great Buddhist books
Topic 4 · 36 responses · archived october 2000
~terry
Sun, Sep 7, 1997 (14:22)
seed
What are the great books of Buddhism? What is your personal favorite?
What books do you keep going back to over and over? What book would you
give as a gift to a newcomer to Buddhism?
~terry
Sun, Sep 7, 1997 (14:49)
#1
My two favorite books are the I Ching and Zen Mind, Beginners Mind.
~terry
Sun, Sep 14, 1997 (14:36)
#2
From Tom Carr:
J. van de Wetering wrote another book "A Glimpse of Nothingness"
about an American Zen community. I read it years ago and really
liked it. He later wrote a series of detective mystery books. I
never read them but a friend told me they were good. I don't remember if the
detective was a Buddhist or not.
One of my favorites is "How the Swans came to the Lake" by Rick
Fields, about how Buddhism came to America.
Also I would recommend to practice a lot. That contributed more
to my understanding of Buddhism than reading. Reading was much easier
for me so I had a tendency to read a lot and practice a little. This is
sort of like reading lots of books about exercise techniques and muscle
development but never exercising.
~terry
Sun, Sep 14, 1997 (17:37)
#3
Tom Carr:
Wed Sep 13 '95 (16:41) 6 lines
. . . as I was reading your post just now I had a strong flash
that you might get a lot from reading a guy name David Reynolds,
who is into a sort of Japanese, Zen influenced psychotherapy
that he calls "constructive living". He had a magor influence
on me. Two of his books are "Pools of Lodging for the Moon",
and "Playing Ball on Running Water". Are you familiar with him ?
~zen
Mon, Sep 15, 1997 (00:51)
#4
from J. Weltman (jaxers@well.com):
The WISDOM catalogue of Buddhist Books:
361 Newbury St.
Boston, Mass., 02115
617-536-1897 (voice)
Very LARGE and thorough Collection - including rare choices from the Pali
Text society.
~ddv
Tue, Oct 28, 1997 (11:18)
#5
Dharma Bums - Jack Kerouac
~stacey
Wed, Oct 29, 1997 (11:14)
#6
i concur.
~KitchenManager
Wed, Jan 7, 1998 (13:35)
#7
Confession time: Until yesterday I had never read
any Buddhist/Zen literature, but I am thoroughly
enjoying Essential Zen by Kazuaki Tanahashi and
Tensho David Schneider. Decided after meeting
someone *wink* it was time to further educate
myself. Dharma Bums is out of print, anyone know
where I can get a copy? It will make me relive
a certain part of my life best forgotten, but it
has been recommended to me before by people I
trusted.
~terry
Thu, Jan 8, 1998 (23:25)
#8
Have you tried Half Price Books?
Or BookPeople?
~KitchenManager
Fri, Jan 9, 1998 (01:01)
#9
Actually got lucky...after I posted this,
told the wife and she has a copy in a 3
book collection.
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 2, 1998 (02:17)
#10
Currently reading the Te of Piglet,
finished the Tao of Pooh on Tuesday
~stacey
Mon, Jul 6, 1998 (16:00)
#11
I did not think the Te of Piglet was nearly as worthy as the Tao of Pooh.
~KitchenManager
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (03:03)
#12
of course not,
for he is a Very Small Animal...
I'm waiting for
The Etiquette of Eyeore...
~stacey
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (15:25)
#13
*smile*
how about the Esteem of Eyeore (since he surely has none of his own!)
~KitchenManager
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (18:39)
#14
you know, I think that that is probably
Quite A Good Suggestion...
~KitchenManager
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (18:40)
#15
(just out of paranoid curiosity...you upset with me about something?)
~stacey
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (19:10)
#16
no...
should I be?
*grin*
~KitchenManager
Wed, Jul 8, 1998 (21:45)
#17
not sure...tis why I asked...
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (14:58)
#18
I would ask what you have done that could've upset me but...
I am sure you could think of something!
*laugh*
(may I ask though, what gave you that impression?)
(or was it perchance, just a cybersensation?)
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:13)
#19
hehe...
(I dunno)
(maybe...)
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:13)
#20
Hello Mr. Eyeore!
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:21)
#21
I been waiting on that one!
How about, for the next title,
The Enzo of Eyeore
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:29)
#22
and I have been selfishly refusing to give you the satisfaction (until just a bit ago, of course)
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:36)
#23
tis not always selfish...sometimes it is quite enjoyable
to have one's satisfaction delayed...
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:42)
#24
WOO WOO!
i HEAR you!
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:55)
#25
if only...although, possibly in this case, we're delaying about as much
as we can, huh?
*wink*
craving another tiramisu yet?
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (15:57)
#26
serving any in August?
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (16:00)
#27
why, yessum, I believe so...
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (16:01)
#28
please save one (or three!) for me!
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (16:04)
#29
got it...any other reservations?
~stacey
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (19:09)
#30
no... but you need to give us the info on your days off so's you can come to the swim party at Paul's!
~KitchenManager
Thu, Jul 9, 1998 (23:49)
#31
don't you have to give me a definite on when you're going to be here first?
~stacey
Fri, Jul 10, 1998 (14:42)
#32
ummm.. that will come AFTER the tix are purchased...
*dumb grin*
~KitchenManager
Fri, Jul 10, 1998 (14:50)
#33
then what do you want from me, woman?
(well, besides a mushroom marsala, some tiramisu, and a rw massage...)
(oh, yeah, and a better all around mood...)
~stacey
Fri, Jul 10, 1998 (15:05)
#34
that would be about it...
(see how easy I am to maintain?)
~KitchenManager
Fri, Jul 10, 1998 (15:10)
#35
yep, just preventive maintenance...that way,
there's more money available for my repair bills...
~stacey
Fri, Jul 10, 1998 (18:02)
#36
(i just had a fabulous skate... to the foothills... hot and sweaty for an
hour and then the cloud cover arrived (briefly) and i felt as if someone had dipped me in a pina colada Slurpee... yum!)
i feel good.
my spirit feels light and whole and honest and strong...