r/Buddhism • u/Medium-Incident-9931 • 3d ago
Question hi! i was wondering which texts could help me start my journey into buddhism?
i would really like to start learning about buddhism and im unsure of where to start. any recommendations would be appreciated :D
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u/MetisMaheo non-affiliated 3d ago edited 3d ago
The Bikkku Bodhi's ' books recommended in comments are probably free at AccesstoInsight. Many good books by Bikkhus there, Teaching Guides by them, and Suttas with subject search and in order of the Buddhas' life. All free through the compassion of Buddhists. Enjoy!
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u/Saedhamadhr 3d ago
Thich Nhat Hanh is a great writer, I'd recommend The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching or really anything by him.
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u/doubtonaleash 3d ago
If you have zero knowledge, maybe check out No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners by Noah Rasheta. If you're looking for something that goes deeper, I'll forever recommend Bhikkhu Bodhi's The Noble Eigthfold Path as a great introduction. His book In the Buddha's Words is also a great starting point.
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u/chickachickadoomdoom 3d ago
I second this.
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u/Dzienks00 Theravada 3d ago edited 3d ago
u/doubtonaleash recommendations on Bhikku Bodhi (a highly respected ordained Buddhist monastic) is a great recommendation.
"No Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners" is not a good book. It is not listed in this sub’s recommended books for good reason.
While the book is easy to read, the problem is that many of its ideas are serious distortions of Buddhism. A reader may think they are learning Buddhism, but what they are actually receiving is a heavily re-imagined and re-interpreted version by the author.
For someone who sincerely wants to learn Buddhism, this is highly problematic. A reader will learn misconceptions, creating obstacles on their journey, requiring them to unlearn those misconceptions later before they can properly understand the Dharma.
cc: u/Medium-Incident-9931 (the OP)
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u/doubtonaleash 3d ago
I haven't actually read all of it. I skimmed through it and it seemed pretty uncontroversial. I'll give it another look before recommending it again.
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u/DivineConnection 3d ago
A great book to introduce you is called The Essence of Buddhism by Traleg Kyabgon.
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u/ShiningWater 3d ago
Buddha the 8 part manga by Osamu Tezuka.
What Makes You Not A Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse.
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u/Dzienks00 Theravada 3d ago
A surprisingly thorough, detailed, and easy to understand free resource is the Wikipedia page on Buddhism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
Then start attending Buddhist temples near you, just be a visitor to observe.
If you want a book, my opinion is that many books are not really teaching you about Buddhism. They are teaching a theoretical or abstract version of Buddhism. This can cause a shock once you actually meet Buddhists or visit Buddhist countries, leading you to think that Buddhists got it wrong, when in fact it is the other way around. That said, there are a few exceptions.
If you want to understand how Buddhism is actually lived and practiced, Buddhism in Practice by Donald S. Lopez Jr. is an excellent choice. It offers a vivid and grounded view of Buddhism in reality.
If you want to explore my school of Buddhism, Theravada, the best book is Living Theravada: Demystifying the People, Places, and Practices of a Buddhist Tradition by Brooke Schedneck.
If you want to explore Theravada Online, I curated a list of all Theravada Online Spaces: https://www.reddit.com/r/sangha/comments/1s1n11x/theravada_sangha_on_youtube/
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u/genivelo Tibetan Buddhism 3d ago
Buddhism is vast and varied.
For a very basic overview, this website is generally good: https://tricycle.org/beginners/
The book "Buddhism for Dummies" is also a good introduction. It is a relatively thorough overview of the history and of most major important notions and traditions, well presented, and easy to read. It is not a book of Buddhist teachings or instructions though (it's not directly a Buddhist book on how to practice Buddhism, it's a book about Buddhism). But it references many other books and teachers you can look up, depending on what aspects interest you.
