Best Buddhism Books | Summaries & Audio

Book Summaries

When Things Fall Apart

by Pema Chödrön • 1996

The Tibetan Buddhist practice for turning life's worst moments into your greatest teacher.

4.27

65k+

🏔️ Tibetan Buddhism 🍂 Impermanence 🤲 Radical Acceptance 💗 Compassion Practice 🔥 Emotional Alchemy

When Things Fall Apart

The Tibetan Buddhist practice for turning life's worst moments into your greatest teacher.

by Pema Chödrön 1996 208 pages

4.27

65k+ ratings

🏔️ Tibetan Buddhism 🍂 Impermanence 🤲 Radical Acceptance 💗 Compassion Practice 🔥 Emotional Alchemy

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

by Shunryu Suzuki • 1970

Mastery narrows your vision. The Zen practice of not-knowing is how you get it back.

4.21

50k+

🧘 Zen Practice ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy ⏳ Present Moment Awareness 🍂 Non-Attachment 🌊 Impermanence

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Mastery narrows your vision. The Zen practice of not-knowing is how you get it back.

by Shunryu Suzuki 1970 208 pages

4.21

50k+ ratings

🧘 Zen Practice ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy ⏳ Present Moment Awareness 🍂 Non-Attachment 🌊 Impermanence

Why Buddhism is True

by Robert Wright • 2017

Evolution tuned your feelings to mislead you. A science-backed case for the Buddhist fix.

4.02

27k+

🧘 Secular Buddhism 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Mindfulness Meditation 👤 Illusion Of Self 🎭 Cognitive Biases

Why Buddhism is True

Evolution tuned your feelings to mislead you. A science-backed case for the Buddhist fix.

by Robert Wright 2017 336 pages

4.02

27k+ ratings

🧘 Secular Buddhism 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology 🧠 Mindfulness Meditation 👤 Illusion Of Self 🎭 Cognitive Biases

Become What You Are

by Alan W. Watts • 1955

The self you're trying to improve is exactly what's in the way.

4.07

6k+

🪷 Zen Buddhism ☯️ Eastern Spirituality 🌐 Comparative Mysticism 🪞 Non-Duality ⏳ Present Moment Awareness

Become What You Are

The self you're trying to improve is exactly what's in the way.

by Alan W. Watts 1955 146 pages

4.07

6k+ ratings

🪷 Zen Buddhism ☯️ Eastern Spirituality 🌐 Comparative Mysticism 🪞 Non-Duality ⏳ Present Moment Awareness

Mindfulness

by Joseph Goldstein • 2013

The Buddha's own meditation manual: a step-by-step path to lasting freedom from suffering.

4.38

2k+

🧠 Insight Meditation ☸️ Theravada Buddhism 🧘 Buddhist Meditation 🧱 Foundations Of Mindfulness 📜 Sutta Study

Mindfulness

The Buddha's own meditation manual: a step-by-step path to lasting freedom from suffering.

by Joseph Goldstein 2013 480 pages

4.38

2k+ ratings

🧠 Insight Meditation ☸️ Theravada Buddhism 🧘 Buddhist Meditation 🧱 Foundations Of Mindfulness 📜 Sutta Study

Siddhartha's Brain

by James Kingsland • 2016

The mind's idle state breeds anxiety and craving. Neuroscience shows why an ancient cure works.

4.09

1k+

🧠 Contemplative Science ☸️ Buddhist Psychology 🧘 Secular Buddhism 🧠 Neuroplasticity 🎢 Emotional Regulation

Siddhartha's Brain

The mind's idle state breeds anxiety and craving. Neuroscience shows why an ancient cure works.

by James Kingsland 2016 352 pages

4.09

1k+ ratings

🧠 Contemplative Science ☸️ Buddhist Psychology 🧘 Secular Buddhism 🧠 Neuroplasticity 🎢 Emotional Regulation

Take Your Time

by Eknath Easwaran • 1994

Hurry promised more hours; it delivered less. The practice that reclaims the time your mind steals.

4.31

500+

🧘 Contemplative Spirituality 📜 Wisdom Traditions 🐌 Slow Living 🧠 Mind Training 🔔 Mantra Practice

Take Your Time

Hurry promised more hours; it delivered less. The practice that reclaims the time your mind steals.

by Eknath Easwaran 1994 216 pages

4.31

500+ ratings

🧘 Contemplative Spirituality 📜 Wisdom Traditions 🐌 Slow Living 🧠 Mind Training 🔔 Mantra Practice

Radical Compassion

by Shambhala Publications • 2014

You were born compassionate. Buddhist mind training clears the habits that hide it.

4.05

266

🧡 Buddhist Compassion ⛰️ Tibetan Buddhism 🌸 Self-Compassion 🔗 Interconnectedness 🧠 Mind Training

Radical Compassion

You were born compassionate. Buddhist mind training clears the habits that hide it.

by Shambhala Publications 2014 117 pages

4.05

266 ratings

🧡 Buddhist Compassion ⛰️ Tibetan Buddhism 🌸 Self-Compassion 🔗 Interconnectedness 🧠 Mind Training

Talking Zen

by Alan W. Watts • 1994

The self you defend is a social fiction. Zen undoes it, and that undoing is freedom.

4.25

199

🧘 Zen Buddhism 🏯 Eastern Philosophy 🎭 The Illusory Self 🌊 Effortless Action ☯️ Nondual Awareness

Talking Zen

The self you defend is a social fiction. Zen undoes it, and that undoing is freedom.

by Alan W. Watts 1994 208 pages

4.25

199 ratings

🧘 Zen Buddhism 🏯 Eastern Philosophy 🎭 The Illusory Self 🌊 Effortless Action ☯️ Nondual Awareness

Little Angels

by Phra Peter Pannapadipo • 2005

Most Thai novice monks did not choose the monastery. Hunger chose for them.

3.94

135

🧘 Thai Buddhism 🏯 Buddhist Monasticism 📿 Monastic Life 🎙️ Oral History ☸️ Theravada Tradition

Little Angels

Most Thai novice monks did not choose the monastery. Hunger chose for them.

by Phra Peter Pannapadipo 2005 320 pages

3.94

135 ratings

🧘 Thai Buddhism 🏯 Buddhist Monasticism 📿 Monastic Life 🎙️ Oral History ☸️ Theravada Tradition

The Intelligent Heart

by Dzigar Kongtrül III • 2016

The source of suffering is self-importance. The remedy is exchanging your peace for others' pain.

4.57

🪷 Tibetan Buddhism 🧠 Mind Training 🤲 Compassion Meditation 🫧 Ego Transcendence 💔 Transforming Suffering

The Intelligent Heart

The source of suffering is self-importance. The remedy is exchanging your peace for others' pain.

by Dzigar Kongtrül III 2016 248 pages

4.57

98 ratings

🪷 Tibetan Buddhism 🧠 Mind Training 🤲 Compassion Meditation 🫧 Ego Transcendence 💔 Transforming Suffering

Dharma Matters

by Jan Willis • 2020

A Black woman scholar-practitioner forces Western Buddhism to reckon with race and gender.

4.00

🏔️ Tibetan Buddhism 🧭 Western Buddhism 🤲 Engaged Buddhism 🙋‍♀️ Buddhist Feminism 🕊️ Race And Religion

Dharma Matters

A Black woman scholar-practitioner forces Western Buddhism to reckon with race and gender.

by Jan Willis 2020 384 pages

4.00

7 ratings

🏔️ Tibetan Buddhism 🧭 Western Buddhism 🤲 Engaged Buddhism 🙋‍♀️ Buddhist Feminism 🕊️ Race And Religion

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