Buddhism Books

Where does one start if one wants to know about Buddhism? Professor and practitioner Elizabeth Harris recommends some of the best books to get you going on the path to Enlightenment.

What is the Buddhist equivalent of the Bible? What is the Dalai Lama's favourite book? Buddhist scholar Donald Lopez recommends some of his favourite books on Buddhism.

Two decades ago Andy Puddicombe was ordained as a Buddhist monk. Now back in lay life, he tries to teach the benefits of meditation to the rest of us—most notably through the Headspace app, but also by writing books. Here he chooses some of the books that inspired him, from Japanese poetry to Tibetan philosophy. Not all are meditation books but they are his "old favorites."

Discussions about Tibet are often reduced to arguments about China's right to run it. Tibetologist Robbie Barnett says this obscures a much more subtle debate about what it means to be Tibetan in modern Tibetan society.

China is a religious country with all kinds of faiths being practised across its vast territories—despite Mao's attempts to eradicate them. The Chinese Communist Party tolerates a variety of religions but continues to grapple with the potential challenge they pose to its authority. Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson introduces the best books on the complex topic of religion in China.