Which book to get?

[Adamantus]

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

[santa100]

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 www.accesstoinsight.org site

[mikenz66]

Hi Adamantus,

It's hard to recommend just one book. There are a number of suggestions on this Introductory Resources thread: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=148

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

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
Mindfulness in Plain English by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana
Available on-line here: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html
among many others on the link I gave above.


Mike

[Nicro]

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

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

[bodom]

Hi Adamantus,

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

Recommended reading
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=341

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

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 site

I second this.

Metta,
Retro.

[Alex123]

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

Also "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond" is another excellent book.
http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Bliss ... =pd_cp_b_2

"Simply this moment" is another excellent book
http://www.wat-lao.org/PDFs/Bibliothek/ ... Moment.pdf

[imaginos]

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.

[Platypus]

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