If you are new to Buddhism, do not worry. Following recommended books will give you a good ground in Dhamma and practice of meditation. The journey of noble path of the Buddha starts with right understanding and trust and confidence in the teachings. It lays a foundation to establish oneself in Dhamma and encourages one to follow it in daily life. Buddha’s teachings give a freedom to explore and understand its theory. You will find fundamental teachings in the following books. Take your time to read and grasp the essence of it.
- WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT – by Walpola Rahula. It is a comprehensive book on Buddha’s fundamental teachings such as Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold path, Three characteristics of existence, meditation and so on. Many universities require this book in their syllabus for Buddhist studies. (Nepali version)
- THE BUDDHA AND HIS TEACHINGS – by Venerable Narada Mahathera. It covers a wide range of topic on Buddhism. It starts with life story of the Buddha and explaining many fundamental teachings including Karma and Enlightenment. Beginners may find it very helpful reading this book.
- MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH – by Bhante Gunaratana. It is a manual of Buddhist meditation for beginners and advanced practitioners. It is clear and straightforward which gives you the clear guidance for the practice of mindfulness.
- MINDFULNESS, BLISS AND BEYOND – by Ajahn Brahm. Another book on Buddhist meditation for those who wants to advance their mindfulness experience. The author shares wonderful experiences of mindfulness practice in a practical way.
- THE ART OF LIVING – VIPASSANA MEDITATION AS TAUGHT BY S. N. GOENKA – by William Hart. It is another book on meditation. It promotes meditation as a non-sectarian practice that anyone develop without having any religious label.
RELATED LINKS
- Access to Insight –Readings in Theravada Buddhism
- SuttaCentral – Early Buddhist texts, translations, and parallels
- Tipitaka – Early Buddhist texts in Pali and Sinhala language
