Buddhism Books

Follow the brilliant and hilarious adventures of a mad Zen Buddhist monk who rose from humble beginnings to become one of China's greatest folk heroes! Ji Gong studied at the great Ling Yin monastery, an immense temple that still ranges up the steep...

Zen Masters of Japan is the second book in a series that traces Zen's profoundly historic journey as it spread eastward from China and Japan, toward the United States. Following Zen Masters of China, this book concentrates on Zen's significant passage...

Zen Masters of China presents more than 300 traditional Zen stories and koans, far more than any other collection. Retelling them in their proper place in Zen's historical journey through Buddhist Chinese culture, it also tells a larger story: how, in...

"Somebody comes into the Zen center with a lighted cigarette, walks up to the Buddha statue, blows smoke in its face, and drops ashes on its lap. You are standing there. What can you do?" This is a problem that Zen Master Seung Sahn is fond of posing to...

Words for the Heart is a captivating treasury of emotion terms drawn from some of India's earliest classical languages. Inspired by the traditional Indian genre of a 'treasury' - a wordbook or anthology of short texts or poems - this...

In Losing Ourselves, Jay Garfield, a leading expert on Buddhist philosophy, offers a brief and radically clear account of an idea that at first might seem frightening but that promises to liberate us and improve our lives, our relationships, and the...

A delightfully illustrated selection of the great Daoist writings of Zhuangzi by bestselling cartoonist C. C. TsaiC. C. Tsai is one of Asia's most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over...

With more than 5,000 entries totaling over a million words, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in English. It is also the first to cover terms from all of the canonical Buddhist languages and traditions:...

"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones," the best-selling collection of the most popular enlightenment stories, anecdotes, and koans of Zen literature, introducing a generation of Americans to Zen. Included here are four Zen and pre-Zen classics:101 Zen...

Not believing, but only experiencing, says Osho in this inspiring book, is a way of finding truth and meaning. While Nietzsche's declaration that "God is dead, therefore man is free" was an incredible step in understanding, he argues, it is in itself a...

Bruce Lee was more than just a man of action - he was a man of words. A voracious reader, Lee studied text after text, taking meticulous notes to devise his theories both in fighting and in life strategy. For the first time in paperback, John Little, who...

Film, television and popular fiction have long exploited the image of the serene Buddhist monk who is master of the deadly craft of hand-to-hand combat. While these media overly romanticize the relationship between a philosophy of non-violence and the...

This beautiful book, illustrated with more than 400 photographs and drawings, is the first full retrospective of his work to be published anywhere. It includes 37 gardens in a wide variety of types and settings: traditional or contemporary, urban or...

In Soul of the Samurai respected author and translator Thomas Cleary reveals the true essence of Bushido or Zen warrior teachings according to 17th-century Japanese sword master Yagyu Munenori and his Zen teacher Takuan Soho...

This anthology of discourses from the Pali Canon-the only student edition of such works available-provides an account of Buddhist teachings directly from the earliest primary sources. Seventeen discourses are provided, including those most essential to...

Nirvana has become an idealized word associated with the juxtaposition of a cult rock celebrity who died before his time and a vague new age version of Eastern religion. An altered state to be hoped for, but likely unattainable, reinforcing that all too...

What would David Bowie have done? When life gets tough, who can we turn to for help? Who will help us find happiness, meaning and purpose? The Tao of Bowie suggests that we turn to David Bowie for guidance - and use his amazing journey through life as a...

We remove dust to sweep away our worldly desires. We scrub dirt to free ourselves of attachments. We live simply and take time to contemplate the self, mindfully living each moment. It's not just monks that need to live this way. Everyone in today's busy...

This jewel of a book offers the core teachings on Buddhism applicable in daily life from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is a classic timeless collection of advice and teachings about the importance of love and compassion, individual responsibility...

Thich Nhat Hanh is the subject of the upcoming major documentary Walk With Me narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch Despite all of our best intentions, communication is still a challenge for most of us. How do we say what we mean in a way that the other...

Growing up in the modern world, our children have to cope with ever-increasing amounts of stress, which can hinder their development. The ancient wisdom of Buddhism, with its emphasis on peace, love and compassion, is the ideal basis for helping any...

