Yesterday I posted a selected bibliography of books on Zen posted at the Boundless Way website. I decided I would like to try my own hand at creating a reading list. And, so, here it is. Thirty-nine books (I started with thirty-six, but people have noted omissions, etc, and so, this list is a bit on the dynamic side) I think helpful for someone who wishes to practice Zen Buddhism.
If You’re Going to Read Only One Book
Taking the Path of Zen Robert Aitken
Indian Origins
Buddha Karen Armstrong
What the Buddha Taught Walpola Rahula
In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon ed Bhikkhu Bodhi
The Emergence of Zen Buddhism & It’s Spread to North America
Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Philip Yampolsky (for theology and establishing the myth, not history. Also see Red Pine’s translation)
Seeing Through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism John McRae
Zen Master Who? A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen James Ford
Anthologies of Historic Zen Teachers & Teaching
Roaring Stream: A New Zen Reader Nelson Foster & Jack Shoemaker
China’s Zen Heritage: The Masters & Their Teaching Andrew Ferguson
Zen Sourcebook: Traditional Documents from China, Korea, & Japan Stephen Addiss, Stanley Lombardo & Judith Rotiman
Individual Zen Teachers & Their Teaching
Swampland Flowers: Letters & Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui trs Chistopher Cleary
The Record of Tung-Shan trs William Powell
Mud & Water: The Teachings of Zen Master Bassui trs by Arthur Braverman
The Unborn: Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei trs Norman Waddell
Eihei Dogen: Mystical Realist Hee-Jin Kim
Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen ed & trs Kazuaki Tanahashi et al
Essential Teachings of Zen Master Hakuin ed trs Normal Waddell
The Practices of Zen Meditation
Zen Meditation in Plain English John Daishin Buksbazen
Book of Mu: Essential Writings on Zen’s Most Important Koan ed James Ford & Melissa Blacker
Art of Just Sitting: Essential Writings on the Zen Practice of Shikantaza ed John Daido Loori
Sitting With Koans: Essential Writings on the Zen Practice of Koan Study ed John Daido Loori
Contemporary Zen Teaching, Mostly in the West
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Shunryu Suzuki
Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice Kosho Uchiyama
Dropping Ashes on the Buddha Seung Sahn
Novice to Master: An Ongoing Lesson in the Extinct of My Own Stupidity Soko Morinaga
This Truth Never Fails David Rynick
Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life John Tarrant
If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life James Ford
Upside-Down Zen: Finding the Marvelous in the Ordinary Susan Murphy
At Home in Muddy Water Ezra Bayda
Saying Yes to Life, Even the Hard Parts Ezra Bayad & Josh Bartok
Ending the Pursuit of Happiness: A Zen Guide Barry Magid
Contemporary Zen Buddhist Ethics & the Quest for Justice
Mind of Clover: Essays in Zen Buddhist Ethics Robert Aitken
Waking Up to What You Do: A Zen Practice for Meeting Every Situation With Intelligence & Compassion Diane Eshin Rizzetto
Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Bodhisattva Precepts Reb Anderson
If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life James Ford (yes, I know I mentioned it once before in a different category. It’s my list, so cut me some slack…)
New Social Face of Buddhism: A Call to Action Ken Jones
Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution David Loy
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