Best of
Buddhism

1

The Dhammapada


Anonymous
    The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka Nikaya, a division of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.The Buddhist scholar and commentator Buddhaghosa explains that each saying recorded in the collection was made on a different occasion in response to a unique situation that had arisen in the life of the Buddha and his monastic community. His commentary, the Dhammapada Atthakatha, presents the details of these events and is a rich source of legend for the life and times of the Buddha.

The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind


Huang Po
    Nowhere is the use of paradox in Zen illustrated better than in the teaching of Huang Po, who shows how the experience of intuitive knowledge that reveals to a man what he is cannot be communicated by words. With the help of these paradoxes, beautifully and simply presented in this collection, Huang Po could set his disciples on the right path. It is in this fashion that the Zen master leads his listener into truth, often by a single phrase designed to destroy his particular demon of ignorance.

The Diamond Sutra


Anonymous
    But Buddhism has also inspired some of the greatest philosophical writings of any religion, and two such works lie at the center of Zen: The Heart Sutra, which monks recite all over the world, and The Diamond Sutra, said to contain answers to all questions of delusion and dualism. This is the Buddhist teaching on the perfection of wisdom and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice. As Red Pine explains: The Diamond Sutra may look like a book, but it's really the body of the Buddha. It's also your body, my body, all possible bodies. But it's a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. It doesn't exist in space or time. Nor is it a construct of the mind. It's no mind. And yet because it's no mind, it has room for compassion. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond.

The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā


Nāgārjuna
    His many works include texts addressed to lay audiences, letters of advice to kings, and a set of penetrating metaphysical and epistemological treatises. His greatest philosophical work, the Mulamadhyamikakarika—read and studied by philosophers in all major Buddhist schools of Tibet, China, Japan, and Korea—is one of the most influential works in the history of Indian philosophy. Now, in The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, Jay L. Garfield provides a clear and eminently readable translation of Nagarjuna's seminal work, offering those with little or no prior knowledge of Buddhist philosophy a view into the profound logic of the Mulamadhyamikakarika.Garfield presents a superb translation of the Tibetan text of Mulamadhyamikakarika in its entirety, and a commentary reflecting the Tibetan tradition through which Nagarjuna's philosophical influence has largely been transmitted. Illuminating the systematic character of Nagarjuna's reasoning, Garfield shows how Nagarjuna develops his doctrine that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, that is, than nothing exists substantially or independently. Despite lacking any essence, he argues, phenomena nonetheless exist conventionally, and that indeed conventional existence and ultimate emptiness are in fact the same thing. This represents the radical understanding of the Buddhist doctrine of the two truths, or two levels of reality. He offers a verse-by-verse commentary that explains Nagarjuna's positions and arguments in the language of Western metaphysics and epistemology, and connects Nagarjuna's concerns to those of Western philosophers such as Sextus, Hume, and Wittgenstein.An accessible translation of the foundational text for all Mahayana Buddhism, The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way offers insight to all those interested in the nature of reality.

The Way of the Bodhisattva


Śāntideva
    Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the bodhisattvas--those beings who renounce the peace of an individual salvation and vow to work for the deliverance of all beings, and to attain enlightenment for their sake. The text is beloved by Buddhists of all traditions.Originally written in India in Sanskrit, the text first appeared in Tibetan translation in the eighth century. The fact that it has been expounded, studied, and practiced in Tibet in an unbroken tradition lends the Tibetan version of the Bodhicharyavatara a particular authority. The present version has therefore been translated from the Tibetan, following a commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden, renowned for its thoroughness, clarity, and accessibility.

The Lotus Sutra


Anonymous
    The object of intense veneration among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, Japan, and other parts of the world, it has had a profound impact on the great works of Japanese and Chinese literature, attracting more commentary than any other Buddhist scripture.As Watson notes in the introduction to his remarkable translation, " The Lotus Sutra is not so much an integral work as a collection of religious texts, an anthology of sermons, stories, and devotional manuals, some speaking with particular force to persons of one type or in one set of circumstances, some to those of another type or in other circumstances. This is no doubt why it has had such broad and lasting appeal over the ages and has permeated so deeply into the cultures that have been exposed to it."

