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Bibliography for Basic Buddhist Studies


Samuel Bercholz. Entering the Stream. Shambala Publications, 1993.This is a wonderful anthology of Buddhist writings, ancient to modem. It's an excellent reader for both the new and old student of Buddhist writings and practice.

Pema Chodron. Start Where You Are. Shambala Publications, 1994.This is an excellent discussion of the Mahayana tradition of the compassionate Bodhisattva path, and the Seven Points of Mind Training. Pema Chodron is a western nun in the Vajrayana tradition. She is skilled in writing directly the needs of this culture.

Thich Nhat Hanh. The Heart of Understanding. Berkeley: Parallax Press, 1988.This is a book of commentaries on the Perfection of Wisdom Heart Sutra, the original teaching of the Buddha which forms the basis of the Mahayana. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen master and poet; both of these come through with clarity and elegance in this book.

Dalai Lama. Advice on Dying and Living a Better Life. New York: Atria Books, 2002.The target audience of this book is clearly the practicing Buddhist. However, the interested non-Buddhist will also find it rich in authentic teachings concerning the role of our death in our life. The second half of the book contains some technical material which the average reader could find daunting or fascinating. In any case, it's thoroughly authentic.

Bokar Rinpoche. Death and the Art of Dying, In Tibetan Buddhism. San Francisco: Clearpoint Press, 1993.This small book, by one of the most extraordinary teachers in the Tantric tradition, keenly balances the traditional elements of death and dying from a Vajrayana perspective, with the need to make sense of the material within the context of western culture. It's just a little over one hundred pages.

Sogyal Rinpoche. Glimpse after Glimpse, Daily Reflections on Living and Dying. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1995.365 daily contemplations drawn from the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism.

Sogyal Rinpoche. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1994.This very readable book clarifies many aspects of death and dying, as well as living, from the perspective of "Tibetan" Buddhism. A number of people have told me personally that the book was a significant inspiration in their lives. It's really much longer than it needs to be, but the clear writing style and wonderful anecdotes peppered throughout more than make up for this.

Suzuki Roshi. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. A classic book on the practice of Zen focusing on the experience itself-one of the best.

Alan Wallace. Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1993.Wallace is one of the few highly qualified westerners to write on this subject. The book has some excellent material on the subject of death and dying, as well as a thorough and very readable study of Tibetan Buddhism.