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Today: Sun 05 Sep 2010

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

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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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