The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch


Hui-Neng
    This translation is the definitive English version of the eighth-century Ch'an classic.Phillip B. Yampolsky has based his translation on the Tun-huang manuscript, the earliest extant version of the work. A critical edition of the Chinese text is given at the end of the volume.Dr. Yampolsky also furnishes a lengthy and detailed historical introduction which contains much information hitherto unavailable even to scholars, and provides the context essential to an understanding of Hui-neng's work. He gives an account of the history and legends of Ch'an Buddhism, with particular attention to the traditions associated with Hui-neng, quoting or summarizing the most important narratives. He then discusses the various texts of the "Platform Sutra," and analyzes its contents.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead. First Complete Translation


Padmasambhava
    Graced with opening words by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, the Penguin Deluxe Edition of The Tibetan Book of the Dead is "immaculately rendered in an English both graceful and precise." Translated with the close support of leading contemporary masters and hailed as “a tremendous accomplishment,” this book faithfully presents the insights and intentions of the original work. It includes one of the most detailed and compelling descriptions of the after-death state in world literature, practices that can transform our experience of daily life, guidance on helping those who are dying, and an inspirational perspective on coping with bereavement.

The Acrobat


Gayatri Madan Dutt
    Their lives are affected by Gautam Buddha. He comes to each one of them when the time is right and touches their hearts and minds in such a way that their troubles cease to exist and they are completely at peace.

The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga


Buddhaghosa
    The various teachings of the Buddha found throughout the Pali canon are organized in a clear, comprehensive path leading to the final goal of nibbana, the state of complete purification. Originally composed in the fifth century, this new translation provides English speakers insights into this foundational text. In the course of this treatise full and detailed instructions are given on 40 subjects of meditation aimed at concentration, an elaborate account of Buddhist Abhidhamma philosophy, and explicit descriptions of the stages of insight culminating in final liberation. This replaces 9552400236.

The Vow of the Ikeda Kayo-Kai: Encouragement for Young Women


Daisaku Ikeda
    

Nagarjuna's Letter To A Friend: With Commentary By Kangyur Rinpoche


Nāgārjuna
    This work will appeal to readers with a general interest in Mahayana Buddhism, to those who wish to familiarize themselves with one of the great classics of Indian Buddhist literature, and to students who come across passages quoted in other Buddhist works and who wish to explore further. The great Indian Buddhist master Nagarjuna (first–second century A.D.) wrote his celebrated poem "Letter to a Friend" as a gift of advice to a South Indian king, and it has since become a monument in the Indian shastra tradition. Despite its short length (only 123 verses), it covers the whole Mahayana path, combining a practical approach to daily conduct with a theoretical exposition of the different stages leading to enlightenment. It has thus been an ideal source for many of Tibet 's great scholars seeking a scriptural authority to enhance their own descriptions of the Buddhist path. Any difficulties in understanding the poem are overcome by Kangyur Rinpoche's commentary, which turns Nagarjuna's sometimes cryptic poem into straightforward prose, expanding on each topic and ordering the different subjects in such a way that on returning to the original poem, the reader can easily make sense of the advice it contains. It includes headings to explain Nagarjuna's frequent changes in subject and full explanations of the ideas introduced in each verse. In addition to the commentary, this book presents the original poem in the Tibetan and in a new English translation that attempts to emulate Nagarjuna's lines of metric verse. Also included are Kangyur Rinpoche's structural outline (sa bchad), a Tibetan line index to enable students to locate quotations used in other Tibetan works, full notes, and a glossary.

The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions


Longchen Rabjam
    

The Paradox of Becoming


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    

Handful of Leaves, Volume I: an Anthology from the Digha Nikaya


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    This volume is the first in a four-volume anthology of suttas (discourses) drawn from the Sutta Pitaka (Discourse Basket or Repository) of the Pali Canon. This volume contains suttas drawn from the first of the five collections comprising the Sutta Pitaka: the Digha Nikaya, or Long Collection.

