Recommendation - Book for beginner
score:6
I higly reccomend H. H. The Dalai Lama's "How to See Yourself as You Really Are". A wonderful and easy to read introducion to Buddhist philosophy and practice. His Holiness is mahayana, but this book gives a very general introduction.
I also reccomend his "The Art of Happiness", for a book more specifically on happiness.
Upvote:1
I would recommend "Introducing Buddhism" by Charles S. Prebish and Damien Keown. @2005 Journal of Buddhist Ethics Online Books
Upvote:1
Books by Pema Chodron are warmly well received and recommended by teachers of many Tibetan Buddhist branches.
They adddress many practical aspects of life, yet are deeply rooted in traditional Tibetan Buddhism.
Upvote:1
I first read 'The Way of Zen' by Alan Watts (maybe a bit technical for a beginner), then 'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones' by Paul Reps (a collection of anecdites). I'd also reccommend anything by Ajahn Chah, who talks about Buddhism in a very down-to-earth way.
Upvote:1
Also books by Thay (Thich Nhat Hanh), specifically the "Miracle of Mindfulness" are wonderful so many different ways.
Upvote:1
Books by Tibetan Buddhist Master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse can help raise the right questions early on, and help avoid forming mistaken views:
"What Makes You Not a Buddhist?"
"Not For Happiness"
Upvote:2
This book can't be beat for beginners: Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path (by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana).
Upvote:4
For a classic introduction to the Buddha's teachings, I recommend the book "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula. You can find the PDF version here. There is also a very short collection of the suttas at the back of the book.
The ebook "Without and Within" by Ajahn Jayasaro, available in PDF and epub formats, is 127-pages long and is meant to be a collection of questions and answers on Buddhism for beginners.
Upvote:7
I would recommend:
- In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi (alternate download link)
- Art of Living by William Hart
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