense spheres, the aggregates, the four noble truths, feelings, and collections of teachings given to particular individuals. This collection tends to be more technical than some of the other texts, so we recommend that beginners to sutta study first read the narrative collection of the Middle Length Discourses. However, the Connected Discourses serves as a wonderful reference for students who wish to explore in depth particular themes in Buddhist practice and doctrine, such as not-self, working with sensory contact, contemplating interrelatedness, and unraveling the relationship between feelings and suffering. | |
| Hammalawa Saddhatissa | The Sutta-Nipāta |
| This exciting translation presents some of the oldest pithy teachings of the Buddha, many of which appear to have brought accomplished yogis of his day to realization. Challenging attachment at all levels, the Sutta Nipata includes dramatic teachings on not clinging to views and opinions and freeing the mind of craving. | |
| John Ireland | The Udana |
| This short text is structured into very short discourses, each begins by setting the stage in location, characters, and theme. Usually someone poses a question to the Buddha, or there is an event that sparks a comment from the Buddha. Each sutta ends with a poetic verse. The Udana, translated as The Inspired Utterances, is a beautiful collection that repeatedly points to an ultimate realization of nibbana. | |
| Nyanaponika Thera & Bhikkhu Bodhi | The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: An Anthology of Suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya |
| These discourses are arranged into numerical categories and cover a wide range of themes from basic ethical observances for the busy worldly person to rigorous instructions on mental training. Many brilliant teachings are included here, however the numerical format can be challenging to a beginner to sutta study, so we recommend this text after reading the more narrative collection of the Middle Length Discourses. | |
| Maurice Walshe | The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya |
| This collection of 34 longer discourses includes some of the most influential discourses such as the Greater Discourse on Mindfulness with Breathing, the teachings preceding the Buddha’s death, and intricate teachings on the net of views. | |
| Bhikku Ñanamoli | The Life of the Buddha |
| This biography of the Buddha's life and teachings presents a unique account by tracing the periods of the Buddha’s historical life through reflections, teachings, and references found throughout the Pali canon. | |
| Nyanaponika Thera & Hellmuth Hecker | Great Disciples of the Buddha |
| This book provides illuminating biographical sketches of many of the great disciples that lived and practiced with the Buddha with ample references to the Pali canon. We read not only about the disciples, but catch glimpses of the instructions they received from the Buddha and teachings they shared with others. This text fills out the human stage of friendship, character and personality that surrounded the Buddha’s ministry. | |
| Susan Murcott | The First Buddhist Women |
| This is a contemporary and fluid rendering of the enlightenment verses of the early nuns. Originally collected in the Pali canon as the Therigatha, Susan Murcott's work brings an easily accessible sampling of these inspired revelations, accompanied by biographical sketches of their authors, to contemporary readers. | |
| Other recommended books including Tibetan, Advaita, and Zen influenced work | |
| Byron Katie | Loving What Is |
| Charles Genoud | Gestures of Awareness |
| Dilgo Khyentse | The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones |
| H. W. L. Poonja | The Truth Is |
| Pema Chödrön | When Things Fall Apart |
| Stephen Batchelor | Verses From The Center |
| Stephen Levine | Who Dies? |
| Tsoknyi Rinpoche | Carefree Dignity |
| Inspiration | |
| Amy Schmidt | DiPa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master |
| Ram Dass and Paul Gorman | How Can I Help? |
| Vicki Mackenzie | Cave in the Snow: Tenzin Palmo's Quest for Enlightenment |