What does it take to be happy? We've all asked ourselves this question at some point, but few of us have found the path to lasting fulfillment. David Michie thought he had achieved his life's goals - the high level job, the expensive city apartment, the...

Discover the mind and body benefits of yantra yoga exercises, Buddhist wisdom, and Tibetan philosophy for a happier and healthier life.  Allow the teachings of sacred Himalayan philosophy to improve your mind, body, and soul. These Tibetan rituals...

Cut through the busyness and anxieties of daily life to discover the simple happiness of living in the present moment, as taught by a world-renowned Zen monk In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh-Zen monk, author, and meditation master-distils the essence of...

A treasury of writings and teachings from the beloved Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh--now resissued in a new Shambhala Pocket Library series. This is a collection of powerful and inspiring teachings in an appealing, convenient pocket-size book from one of...

Originally appearing in The Compassion Box, the lojong cards featured in this boxed set have been used and cherished by many Buddhist practitioners and spiritual seekers of all sorts for years. Now these popular cards are available in a stand-alone...

At the beginning of a North American teaching career that would span seventeen years, the meditation master Chšgyam Trungpa conducted five pivotal seminars covering various dharmic topics. The transcripts from these seminars are collected here so that...

Connect more meaningfully to the cultural wisdom and spiritual teachings of Buddhism. Explore Buddhist traditions and older ways of connecting with spirituality by going straight to the heart of mystical traditions. Zen Buddhism explores the spiritual...

The "Core Teachings of the Dalai Lama" series begins with this small book of teachings by His Holiness, the perfect introduction to traditional Tibetan Buddhist thought and practice. There is no one more suited to introduce beginners--and remind seasoned...

We can realize the highest truth in each moment when we learn to see through the illusion of the self. Anam Thubten, in remarkably easy-to-understand language, provides teachings for doing exactly that, based on the wisdom of the Buddhist traditions. He...

This small accessible book contains the essence of the Seven-Point Mind Training, expressed in the intimate colloquial style that distinguishes Ringu Tulku's teachings. The Seven-Point Mind Training, a lojong practice, assumes no prior special training...

Compelling and informative teachings by the most influential female Buddhist teachers on a wide range of topics. Buddhism began to take root in the West at just the same time that women's voices were arising to find expression here-after millennia of...

Women of Wisdom

"After his enlightenment, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths-the foundation and essence of all forms of Buddhism. The first truth diagnoses the nature of our existential illnesses and neuroses. The second explores their causes and conditions for...

What is Zen? It's an ancient spiritual system rooted in Buddhism that began in China and spread throughout Asia, finally reaching the West. It encompasses meditation, mindfulness, and calming the mind exactly what so many of us need and crave in this...

Using the garden as metaphor, The Seeds of Love offers a process for creating mindfulness. From a Buddhist perspective, everything affects our consciousness and enters metaphorically as a seed. Through the development of the practice of mindfulness, and...

Awaken your heart and engage your mind with Buddhist Wisdom: Daily Reflections, a simple but powerful collection of Buddhist sayings and extracts that offer an easy way to incorporate the Buddha's most significant teachings into your everyday life. Use...

Stories from Buddhist teachings that will help readers to understand various situations in life, told in a contemporary style that is warm, light and often funny. Born and educated in the West but trained in the Thai forest tradition, Ajahn Brahm has...

When His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited New York in August 1999, over 50 000 people flocked to hear him speak in Central Park. For over two hours these New Yorkers, a group of people noted more for their cynicism and indifference than their devout...

A perfect companion book to be inspired by teachings of the Buddha and other great masters, teachers and writers of all time. Buddha's Little Book of Life aims to help people on their jounrney to connect with a spiritual path and connect with their own...

In this rare personal investigation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama discusses his vision of science and faith working hand in hand to alleviate human suffering. Drawing on a lifetime of scientific study and religious practice, he explores the great debates...

An illuminating - and deeply personal - exploration of the essence of Buddhist thought, from the author of Lost Japan Powerful, mystical and concise, the Heart Sutra is believed to contain the condensed essence of all Buddhist wisdom. This brief poem on...

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön, in the Thorsons Classics Edition, offers timeless wisdom and compassionate advice for navigating life's most challenging moments. Drawing from her extensive experience as a...