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Buddhism related books?

I'm interested in being exposed to Buddhism, and was hoping those well read in the subject, or even familiar with it, could recommend a book or two.

My father has told me about Zen Buddhism in the past, and it seems very interesting to me, perhaps even something I might pursue, but I suspect Buddhism is the broader "topic" and thus perhaps I should explore that first.

This would be my first exposure to Buddhism, and thus I'd prefer something general, and not too specific or heavy. That being said, I do enjoy reading, and desire books that have some meat; not just some mass media bestseller that makes getting spiritual easy and quick.

I am not really interested in the practice itself initially, but instead some background, history, and an overall introduction to Buddhism. If such a novel is recommend and includes techniques, great, but initially I would like to learn before acting.

Thanks!

Note: I found the book Mindfulness in Plain English at Amazon (Link) and would be interested in any sort of feedback anyone has about that book as well.

I basically did an Amazon search for Buddhism and that book seemed to be one of the most highly recommended. I then came here and wrote the post above.

EDIT: I just talked to dad about my interest in Buddhism, and he went to the bookcase and handed me a few books. The one on top was Mindfulness in Plain English, which I thought was pretty neat; perhaps a sign that I should read it first. :)

One of my favorite books about Buddhism - and I think an excellent one to start out with since it is written very accessibly - is The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh. Other books by the same author are also quite excellent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Nhat_Hanh
Excerpt:

Quote:

Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese: Thích Nhất Hạnh) is an expatriate Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk. A teacher, author, and peace activist, Nhat Hanh was born in central Vietnam on October 11, 1926. He joined a Zen monastery at the age of 16, studied Buddhism as a novice, and was fully ordained as a monk in 1949. The title Thích is used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He coined the term Engaged Buddhism in his book Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire.

In the early 1960's, he founded the School of Youth for Social Services (SYSS) in Saigon, a grass roots relief organization that rebuilt bombed villages, set up schools and medical centers, and resettled families left homeless during the Vietnam War. He traveled to the U.S. a number of times to study and later teach at Columbia University, and to promote the cause of peace. He urged Martin Luther King, Jr. to oppose the Vietnam War publicly, and spoke with many people and groups about peace. In 1967, King nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Nhat Hanh led the Buddhist delegation to the Paris Peace Talks. One of the best known Buddhist teachers in the West, Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings and practices appeal to people from various religious, spiritual, and political backgrounds. He offers a practice of mindfulness that is often adapted to Western sensibilities.

He created the Order of Interbeing in 1966, and established monastic and practice centers around the world. His home is Plum Village Monastery in the Dordogne region in the South of France. He travels internationally giving retreats and talks. Exiled from Vietnam for many years, he was allowed to return for a trip in 2005. He has published more than 100 books, including more than 40 in English. He also publishes a quarterly Dharma talk in the journal of the Order of Interbeing, the Mindfulness Bell. Nhat Hanh continues to be active in the peace movement. He has sponsored retreats for Israelis and Palestinians, encouraging them to listen and learn about each other; given speeches urging warring countries to stop fighting and look for non-violent solutions to problems; and conducted a peace walk in Los Angeles in 2005 attended by thousands of people.

I would suggest The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts.

It's a hook, line and sinker book. It is a small volume and lays out the attitude that is desirable for diving into a Buddhist practice in layman's terms that read like the most obvious common sense.

It is a primer that can translate into any Buddhist denomination and just might change the way you look at your life. I recommend it highly to anyone, whether they are interested in Buddhism or not.

I would recommend reading some of the actual sutras of Buddhism. I read The Diamond Sutra, which addresses how this life is an illusion. It's a very interesting read, and it definitely has an effect on how you see things. I really enjoyed it.

I'm not quite sure what version of The Diamond Sutra that I read. They all have different translations and commentaries added on to the text, so I would recommend picking one that you like and seems most readable to you.

I can recommend Mindfulness in Plain English. There's an online version of it <a href="http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mfneng/mind0.htm">here</a> It's sort of a guidebook on Vipassana meditation. It's not theoretical in any way--it tells you how, when and where to meditate. You'll learn the tips of the icebergs of Buddhist thought, and get sent off to do the initial work. Which is itself a crucial element of Buddhism--there are no tenets of faith or things to believe. There are principles which are best explored and discovered by the individual practitioner on his or her own.

Also, for a super-brief run-down of the teachings of the Buddah and the history of Buddhism, read <a href="http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha030.htm">this</a>.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretMethod70

I agree with that. My wife is reading one of his books as we speak. Another great resource is the magazine Tricycle. It's a great product that anyone could benefit from reading. Here's their web sight:

http://www.tricycle.com/

I read Thoughts Without a Thinker by Mark Epstien, and it gave a nice balanced view of the religion, regarding it on an interesting psychological level. It's pretty easy to read, and has a lot of info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cellophanedeity

This is a good suggestion...I haven't read it myself, but I've talked to others who also commend it.

I used to have several books concernings buddhism, but my 8th grade teacher took them because she is Vry liberal, and she didnt think it would be good for me to have those at schools.