Now Is The Knowing


Ajahn Sumedho
    These talks consider the way we relate to the Three Refuges, using the basic meditation on Mindfulness of Breathing and reaching for Nibbana, the goal.Available as a free ebook in various formats from the Forest Sangha website: https://forestsangha.org/teachings/bo...

Treatise on Enlightened Society


Sakyong Mipham
    

The Dispeller Of Disputes: Nagarjuna's Vigrahavyavartani


Nāgārjuna
    Written in an accessible question-and-answer style, it contains Nagarjuna's replies to criticisms of his philosophy of the "Middle Way." The Vigrahavyavartani has been widely cited both in canonical literature and in recent scholarship; it has remained a central text in India, Tibet, China, and Japan, and has attracted the interest of greater and greater numbers of Western readers.In The Dispeller of Disputes, Jan Westerhoff offers a clear new translation of the Vigrahavyavartani, taking current philological research and all available editions into account, and adding his own insightful philosophical commentary on the text. Crucial manuscript material has been discovered since the earlier translations were written, and Westerhoff draws on this material to produce a study reflecting the most up-to-date research on this text. In his nuanced and incisive commentary, he explains Nagarjuna's arguments, grounds them in historical and textual scholarship, and explicitly connects them to contemporary philosophical concerns.

Why Worry?


K. Sri Dhammananda
    

DISCUSSIONS ON YOUTH - VOLUME 1


Daisaku Ikeda
    A Collection Of Discussions Between SGI President Daisaku Ikeda And Soka Gakkai High School Division Chiefs, On The Troubles And Hopes Of Youth.

Glimpses Of Space


Chögyam Trungpa
    It is based on the Evam and Feminine Principle seminars. The Evam Seminar is a three-yana presentation of the evam principle, the union of masculine and feminine.

Udana


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    A complete translation of the book of the Udana from the Khuddaka Nikaya collection of the Pali Canon. The role of the Udana within the context of the Pali Canon is to focus on the values and principles—“meaning” in the larger sense of the term—that underlie the Buddha’s teachings. Freely available at dhammatalks.org

Handful of Leaves 2


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    

Glimpses Of Shunyata


Chögyam Trungpa
    Ground: being by not being, path: wisdom and compassion, and fruition: ultimate nonego. Lively discussion periods evoking on-the-spot the experience being described. Based on 1972 Karme Chöling seminar.

Dhamma Everywhere


Ashin Tejaniya
    

Treasures Of The Heart


Daisaku Ikeda
    

Glimpses Of Mahayana


Chögyam Trungpa
    Based on the seminar "The Complete Teachings of Mahayana." Included among many topics is an in-depth look at buddha nature in all its aspects, the notion of embryonic enlightenment, and the discovery that we are heir to a deep and profound compassion which we can discover if we just "Look!"

Into the Stream


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    

The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa Volumes One through Eight


Chögyam Trungpa
    Organized by theme, the collection includes full-length books as well as articles, seminar transcripts, poems, plays, and interviews, many of which have never before been available in book form. From memoirs of his escape from Chinese-occupied Tibet to insightful discussions of psychology, mind, and meditation; from original verse and calligraphy to the esoteric lore of tantric Buddhism—the impressive range of Trungpa's vision, talents, and teachings is showcased in this landmark series.This set contains volumes one through eight.

The New Human Revolution Volume 7


Daisaku Ikeda
    

The New Human Revolution, Volume 11 (The New Human Revolution, #11)


Daisaku Ikeda
    It is essentially a story of how “human revolution”—the calling forth of the “limitless inherent power” of the human spirit—can build a movement for world peace and individual empowerment, a dynamic process of betterment referred to within the Soka Gakkai as kosen-rufu.

The Karma of Questions


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    

Nibbāna - The Mind Stilled


Bhikkhu Katukurunde Nyanananda
    Ñāṇananda's 33 sermons on Nibbāna delivered to fellow monks at the behest of the late Mātara Sri Ñāṇārāma Mahāthera, here published in 5 volumes.

