Letters from the Dhamma Brothers: Meditation Behind Bars


Jenny Phillips - 2008
    The 38 participants in the first-ever intensive, silent 10-day program inside the walls of a corrections facility—many serving life sentences without parole—detail the range of their experiences, the depth of their understanding of the Buddha’s teachings gained by direct experience, and their setbacks and successes. During the Vipassana meditation program, they face the past and their miseries and emerge with a sense of peace and purpose. This compelling story shows the capacity for commitment, self-examination, renewal, and hope within a dismal penal system and a wider culture that demonizes prisoners.

Sadness, Love, Openness: The Buddhist Path of Joy


Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche - 2018
    By embracing sadness, love, and openness in our lives, we develop an altruistic attitude to help all beings who suffer and to reduce our own greed and aggression. This easy-to-read manual by one of the most widely loved and respected Tibetan Buddhist teachers of our time teaches us how to honestly explore and deal with our own hang-ups and neuroses. Through knowing our own true nature as aware and compassionate, we can progress, step-by-step, on the Buddhist path and use Rinpoche’s pithy wisdom along the way as a touchstone. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s fresh and engaged approach to timeless Buddhist wisdom enables us to deeply connect with authentic teachings in a modern context. This work is a delight and inspiration to read, outlining the major teachings and practices of Buddhism in a succinct way.

The Tao of Inner Peace


Diane Dreher - 1990
    Written in workbook style, complete with exercises, questionnaires, journal-keeping techniques, and affirmations, The Tao of Inner Peace translates the ancient Eastern philosophy into a plan for contemporary Western living. Diane Dreher, Ph.D., shows the way to: * Bring greater joy, fulfillment, and creativity to daily life * Heal the body and spirit * Build self-acceptance and self-esteem * Resolve conflict * Reverse negative cycles of emotion * Understand life as a process of changes and challengesWith its lively, demystifying approach, The Tao of Inner Peace shows how the Tao can be a powerful source of growth, inspiration, and peace.

Light Comes Through: Buddhist Teachings on Awakening to Our Natural Intelligence


Dzigar Kongtrül III - 2008
    In an instant they can bring us down or lift us up. If we don't attend to the mind, the source of all our thoughts and emotions, it can seem like a runaway train. Yet when guided by wisdom, our mind can lead us to awakening. How do we utilize this resource? The Buddha asked big questions concerning the causes and conditions of happiness and suffering and how we can shape our mind and attitude to support our well-being. According to the Buddhist teachings, when our natural intelligence is sparked by contemplation and meditation, we discover insights into what true happiness means—and how to achieve it. The distilled wisdom of the Buddhist tradition leads us to clarity of mind, and step by step, the light of our natural intelligence comes through. With the humor and insight he is known for, Dzigar Kongtrül engages us in a playful, and challenging, investigation of disturbing emotions, our relationships with others, the trap of self-centeredness, and the practicalities of working with a Buddhist teacher. Most important, he shows us the subtlest use of our own natural intelligence—its ability to recognize the nature of reality itself.

The Little Zen Companion


David Schiller - 1994
    T. Suzuki and Walker Percy, the Buddha and the Bible, Einstein and Gertrude Stein. It's a celebration of intuition: "If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark"-St. John the Cross. Individuality: "Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought."-Basho. Uncomplicated nature: "Among twenty snowy mountains/The only moving thing/Was the eye of the blackbird."-Wallace Stevens. Childlike spontaneity: "Goodnight stars. Goodnight air."-Margaret Wise Brown. Irreverent paradox: "Wakuan complained when he saw a picture of bearded Bodhidharma: 'Why hasn't that fellow a beard?'" And above all, the simple pleasure of life lived in the moment. "Chop wood, carry water."

The Buddha in Me, The Buddha in You: A Handbook for Happiness


David Hare - 2016
    The Buddha in Me, the Buddha in You combines the tried-and-tested wisdom of Nichiren Buddhism with the best of popular psychology and personal development, making this a brilliant guide to how life works, and how to get the most from it.Nichiren Buddhism differs from other Buddhist schools in its focus on the here-and-now, and places great importance on individual growth as the starting point for a better world. This, combined with powerful techniques such as NLP, mindfulness, journalling and coaching, makes The Buddha in Me, the Buddha in You the quintessential handbook for happiness.'Buddha' simply means someone who is awakened - yet while Nichiren Buddhists will find fascinating insights into their practice, there is no need to follow a spiritual path to benefit from this book. Through his experience as an internationally acclaimed life coach and practising Buddhist, author David Hare shows us how to wake up to our own potential and that of those around us – to discover everyday enlightenment.

Buddhism for Beginners


Thubten Chodron - 2001
    It will be of much benefit to its readers." —The Dalai LamaThis user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions—beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?”—and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction—as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life. Buddhism for Beginners is an ideal first book on the subject for anyone, but it’s also a wonderful resource for seasoned students, since the question-and-answer format makes it easy to find just the topic you’re looking for, such as:    • What is the goal of the Buddhist path?    • What is karma?    • If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?    • How can we deal with fear?    • How do I establish a regular meditation practice?    • What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?    • What is Buddha-nature?    • Why can't we remember our past lives?

Eat Sleep Sit: My Year at Japan's Most Rigorous Zen Temple


Kaoru Nonomura - 1996
    This book is Nonomura's recollection of his experiences. He skillfully describes every aspect of training, including how to meditate, how to eat, how to wash, even how to use the toilet, in a way that is easy to understand no matter how familiar a reader is with Zen Buddhism. This first-person account also describes Nonomura's struggles in the face of beatings, hunger, exhaustion, fear, and loneliness, the comfort he draws from his friendships with the other trainees, and his quiet determination to give his life spiritual meaning.After writing Eat Sleep Sit, Kaoru Nonomura returned to his normal life as a designer, but his book has maintained its popularity in Japan, selling more than 100,000 copies since its first printing in 1996. Beautifully written, and offering fascinating insight into a culture of hardships that few people could endure, this is a deeply personal story that will appeal to all those with an interest in Zen Buddhism, as well as to anyone seeking spiritual growth.