Books on Zen & Buddhism

Not intended to be exhaustive, the following is a list of useful books:

Aitken, Robert

A Zen Wave. 1982. 192 pp. Weatherhill. Tokyo, Japan. ISBN 0- 8348-0137-X. A collection of Basho's Haikus and writing on Zen translated by Aitken.

Aitken, Robert

Taking the Path of Zen. 1982. 149 pp. North Point Press. San Francisco, California. ISBN 0-86547-080-4. A superb collection of essays on various aspects of the practice of Zazen.

Aitken, Robert

The Mind of Clover. 1984. 199 pp. North Point Press. San Francisco, California. ISBN 0-86547-158-4. A superb collection of essays on the philosophical, moral and ethical principals of Zen.

Austen, James H.

Zen and the Brain. 1998. 896 pp. MIT Press. Cambridge, Mass. ISBN 0-262-01164-6. In this monumental work, the author marshals the evidence from neuroscience to help clarify which brain mechanisms underlie the subjective states of Zen, and employs Zen to 'illuminate' how the brain 'works' in various states of consciousness.

Basho, Matsuo

The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches. 1966. 167 pp. Penguin Books. Middlesex, England. Travel Sketches by the 17th century haiku poet Basho. Zen was a leading influence in the school of poetry that he founded

Hayashiya, Tatsusaburo, Masao Nakamura & Seizo Hayashiya

Japanese Arts and the Tea Ceremony. 1980. 186 pp. Weatherhill/Heibonsha. Tokyo, Japan. ISBN 0-8348-1025-5. A superb and comprehensive historical and philosophical examination of the Tea Ceremony in Japanese culture.

Herrigel, Eugen

Zen in the Art of Archery. 1971. 90 pp. Vintage Books. New York. LCC 53-9945. A German philosophy professor's account of his practice of Zen archery.

Herrigel, Eugen

The Method of Zen. 1976102 pp. Routledge & Kegan Paul. London. ISBN 0-7100-8330-0. A general overview of Zen.

Hoffman, Yoel

The Sound of the One Hand. 1977. 303 pp. Granada Publishing. Frogmore, St. Albans, Herts. 281 Zen Koans and their answers.

Hyams, Joe

Zen in the Martian Arts. 1979. 143 pp. J. P. Tarcher Inc. Los Angeles. ISBN 0-87477-101-3. Zen and its applications in the Martial Arts.

Kennett, Jiyu

Selling Water by the River. 1972. 317 pp. Vintige Books. New Yor. ISBN 0-394-71804-6. A classic manual of Zen training.

Leggett, Trevor

A First Zen Reader. 1981. 236 pp. Charles Tuttle. Rutland, Vermont. ISBN 0-8048-0180-0. A collection of Zen classics.

Matthiessen, Peter

Nine-headed Dragon River. 1987. 288 pp. Shambhala. Boston, Massachusetts. ISBN 0-87773-401-1. A Zen journal by an outstanding writer of travel and environmental works.

Merton, Thomas

Zen and the Birds of Appetite. 1968. 141 pp. New Directions. New York. An examination of Zen by an outstanding Christian theologian.

Mountain, Marian

The Zen Environment. 1982. 233 pp. Bantam Books. New York. ISBN 0-553-23060-3. A choronicle of one woman's discovery of Zen.

Pirsig, Robert M.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. 1975. 406. Bantam Books. New York ISBN 0-553-10310-5. Not strictly speaking about either Zen or motorcycle maintenance, but superb nonetheless.

Reps, Paul

Zen Flesh, Zen Bone. 1971. 165 pp. Pelican Books. Middlesex, England. 101 Zen Sories; The Gateless Gate by Mumon; 10 Bulls by Kakuan & Centering by Reps.

Ross, Nancy Wilson

The World of Zen. 1960. 362 pp. Vintage Books. New York. An excellent and comprehensive anthology of works on Zen.

Sekida, Katsuki

Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy. 1983. 258 pp. Weatherhill. Tokyo, Japan. ISBN 0-8348-0114-0. A very thorough and authoritative account of the philosophy and methods of Zen practice.

Suzuki, Shunryu

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. 1973. 138 pp. Weatherhill. Tokyo, Japan. ISBN 0-8348-0079-9. A classic philosophical and methodological introduction to Zen.

van de Wetering, Janwillem

The Empty Mirror. 1973. 192 pp. Simon & Shuster. New York. ISBN 0-671-81337-4. A Zen chronicle written by a Dutchman attending a monastery in Japan. A classic.

Watts, Alan W.

The Spirit of Zen: A Way of Life, Work and Art in the Far East. 1960. 136 pp. Grove Press. New York. An a cultural and artistic overview of Zen and its influences.

Watts, Alan W.

The Way of Zen. 1962. 252 pp. Pelican Books. Middlesex, England. Any overview of the philosophy and practice of Zen by one of the great popularizers of the tradition.

Watts, Alan W.

This Is It. 1973. 158 pp. Vintage Books. New York. ISBN 0-394- 71904-2. Essays of Zen and Spiritual Experience.

Weenpahl, Paul

The Matter of Zen: A Brief Account of Zazen. 1965. 162 pp. George Allen & Unwin, London.Essays about the practice of Zazen by Weinphal, a professor of Philosophy from University of California.

Wood, Ernest

Zen Dictionary. 1977. 128 pp. Pelican Books. Middlesex, England. An annotated dictionary of words important to the practice and study of Zen.

Yamada, Mumon

How to Practice Zazen. 19--. 61 pp. Institute For Zen Studies. Kyoto, Japan. Some standard Zen texts and chants.