Handful of Leaves, Volume IV: an Anthology from the Anguttara Nikaya


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    The Anguttara Nikaya, a collection of short to medium-length discourses, takes its name from the way the discourses are grouped by the number of their parts (anga), with the number growing progressively higher (uttara) with each group. No single English term can convey the full meaning of this name, although the translation Numerical Collection gives a workable idea of the principle behind it. The complete collection, counting all its formulaic expansions, contains more than 9,500 discourses. When these expansions are not counted, the total comes to approximately 2,300 discourses, of which 333 are translated here. Freely available at dhammatalks.org

Handful of Leaves, Volume III: an Anthology from the Samyutta Nikaya


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    The Samyutta Nikaya, a collection of short to medium-length discourses, takes its name from the way the discourses are organized into groups connected (samyutta) by a particular theme. In some cases, the theme is a topic. In others it may be the name of an interlocutor, a place, a group of people, or—as in the Simile-Connected discourses—a formal attribute of the discourses themselves. The complete collection, counting all its formulaic expansions, contains more than 2,900 discourses, of which 370 are translated here. Freely available at dhammatalks.org

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE


Daisaku Ikeda
    

The New Human Revolution Volume 13 (The New Human Revolution, #13)


Daisaku Ikeda
    

A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life


Acharya Shantideva
    

I may be wrong: and other wisdoms from life as a forest monk


Björn Natthiko Lindeblad
    Translated from Swedish, I believe

The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu


Wen-yuan
    Many of the best-known Zen koans originated with Joshu (including the famous "Does a dog have Buddha nature?"), and his importance as a teacher can be measured by the prevalence of his sayings in the great koan anthologies of Zen literature: of the forty-eight koans collected in the Gateless Gate, five are Joshu's, and among the one hundred koans of the Blue Cliff Record, twelve are his.      It is said of Joshu that his lips emitted light because his profound teaching often brought students to immediate insight. Although Joshu's life itself is an embodiment of the Zen ideal, it was this particular ability to express the true nature of the enlightened mind in a way that was pithy and succinct that made his teaching so influential. His sayings and dialogues have been preserved in the Zen literature as timeless and potent manifestations of the enlightened experience.      Included here is the first complete translation of Joshu's sayings, Zen dialogues, poems, and records of his pilgrimages, as well as a short biography.

Sutta Nipata: The Discourse Group


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    It also contains two sets of poems considered to be deep expressions of advanced points of doctrine: the Atthaka Vagga, on the theme of non-clinging, and the Parayana Vagga, in which the Buddha answers questions posed by adepts in concentration practice. The collection also contains three suttas with rare biographical information of the Buddha’s early life.Freely available at dhammatalks.org

Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings


Tenzin Namdak
    The first is found among the Sarmapas, or Newer Schools, which employ the Prasangika Madhyamaka view of Chandrakirti, not only in explicating the real meaning of the Sutra system but also in their interpretation of the Tantras. The second is found among the two Older Schools, the Nyingmapa and the Bonpo, which emphasize the Dzogchen point of view in elucidating their understanding of the Higher Tantras. Among the Older Schools, Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, which lies beyond the process of Tantric transformation, is regarded as the quintessential teaching of the Buddha, pointing directly to the Nature of Mind and its intrinsic awareness, known as Rigpa. However, according to Lopon Tenzin Namdak Yongdzin Rinpoche, the leading Dzogchen master among the Bonpo Lamas living today, it is necessary for us as practitioners to know what Dzogchen is, how to practice it, and the result of this practice. Lopon Rinpoche undertakes this task in a series of nine teachings he gave some years ago to Western students interested in the view of Dzogchen and its practice in meditation. Here the Lopon compares the Dzogchen view with the views of Madhyamaka, Chittamatra, Tantra and Mahamudra, clearly indicating the similarities and the differences among them. Unlike the traditional educational system found in other Tibetan monasteries, at Tashi Menri Monastery and at Triten Norbutse Monastery, both now re-established in India and Nepal respectively, Dzogchen is not restricted to private meditation instruction only. Rather, it is brought out into the daylight of the marketplace of philosophical ideas and discussed in relation to the viewpoints of Sutra and Tantra. The Lopon's exceptionally clear exposition of these various views, which have consequences for ones meditation practice, will be of interest to Western students and practitioners.

