What's a good book for someone interested in starting the practice of Buddhism?

paris1884 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 04:57 PM

This person is smart enough to understand complex text, but really is looking for something relaxing and enjoyable.

craig1412 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-13-2010, 04:57 PM

The Buddah

kev3319709 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2010, 05:57 PM

If you are looking for novels, I'd recommend Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse and Eat Pray Love by ???

ice1018 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-18-2010, 05:57 PM

Here's a list of books I've found. I hope you'll find these useful.
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Buddhism-Books-discover-practice/lm/RXHOG386B0F1P

dan89345916 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2010, 05:57 PM

How about "What Makes You Not a Buddhist"? Go here and you can browse in the book or read an excerpt.
http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-570-6.cfm

fire0081 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-27-2010, 05:57 PM

Eat, Pray Love is not about Buddhism (she went to a yoga ashram, not a Buddhist monastery - big difference). Siddhartha, by Hesse, can easily be misunderstood ... of, it looks so simple.

An easy read, to introduce yourself, is Good Life, Good Death by Gelek Rinpoche. It's like you're sitting in the room and he's chatting with you. You won't get a course in Buddhism, and it's not dry or so complex that it's difficult to read ... but you'll get the flavor (and there are some real gems, if you pick up on them).

bazooka76866718 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-01-2010, 05:57 PM

I am a Buddhist and have read well over 100 books on the subject. My favorite is Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa. I highly recommend checking it out.

If you are looking for a book that teaches the history of Buddhism, well Tibetan Buddhism particularly, and also has excellent and scholarly explanations of the key concepts and practices of Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism I suggest Indestructible Truth by Reggie Ray.