A Basic Buddhist Library & website Links

by Victor Bradford.
No matter how far you advance, you can use these good solid basic sources for many years.
IMHO perhaps the best conceptual introduction to Buddhism is Rupert Gethin’s Foundations of Buddhism. Compassion is also vital in Buddhism, and two books, Jack Kornfield’s A Path With Heart and Sharon Salzberg’s Lovingkindness, develop Buddhism’s “heart.”

For early Buddhism (called Theravada), In The Buddha’s Words (ed. Bhikkhu Bodhi) is a solid book, and Wings to Awakening, translated by the highly respected Thanissaro Bhikkhu, is another. The Dhammapada (a literary summary of Buddhism) is a beautiful addition to any library, and good free translations are available at accesstoinsight.org.

For Zen, consider Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind by S. Suzuki, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Heart Sutra (translated by people such as Thich Nhat Hanh, H.H. The Dalai Lama, Red Pine, Ken McLeod, or Edward Conze).

For Tibetan Buddhism, consider Alan Wallace’s Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up, John Powers’ Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, and any introductory book by H.H. The Dalai Lama. A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life is among the most universally beloved texts in Tibetan Buddhism, and Alan Wallace, H.H. The Dalai Lama, and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso have written good translations.

You can learn about Buddhism from a written or audio source, but you have no substitute for a good teacher, community, or retreat for learning meditation, although good meditation authors include Bhante Gunaratana (Eight Mindful Steps), Thich Nhat Hanh (Walking Meditation; Blooming of the Lotus), Jack Kornfield (Buddhist Meditation for Beginners audio), and Larry Rosenberg (Breath By Breath). Alan Wallace’s Attention Revolution is an excellent resource to help meditators develop this critical factor.

Buddhist & Meditation Websites

If I were marooned on a desert island and only had access to six Buddhist-related websites, they would be AccessToInsight.org, Dharma.org, BuddhaNet.net, AudioDharma.org, WiseBrain.org, and leighb.com.

• Motilal Banarsidass: Indian publisher of diverse texts in Asian philosophy: mlbd.com
• Buddhist books and audio: Pariyatti.org, SnowLionPub.com, WisdomPubs.org, DharmaPublishing.com, budaedu.org, SouthAsiaBooks.com, GreatWesternVehicle.org
• Colorado Dharma groups: RockyMountainInsight.org, smszen.org, InsightColorado.org
• Buddhist and Trappist retreat centers: DharmaNet.org, Bodhinyanarama.net.nz, ajahnchah.org, namgyal.com, Dharma.org, sfzc.org, SpiritRock.org, ShambalaMountain.org, abhayagiri.org, upaya.org, monks.org, snowmass.org, valyermo.com
• Online education, mainly Tibetan Buddhism: Naropa.edu
• Retreats and general info: AbhiDhamma.org (blog site) BhavanaSociety.org
• Washington DC Buddhist site: Imcw.org
• Buddhist news around the world: BuddhistChannel.tv, Nibbana.com
• Events and issues in religion: Bbc.co.uk/religion, speakingoffaith.publicradio.org
• Leigh Brasington’s website, excellent resource for meditation: Leighb.com
• A. Wallace’s websites: AlanWallace.org, SantaBarbaraInstitute.org
• HH The Dalai Lama’s website: DalaiLama.com
• Excellent info on convergence of Buddhism and sciences: MindAndLife.org
• Program focuses on joy, happiness, and their links to the dharma: Awakeningjoy.info
• Online journals: BuddhistEthics.org, WesternBuddhistReview.com
• Information and helpful professional connections: ContemplativeMind.org
• Resources to develop resiliency in the presence of obstacles: ResiliencyCenter.com
• Mind and Meditation: WiseBrain.org
• Cushions and supplies: zafu.net, PemaDesigns.com, SamadhiStore.com, DharmaCrafts.com

--You’ll find other good websites in the links and Buddhist or Yogic journals.
--“Just because you saw it on the internet, or heard it in the media, doesn’t mean it’s true or up-to-date,” and “turn off the computer at least one day a week,”

Buddhist & Meditation Books