Merit: Readings from the Pali Canon


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    This is perhaps because the pursuit of merit seems to be a lowly practice, focused on getting and "selfing," whereas higher Buddhist practice focuses on letting go, particularly of any sense of self. Because we in the West often feel pressed for time, we don't want to waste our time on lowly practices, and instead want to go straight to the higher levels. Yet the Buddha repeatedly warns that the higher levels cannot be practiced in a stable manner unless they develop on a strong foundation. The pursuit of merit provides that foundation. To paraphrase a modern Buddhist psychologist, one cannot wisely let go of one's sense of self until one has developed a wise sense of self. The pursuit of merit is the Buddhist way to develop a wise sense of self."

The Shape of Suffering, a Study of Dependent Co-arising


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    Tight, square, text is unmarked, light bump to corner, small curl to corners from storage, no spine creasing.

Poems Of Early Buddhist Nuns (Therڶigڶathڶa)


Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids
    

The New Human Revolution, Volume 12 (The New Human Revolution, #12)


Daisaku Ikeda
    It is essentially a story of how “human revolution”—the calling forth of the “limitless inherent power” of the human spirit—can build a movement for world peace and individual empowerment, a dynamic process of betterment referred to within the Soka Gakkai as kosen-rufu.

Treasury Of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada


Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
    

The Buddhist Monastic Code, Volumes I & II


Thanissaro Bhikkhu
    Both volumes are newly revised. These new eBooks combine both volumes into one and take advantage of the cross-referencing, search, and nested Table of Contents features of the eBook formats. The the pdf is one very large, continuous file, and will render very poorly compared to the other eBook formats.This two-volume set attempts to give an organized, detailed account of the Vinaya training rules and the traditions that have grown up around them. The Patimokkha training rules as explained in the Sutta Vibhanga are the topic of the first volume; the rules found in the Khandhakas, the topic of the second. The book as a whole is aimed primarily at those whose lives are affected by the rules—bhikkhus who live by them, and other people who have dealings with the bhikkhus — so that they will be able to find gathered in one location as much essential information as possible on just what the rules do and do not entail. Students of Early Buddhism, Theravadin history, or contemporary Theravadin issues should also find this book interesting, as should anyone who is serious about the practice of the Dhamma and wants to see how the Buddha worked out the ramifications of Dhamma practice in daily life.Freely available at dhammatalks.org

The practice in daily life


Namkhai Norbu
    

Who is pulling the strings? (Equanimity)


Ajahn Amaro
    

A Survey Of Buddhism: Its Doctrines And Methods Through The Ages


Bikshu Sangharakshita
    

Smile Of The Tiger


Sakyong Mipham
    "Smile of the Tiger" is his first poetry book, published in 1998.

All in One, One in All: The Nature of Interbeing


Thich Nhat Hanh
    "This Body is not me. I am not caught by this body. I am life without boundaries. I have never been born. I will never die. Look at me. Look at the stars and the moon. All of them are me, are manifestations of me. So smile to me, take my hand, say goodbye that we will see each other right away after this. We will see each other in every walk of life. We will recognize each other again and again, everywhere."

The Legend Of The Great Stupa/ M Chod Rten Chen Po Bya Rung Kha Shor Gyi Lo Thos Pas Grol Ba: The Life Story Of The Lotus Born Guru/ Zab Pa Skor Bdun L ... Bsam Ljong Shing (Tibetan Translation Series)


Yeshe Tsogyal
    A revealing allegory of obstacles and successes on the spiritual path, Legend is the tale of the construction of the Great Stupa at Boudhanath in Nepal.

The Jataka or Stories of the Buddha's Former Births


E.B. Cowell
    

The Four Sublime States


Nyanaponika Thera
    

A Manual Of Abhidhamma


Nārada, Maha Thera
    This includes chapters on Consciousness, Mental States, Analysis of Thought Processes, Analysis of matter, The Compendium of Relations, Mental states and also includes a chapter giving an explanation on various categories of Abhidhamma. The reader who is able to think deeper cannot fail to find it with plenty of far thought that its tremendously valuable.

Discourse In Early Buddhist Art: Visual Narratives Of India


Vidya Dehejia
    reprint. many illus. an excellent ed. classic work on art and Buddhist art