Reading Suggestions
Books
For a tradition that supposedly has "no dependence on words and letters" (as Bodhidharma is reputed to have said), there's been an awful lot written about Zen! No list can ever be complete, but perhaps this list can start you out. Remember, the Liverpool Zen Group maintains a small lending library for group members.
- Dave Scott's Books
- Maezumi Roshi & Dharma Successors
- Other Contemporary Zen Teachers
- Old Masters
- Sutras
- Koan Collections
- Meditation & Zazen
- Psychology & Philosophical
- General Reading
Dave Scott's Books
Easy-to-use Zen: Refresh And Calm Your Mind, Body and Spirit with the Wisdom of Zen David Scott. Vega Books. 2002. ISBN: 1843335875
The Way of Zen David Scott, Tenshin Fletcher. Thomas Dunne Books. 2003. ISBN: 0312206208
The Elements of Zen David Scott, Tony Doubleday. Element Books. 1996. ISBN: 1862040427
Simply Zen: Interiors and Gardens David Scott, Sian Evans, Marc Peter Keane. Soma Books. 2003. ISBN: 1579590853
Three Bowl Cookbook: Secrets of Enlightened Cooking from a Zen Kitchen David Scott, Tom Pappas, Caroline Uzielli (Editor), Dawn Henderson (Editor). Carroll & Brown. 2000. ISBN: 1903258030
Japanese Cooking David Scott. Windward. 1986. ISBN: 0711204438
The Fighting Arts: Choosing the Way David Scott (Editor), Mick Pappas. Rider. 1988. ISBN: 0712625771
Samurai and Cherry Blossom David Scott. Rider. 1987. ISBN: 0712616926
Essential Japan (Essential Travel Guide Series) David Scott. Little Brown & Co. 1992. ISBN: 0316252069
Japan (AA Explorer Series) David Scott. AA Publishing. 2003. ISBN: 0749535792
Maezumi Roshi & Dharma Successors
Teaching of the Great Mountain: The Zen Teachings of Maezumi Roshi Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Steven Proskauer (Editor), Anton Tenkei Coppens. Tuttle Publishing. 2001. ISBN: 0804832730
The Echoless Valley Roshi Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Anton Tenkei Coppens. Dharma Communications. 1999. ISBN: 1882795024
The Eye Never Sleeps: Striking to the Heart of Zen Dennis Genpo Merzel. Shambhala Publications. 1991. ISBN: 0877735697
Beyond Sanity and Madness: The Way of Zen Master Dogen Dennis Genpo Merzel. Tuttle Publishing. 1994. ISBN: 0804830355
The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way Dennis Genpo Merzel. Shambhala Publications. 2003. ISBN: 157062948X
24/7 Dharma: Impermanence, No-self, Nirvana Dennis Genpo Merzel. Tuttle Publishing. 2001. ISBN: 1582900477
Art of Just Sitting: Writings on the Zen Practice of Shikantaza John Daido Loori (Editor). Wisdom Publications. 2002. ISBN: 0861713273
The Eight Gates of Zen: A Program of Zen Training John Daido Loori. Shambhala Publications. 2002. ISBN: 1570629528
The Heart of Being: Moral and Ethical Teachings of Zen Buddhism John Daido Loori, Bonnie Myotai Treace (Editor), Konrad Ryushin Marchaj (Editor). WTuttle Publishing. 1996. ISBN: 0804830789
The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating Your Artistic Life John Daido Loori. Ballantine Books. 2004. ISBN: 0345462017
Cave of Tigers: American Zen Dialogues John Daido Loori. Weatherhill Publishers. 2000. ISBN: 0834804336
Teachings of the Insentient: Zen and Environment John Daido Loori. Dharma Communications. 1999. ISBN: 1882795040
Celebrating Everyday Life John Daido Loori. Dharma Communications. 1999. ISBN: 1882795075
Nothing Special: Living Zen Charlotte Joko Beck, Steve Smith. HarperSanFrancisco. 1994. ISBN: 0062511173
Everyday Zen: Love and Work Charlotte Joko Beck. HarperCollins. 1997. ISBN: 0722534353
Infinite Circle: Teachings in Zen Bernie Glassman. Shambhala Publications. 2002. ISBN: 1570625913
Bearing Witness: A Zen Master's Lessons in Making Peace Bernie Glassman. Bell Tower Book. 1998. ISBN: 0609600613
The Salmon of Knowledge: Stories for Work, Life, the Dark Shadow and OneSelf. Nick Owen. Crown House Publishing 2009. ISBN: 1845901274.