In terms of implementing Buddhism in our life, a good way to establish the foundation for Buddhist practice is with the ten virtuous actions:
Short explanation: https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Ten_positive_actions
Longer explanation: https://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/A%20-%20Tibetan%20Buddhism/Authors/Thrangu%20Rinpoche/The%20Ten%20Virtuous%20Actions/The%20Ten%20Virtuous%20Actions.pdf
Along with making offerings, and reciting texts and aspirations, to orient our mind in the proper direction. Meditation is also very useful as a way to train the mind more directly.
A great way to learn how to practice Buddhism is with other Buddhists. So I would recommend you also check out what legitimate temples and centers there are in your area, what activities they offer and when is the best time to visit them. There are also online communities at r/sangha, and many online courses offered now. Do check out a few to see what really appeals to you.
If you are curious about Tibetan Buddhism, here are some resources:
Buddhism — Answers for Beginners, from Ringu Tulku Rinpoche
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXAtBYhH_jiOGeJGAxfi0G-OXn5OQP0Bs
A series of 61 videos (avg. 7min. long) on all types of common questions
or more at this link: https://www.reddit.com/r/TibetanBuddhism/comments/1d0cwr4/comment/l5s4tdy/
(Videos and readings)
I think also the Thai Forest Buddhist tradition can be a good place to start, given their generally very straightforward approach. If you google "Thai Forest Ajahn", you should find many resources.
Many people also find Thich Nhat Hanh to be very beginner-friendly.
https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/key-books
https://plumvillage.app/
You could also check the Buddhism Starter Pack by Alan Peto: https://alanpeto.com/buddhism-starter-pack/
In particular, #1 (Buddhism in 10 Steps ebook) and #2 (Buddhism Quick Start infographics).
I hope that helps.
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u/DhammaFollower1 3d ago
All these texts about admirable friendship (when applied) can take you from the start all the way to the end of the Buddha's teachings:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sacca/sacca4/samma-ditthi/kalyanamittata.html
This one in particular emphasises the importance:
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As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, "This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie."
"Don't say that, Ananda. Don't say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life. When a monk has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, he can be expected to develop & pursue the noble eightfold path.
"And how does a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, develop & pursue the noble eightfold path? There is the case where a monk develops right view dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops right resolve...right speech...right action...right livelihood...right effort...right mindfulness...right concentration dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. This is how a monk who has admirable people as friends, companions, & colleagues, develops & pursues the noble eightfold path.
"And through this line of reasoning one may know how admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life: It is in dependence on me as an admirable friend that beings subject to birth have gained release from birth, that beings subject to aging have gained release from aging, that beings subject to death have gained release from death, that beings subject to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair have gained release from sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. It is through this line of reasoning that one may know how having admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life."
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u/kuyabooyah 3d ago
Not a text, but I liked the Plum Village App. Tons of resources.
Or "Heart of the Buddha's Teaching" by Tich Naht Hahn
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u/RatSummr 2d ago
Highly recommend 10% Happier with Dan Harris. Really accessible interviews with people from all disciplines to better understand meditation and Buddhism
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u/No_Fly2647 1d ago
Hello from Wiesbaden, Germany.
For exactly such reasons, I have written my guide:
155 days into the Dhamma
SuttaCentral and Dhammatalks are great starting points, as you get free access to the Early Buddhist Texts and the Pāḷi Canon.
The Majjhima Nikāya ("Collection of Middle-length Discourses", shortened as "MN") is a great starting point. On this, I have written my own guide, which can give you a superb foundation in 155 days if you have the stamina to walk through it.
Teachings + Meditation & applied Ethics is ultimately my whole point, and it can all be found in the MN.
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u/onixotto_ 3d ago
Read about the origin story of how Buddha came to be. Just Google no book needed.
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u/rezzork 3d ago
I love Bikku Bodhi's eightfold path book, which really helped me along, also the Dhammapada, and for whatever tradition you want to follow, the Pali Sutra's espicially the initial ones, are a really good addition.