Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

I am totally new to buddhism. Can someone please tell me the most important book to get to learn about buddhism and meditation?

These 2 books are really good:
Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)
Bhikkhu Bodhi

Also, check out the great http://www.accesstoinsight.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; site

Hi Adamantus,

It's hard to recommend just one book. There are a number of suggestions on this Introductory Resources thread: http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=148" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Personally, I'd recommend Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words as a really good introduction to the Buddha's teaching, based on modern translations of a wide variety of suttas.
You can start reading it here:
http://www.wisdompubs.org/pages/display ... yValue=104" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As far as meditation is concerned, Bhikkhu Bodhi's book contains the most important suttas on meditation. Various teachers flesh these out in various ways. The books I find useful are those that teach similar approaches to my teachers.

Books specifically on meditation that are often recommended include:
The Heart of Buddhist Meditation: Satipatthna: A Handbook of Mental Training Based on the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness, by Venerable Nyanaponika
http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Buddhist-Me ... 0877280738" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mindfulness in Plain English by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana
Available on-line here: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
among many others on the link I gave above.


Mike

I think 2 books should be had; one for theory/doctrine and one of a more practical nature in regards to meditation.

For 1, I would go with "In The Buddha's Words" as others have recommended.

For meditation instruction you don't even have to spend money! Try here:

http://www.sirimangalo.org/files/HTMa5s.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To get you going in meditation. Also look for stuff from Mahasi Sayadaw (also to be found free on the net)

Hi Adamantus,

Any one of these books would be a good place to start:

Recommended reading
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=341" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Greetings,

santa100 wrote:These 2 books are really good:
Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)
Bhikkhu Bodhi

Also, check out the great http://www.accesstoinsight.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; site

I second this.

Metta,
Retro.

Adamantus wrote:I am totally new to buddhism. Can someone please tell me the most important book to get to learn about buddhism and meditation?

I really like the meditation books by Ajahn Brahm.

"The Art of Disappearing" is an excellent book. I highly recommend it. It was so exciting that I read it all in one day.
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Disappearing- ... 086171668X" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond" is another excellent book.
http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss ... =pd_cp_b_2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Simply this moment" is another excellent book
http://www.wat-lao.org/PDFs/Bibliothek/ ... Moment.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I agree with above 2 posters.
IMHO, the best book for the introduction is
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)
Bhikkhu Bodhi.

The Buddha and his teachings is an excellent book by ven narada. You can read it on Buddhanet too.