Other contemporary teachers
Taking the Path of Zen Robert Aitken. North Point Press US. 1982. ISBN: 0865470804
Encouraging Words: Zen Buddhist Teachings for Western Students Robert Aitken. Pantheon Books. 1994. ISBN: 0679756523
The Three Pillars of Zen Philip Kapleau. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group. 1989. ISBN: 0385260938
Awakening to Zen: The Teachings of Roshi Philip Kapleau Philip Kapleau, Polly Young-Eisendrath and Rafe Martin (Editors). Shambhala Publications. ISBN: 1570628068
Not Always So Shunryu Suzuki, Edward Espe Brown. Quill. 2003. ISBN: 0060957549
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Shunryu Suzuki. Weatherhill Publishers. 1973. ISBN: 0834800799
An Introduction to Zen Buddhism D.T. Suzuki. Rider. 1991. ISBN: 071265061X
Old Masters
Moon in a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen Zen Master Dogen, Kazuaki Tanahashi (Editor). North Point Press US. 1995. ISBN: 086547186X
The Zen Teaching of Huang Po John Blofield. Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press. 1959. ISBN: 0802150926
The Zen Teachings Bodhidharma, Red Pine (Translator). North Point Press US. 1989. ISBN: 0865473994
The Zen Master Hakuin Philip Yampolsky. Columbia University Press. 1985. ISBN: 0231060416
Mud and Water: The Teachings of Zen Master Bassui Bassui Zenji, Arthur Braverman (Translator). Wisdom Publications. 2002. ISBN: 0861713206
Between Heaven & Earth: From Nagarjuna to Dogen Michael Eido Luetchford. Windbell Publications Ltd. 2002. ISBN: 0952300257
Sutras
Translations of the Shobogenzo, Vimalikiriti Nrdesa Sutra, Lotus Sutra, Platform Sutra and various other Mahayana texts are available from The Numata Center's online texts repository.
The Heart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra Thich Nhat Hanh. Parallax Press. 1988. ISBN: 0938077112
The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom Red Pine (Translator). Counterpoint Press. 2002. ISBN: 1582430594
The Vimalakirti Sutra Burton Watson (Translator). Columbia University Press. 2001. ISBN: 0231106572
The Threefold Lotus Sutra B. Kato (Translator). Kosei Shuppan-Sha. 1989. ISBN: 4333002087
The Lankavatara Sutra D. T. Suzuki. Coronet Books Inc. 1999. ISBN: 8121509254
Avatamsaka Sutra. The Flower Ornament Scripture Thomas Cleary (Translator). Shambhala Publications. 1993. ISBN: 0877739404
Koan Collections
The Gateless Barrier: Zen Comments on the Mumonkan Zenkei Shibayama. Shambhala Publications. 2000. ISBN: 1570627266
Secrets of the "Blue Cliff Record": Zen Comments by Hakuin and Tenkei Thomas Cleary (Editor). Shambhala Publications. 2002. ISBN: 1570629129
Master Dogen's Shinji Shobogenzo: 301 Koan Stories Gudo Nishijima, Michael Leutchford (Editor), Jeremy Pearson (Editor). Windbell Publications Ltd. 2003. ISBN: 0952300265
Meditation & Zazen
Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy Katsuki Sekida (Editor), A.V. Grimstone (Editor). Weatherhill Publishers. 1976. ISBN: 0834801140
The Miracle of Mindfulness: Manual on Meditation Thich Nhat Hanh. Rider. 1991. ISBN: 0712647872
Mindfulness in Plain English B.H. Gunaratana. Wisdom Publications. 2002. ISBN: 0861713214
Meditation for Dummies Stephan Bodian. John Wiley & Sons Inc. 1999. ISBN: 0764551167
Psychology & Philosophical
Ordinary Mind: Exploring the Common Ground of Zen and Psychoanalysis B. Magid. Wisdom Publications. 2002. ISBN: 0861713060
Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective Mark Epstein. Basic Books. 1996. ISBN: 0465085857
Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart: A Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness Mark Epstein. HarperCollins. 1999. ISBN: 0722537948
The Zen Path Through Depression Philip Martin. HarperSanFrancisco. 2000. ISBN: 0060654465
The Lost Art of Compassion: Discovering the Practice of Happiness in the Meeting of Buddhism and Psychology Lorne Ladner HarperSanFrancisco. 2004. ISBN: 0060536853
The New Social Face of Buddhism: A Call to Action Ken Jones. Wisdom Books. 2003. ISBN: 0861713656
Zen and the Psychology of Transformation: The Supreme Doctrine Hubert Benoit. Inner Traditions International. 1990. ISBN: 0892812729
General Reading
What the Buddha Taught Walpola Rahula. Atlantic Books. 1986. ISBN: 0802130313
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living Gary McClain, Eve Adamson. Alpha Books. 2000. ISBN: 0028639588
Living Zen Loving God Rueben L.F. Habito. Wisdom Books. 2004. ISBN: 0861713834
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism Chogyam Trungpa. Shambhala Publications. 2002. ISBN: 1570629579
The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation Chogyam Trungpa. Shambhala Publications. 2002. ISBN: 1570629331
Journey Without Goal: The Tantric Wisdom of the Buddha Chogyam Trungpa. Shambhala Publications. 2000. ISBN: 1570627576
The Path with Heart Jack Kornfield. Rider. 2002. ISBN: 0712657800
After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path Jack Kornfield. Bantam Books. 2001. ISBN: 0553378295
Dropping Ashes on the Buddha Stephen Mitchell. Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press. 1994. ISBN: 0802130526
Fingers Pointing Towards the Moon: Reflections of a Pilgrim on the Way Wei Wu Wei. Sentient Publications. 2003. ISBN: 1591810108
Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil Stephen Batchelor. Riverhead Books. 2004. ISBN: 1573222763
The World of Nasrudin Idries Shah. Octagon Press. 2003. ISBN: 0863040861
Landscapes of Wonder: Discovering Buddhist Dhamma in the World Around Us Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano. Wisdom Publications. 1998. ISBN: 0861711424
A Longing for Certainty: Reflections on the Buddhist Life Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano. Wisdom Books. 2003. ISBN: 0861713389
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment Eckhart Tolle. New World Library. 2004. ISBN: 1577314808
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