Category: Books
“Negation After Negation You Attain Liberation”: Shosan with Suzuki Roshi
In a pivotal moment for Zen in America, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center was founded in 1967, the first Zen monastery established outside Japan. David Chadwick’s new book, Tassajara Stories (Monkfish Press) describes the early days of this historic center, including the question-and-answer session with Shunryu Suzuki Roshi at the end of the second sesshin ever held at Tassajara.
You Don’t Have to Fear Death — But You Should
In the new book How to Live and Die: The Transformative Power of Meditating on Impermanence (Wisdom Publications), Lama Zopa Rinpoche says death is just a mental construct, but it’s helpful to fear it anyway.
Reclaiming Chinese Buddhism’s Modern Story
Despite its foundational role in East Asian Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism has long been marginalized in the West. This excerpt from Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers, edited by Benjamin Brose, explores how 20th-century Chinese monks and nuns defied extinction and sparked a powerful renewal.
Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path
Read a review of Sarah Shaw’s Breathing Mindfulness: Discovering the Riches at the Heart of the Buddhist Path, published by Shambhala Publications.
Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers
Read a review of Buddhist Masters of Modern China: The Lives and Legacies of Eight Eminent Teachers edited by Benjamin Brose, published by Shambhala Publications.
Footsteps of Buddha: Buddhist Pilgrimage in India
Read an excerpt from Footsteps of Buddha, the upcoming photography book by James Gritz—a visually rich and spiritually grounded reflection on twenty years of pilgrimage to India’s most sacred Buddhist sites.
Orient: Two Walks at the Edge of the Human
Read a review of Orient: Two Walks at the Edge of the Human, by David Hinton, published by Shambhala Publications.
Just Awakening: Yogacara Social Philosophy in Modern China
Read a review of Just Awakening: Yogacara Social Philosophy in Modern China, by Jessica X. Zu, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Columbia University Press.
Meditation on Emptiness
Read a review of Meditation on Emptiness, Second Revised Edition, by Jeffrey Hopkins, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
Where the Dalai Lama’s Reincarnation Will (and Won’t) Be Found
Matteo Pistono on Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle With China, the new book by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. The book, he writes, is the Dalai Lama’s response — not just to Beijing, but to history itself.
The Roots of Goodness: Zen Master Dōgen’s Teaching on the Eight Qualities of a Good Person
Read a review of The Roots of Goodness: Zen Master Dogen’s Teaching on the Eight Qualities of a Good Person by y Eihei Dogen Zenji, commentary by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, translated with an introduction by Daitsu Tom Wright, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Shambhala Publications.
Sacred Places, Sacred Teachings: Following the Footsteps of the Buddha
Read a review of Sacred Places, Sacred Teachings: Following the Footsteps of the Buddha by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications.
Readings of the Gateless Barrier
Read a review of Readings of The Gateless Barrier, the new book by of Jimmy Yu (Guo Gu), plus "What Is a Gong-an?", excerpted and shared courtesy of its publisher, Columbia University Press.
Buddhism: A Journey Through History
Read a review of Donald S. Lopez, Jr.'s new book, Buddhism: A Journey Through History, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Yale University Press.
From Eternity to Eternity: Memoirs of a Korean Buddhist Nun
Read Constance Kassor's review of Bulpil Sunim's From Eternity to Eternity: Memoirs of a Korean Buddhist Nun.
Queens Without a Kingdom
In her book "Queens Without a Kingdom Worth Ruling: Buddhist Nuns and the Process of Change in Tibetan Monastic Communities," Chandra Chiara Ehm explores the often-overlooked lives of Tibetan nuns, highlighting the social and institutional challenges they encounter. Read an excerpt, courtesy of Vajra Books.
Diligence: The Joyful Endeavor of the Buddhist Path
Read a review of the new book by Dzigar Kongtrul, and an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Shambhala Publications.
The Five Ranks of Zen: Tozan’s Path of Being, Nonbeing & Compassion
Read a review of Gerry Shishin Wick's new book, plus an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Shambhala Publications.
How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path: A Guide to the Lamrim
Read a review of How to Meditate on the Stages of the Path: A Guide to the Lamrim, and an excerpt courtesy of its publisher, Wisdom Publications
Read “How To Build an Altar in a Cell” from The Inner Path: An Introduction to Buddhist Practice for Those in Prison
Learn about the origins and motivation behind Acharya Samaneti's new dharma book for the incarcerated, read an excerpt, and find ways that you can help support efforts to get books to prisoners.