A reading guide
Buddhist books
These Buddhist books offer beginners verses, teachings, accounts of the Buddha's life, and a pilgrim's journey. Start with Dhammapada for short verses on thought, conduct, suffering, and freedom.
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Where to start
Start hereDhammapadaAnonymousBegin with short verses that focus on thought and conduct, offering a direct approach to suffering, restraint, and freedom.
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Another way inThe Light of AsiaEdwin ArnoldChoose a poem with a story: a sheltered prince encounters age, sickness, and death, then seeks an answer to suffering.
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Or tryA Record of Buddhistic KingdomsFaxianFor a journey rather than verses, follow Faxian across deserts and mountains as he seeks Buddhist rules for monastic life.
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The books
Free to start one of the free gifts when you start
| # | First published | Book | Kind | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | About 250 BC | DhammapadaAnonymous Short Buddhist verses explore thought, conduct, suffering, and freedom, teaching restraint, care, and release from craving. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 2 | · | The Diamond Sutra (Chin-Kang-Ching)Unknown The Buddha answers Subhuti's questions about giving, helping others, and practising without attachment to fixed ideas. | Ancient text | Free to startRead free |
| 3 | 1879 | The Light of AsiaEdwin Arnold This poem follows a sheltered prince whose encounters with age, sickness, and death begin a search for freedom from suffering. | Poems | Free to startRead free |
| 4 | 1894 | The Gospel of BuddhaPaul Carus A continuous narrative brings together the Buddha's life, awakening, and teaching with sayings and parables about suffering. | Non-fiction | Free to startRead free |
| 5 | 414 | A Record of Buddhistic KingdomsFaxian Faxian's journey from China across deserts and mountains records his search for Buddhist texts on monastic conduct. | Non-fiction | Free to startRead free |
Questions
What are the best Buddhist books to start with?
Start with Dhammapada for short teachings, The Diamond Sutra (Chin-Kang-Ching) for a conversation about giving without attachment, or The Light of Asia for a poem about the Buddha's search. The Gospel of Buddha brings life and teachings into a continuous narrative, while A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms follows a monk's travels.
What is the Dhammapada?
Dhammapada is a collection of Buddhist teachings in 423 short verses, traditionally attributed to the Buddha. Its subjects include thought, conduct, suffering, and freedom. The verses describe the pain brought by hatred and craving, alongside teachings on restraint and care.
What is the Diamond Sutra?
The Diamond Sutra (Chin-Kang-Ching) presents the Buddha answering his disciple Subhuti's questions about giving, helping others, and practising without attachment. The conversation challenges fixed ideas about the self, other beings, and Buddhist teachings, making attachment itself a subject for reflection.
What is a sutra?
In Buddhism, a sutra is a text that presents a teaching attributed to the Buddha or an authorised speaker. The Diamond Sutra (Chin-Kang-Ching) takes the form of questions and answers between the Buddha and Subhuti, concerning giving, helping others, and practising without attachment to fixed ideas.
Where should a beginner start with Buddhism?
For a first book, begin with Dhammapada and its short verses on thought, conduct, suffering, and freedom. For a narrative approach, choose The Gospel of Buddha, which follows the Buddha's life and teaching, or The Light of Asia, which tells his search for an answer to suffering in verse.
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