The best 19 Buddhism books

Buddhism Plain and Simple (2013) is your no-nonsense guide to essential Buddhist practices. From building awareness to living in the present moment, Buddhism’s most important teachings are explained in a clear and accessible way, and are linked to aspects of everyday life where we need them the most.

• Spirituality enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of human existence
• Professionals who feel too busy to live in the moment
• Anyone who wants to stop living in ignorance of basic Buddhist truths

The Book of Joy (2016) is an insightful guide to living a life free of sadness, stress and suffering. These blinks are full of actionable ways to cultivate joy for yourself and others while overcoming the obstacles that so often prevent people from finding happiness on earth.

• People who are feeling down on life
• Those who struggle to cultivate meaningful relationships
• Anyone interested in Buddhist teachings

Thoughts Without a Thinker (1995) describes the fundamental principles of the Buddhist tradition through a psychoanalytic lens. These blinks explain how meditation and mindfulness can soothe the mind, alleviate suffering and heal mental illness.

• People who suffer from depression and anxiety
• Anyone interested in Buddhism or psychotherapy
• Anyone skeptical about mindfulness

The Fear Factor (2017) examines the multifaceted role that fear plays in our lives. Though commonly perceived as a purely negative emotion, fear is in fact linked to several virtuous human characteristics, such as empathy and altruism.

• People who want to become more altruistic
• Those interested in neurology and how it affects certain behaviors
• Individuals who want to turn their fears into something useful

Packed full of practical wisdom, Life’s Amazing Secrets (2018) begins with a clarifying premise: to experience happiness and balance, we must maintain a spiritual practice, as well as pay attention to our personal lives, our relationships, our work and our social contributions. How to do that is what these blinks are all about. 

• People seeking purpose in life
• Successful individuals who aren’t content
• Seekers striving to realize their potential

On Having No Head (1961) is a one-of-a-kind classic of philosophy, spirituality, and mysticism. Combining empirical observations, mystical experiences, logical arguments, personal introspection, practical exercises, Zen Buddhism, and other Eastern spiritual traditions, its aim is to smash through the dualisms that lie beneath much of Western thought: subject and object, mind and body, self and non-self, internal and external world. In their place, the author contends that we can see ourselves and the world around us in a radically different way.

• Students of Western and Eastern philosophy 
• People wanting to understand the nature of consciousness 
• Anyone interested in Zen Buddhism

The Quiet Mind (1971) is the firsthand account of an American intelligence agent who traveled the Eastern world in search of inner peace. Throughout his remarkable life, author John. E. Coleman explored a wide breadth of spiritual paths, from Thai Buddhism to Zen to Quakerism. Ultimately, he found the greatest success with vipassana, a type of meditation he later imparted to his own students.

• The spiritually open-minded
• Those looking to understand the differences among several Eastern philosophies
• Admirers of D. T. Suzuki, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and U Ba Khin

Falling into Grace (2011) explores why humans suffer and shares the ways in which it is possible to let go of existential struggle. Using profound spiritual insights, it shows that the way we mentally interpret the world lies at the root of most human problems, and that another way of viewing the world is possible – one that is rich and free of suffering. 

• Seekers hoping for spiritual growth
• People interested in Buddhist philosophies
• Those who want to overcome suffering in their lives

Sovereign Self (2020) explores the Vedas. Revealed over 5,000 years ago, these texts are a cornerstone of Hinduism, Buddhism, and countless other religious traditions in the Indian subcontinent. Packed with spiritual insights, the Vedas revolve around a single central question: How to live in accordance with the true nature of reality? As you’ll discover in these blinks, the answer begins by discovering your own, true self. 

• Spiritual seekers
• Open-minded atheists 
• Self-improvers looking for new ideas

The Art of Living (1987) details the Vipassanā meditation principles set out by the famed Burmese-Indian teacher S. N. Goenka. As well as describing the techniques of Vipassanā meditation, it delves into the deeper philosophy of Buddhism.

• Anyone interested in meditation
• Those seeking relief from anxiety, stress, and suffering
• People curious about Buddhist thinking

Living Buddha, Living Christ (1995) is a meditation on the surprising intersections between Buddhism and Christianity. This thoughtful text shows the common ground shared by two of the world’s most influential spiritual leaders.

• Christians seeking a new perspective on Christ
• Buddhists looking to enrich their practice
• Anyone wanting to cultivate a deeper spiritual life

Bittersweet (2022) is a profound meditation on an often overlooked emotional experience – the bittersweet. It argues that opening up to the bittersweet, where pain and joy mingle, allows us to experience life to the fullest. It also shows how vulnerability can be a strength, longing can be a guide, and sorrow can set us on the path to joy and fulfillment. 

• Anyone who finds pleasure in sad songs and tear-jerker movies
• People who’ve experienced loss or trauma and want to find a way back to joy
• Lovers of the ephemeral, the impermanent, and the fleeting

The Dharma in DNA (2022) explores the intersections between Buddhist philosophy and biology. At first glance, these two traditions couldn’t be more different. One is spiritual; the other empirical. But there are overlaps. Both traditions are attempts to discover meaning, for one. But there’s more to it than that: both the teachings of the Buddha and the findings of biologists appear to converge on a similar understanding of what it means to be human.

• Open-minded rationalists and skeptics
• Thinkers who love big ideas
• Spiritualists interested in science

Lighter (2022) guides anyone seeking self-improvement through the process of releasing the past and taking power over the future. It’s a combination of wisdom and proverbs as well as a practical guide for doing the inner work of self-healing.

• Self-improvement seekers
• Buddhism buffs
• Anyone who needs to heal from the past

The Earned Life (2022) poses a simple yet profound question: Why does a life of constant achievement often leave us feeling empty? The answer can be found in ancient Buddhist wisdom: it’s not meeting ambitious goals but rather working on meaningful goals that really brings fulfillment and happiness. 

• High achievers who feel like something’s missing 
• Anyone interested in personal improvement 
• Secular-minded folks interested in spirituality

The Book of Five Rings (1643) is one of the most insightful texts to have ever been written about the nature of confrontation. Penned by a wandering samurai in seventeenth-century Japan, it’s a timeless study of the mindset of the warrior – literal and figurative.

• Martial artists
• Strategists  
• Leaders

Real Life (2023) is a guide to navigating life’s seasons with clarity and connection. While we all feel small and disconnected at times, we don’t have to remain stuck there. Drawing on a variety of voices, Real Life shares the possibility of a more expansive and aligned experience – even in the face of some of life’s most formidable challenges.

• Anyone struggling with loneliness, grief, or trauma 
• Individuals wanting to embrace greater freedom and joy
• Longtime meditators seeking to deepen their practice

No Mud, No Lotus (2014) explores the paradoxical truth that suffering is essential for achieving genuine happiness. It presents mindfulness practices and meditation techniques that can help you turn toward, and embrace, your direct experience.

• People navigating major life transitions or grappling with questions of meaning 
• Meditators seeking to bring their practice off the cushion
• Anyone interested in mindfulness and Buddhism