The 4 best books for Zen Buddhism beginners

If you're interested in Zen Buddhism, you're in luck! There are a number of great books on Buddhism that are perfect reading material for beginners. In this blog post, we'll introduce you to the four best books on Zen Buddhism for beginners. These books will help you better understand the philosophy of zazen and other concepts. So without further ado, let's get started!

The top four books are:

1. What is Zen? by Alan Watts

2. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts

3. Zen: The Authentic Gate by Kōun Yamada

4. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

1. What is Zen? by Alan Watts

What is Zen? is a book by the famous philosopher Alan Watts. In this book Alan Watts introduces the reader to the history and philosophy of Zen Buddhism. He covers topics such as what enlightenment is, the difference between Eastern and Western thought, and how to practice Zen. If you are looking for a book that will give you a general introduction to Zen Buddhism, this is the book for you!

Even though Alan Watts was not a Zen Buddhist himself, he had an incredible knowledge of Zen Buddhism and its concepts. Coupled with his Western roots, he was able to mediate between Eastern philosophies and Western thought like no other - making this book a masterpiece for beginners.

If you don't know Alan Watts, we have an article on Who and how he really was.

The book is organized as follows:

PART 1: SIMPLE WAY, A DIFFICULT WAY

PART 2: ZEN RECONSIDERED

PART 3: SPACE

PART 4: ZEN MIND

Is What is Zen? worth reading?

This book is an excellent choice if you don't really know what Zen is, or if you want to gain deeper knowledge. This book covers both and is written by one of the best mediators between Eastern philosophies and the Western mind.

2. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts

The Way of Zen is another book by Alan Watts. In this book, Alan Watts delves deeper into the history and practice of Zen Buddhism. He covers topics such as zazen (Zen meditation), koans, and much more. If you want to learn more about the practice of Zen Buddhism, this is the book for you!

In particular, the fact that the book focuses on the origins of Zen as well as the principles and practices makes this a well-rounded, beginner-friendly read.

If you want to learn more about Watts' teachings, you can find a sample article here: Alan Watts on muddy water and calming the mind

The book not only highlights the history of Zen, but also explains its principles and gives examples to practice it. Here are the chapters:

Part One: BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

1 The Philosophy of the Tao

2 The Origins of Buddhism

3. mahayana buddhism

4 The Rise and Development of Zen

Part Two: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

1. "Empty and Marvelous"

2. "Sitting Quietly, Doing Nothing"

3. za-zen and the koan

4. zen in the arts

Is The Way of Zen worth reading?

The Way of Zen is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the history and practice of Zen Buddhism. Most people who know the book recommend it. This is not really a surprise, because Alan Watts had a profound way of explaining exotic things to the Western mind.

3. Zen: The Authentic Gate by Kōun Yamada

Zen: The Authentic Gate is a book by Koun Yamada, a Japanese priest of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. In this book, Yamada explains in detail the practice of zazen (Zen meditation). He covers topics such as posture, breathing, and managing thoughts during meditation. If you are looking for a book that will give you a thorough understanding of zazen, this is the book for you!

You may even be looking specifically for a book written by someone who comes from the country where Zen Buddhism has its roots (Japan) and is an expert in the field (he was a Japanese Buddhist who led the Sanbo Kyodan lineage of Zen Buddhism).

The book is organized as follows:

1. suffering and modern-day humanity

2. the zen view

3 The Principle of Salvation in Zen Buddhism

4 The Three Great Aims of Zen

5 Types of Zen Practice

6 Koan Practice and Just Sitting

7 Finding an Authentic Teacher

8 Depth of Enlightenment

9 Cause and Effect as One

10 Deceptive Phenomena

11 Belief, Understanding, Practice, Realization, and Personalization

12. Eight Great Tenets of Mahayana Buddhism

13. on private interview

14 Three Necessary Conditions for Zen Practice

15 Zen Practice for People of Other Religions

16 The Actual Practice of Zazen

17 Practical Matters

Is Zen: The Authentic Gate worth reading?

Zen: The Authentic Gate is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the practice of Zen Buddhism. However, the book is a bit more difficult to read than the first two books we featured, because Alan Watts had a unique way of explaining exotic Eastern concepts to Westerners in the simplest way possible.

4. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Mind-Beginners-50th-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B086J7X4GV/ref=sr_1_1? crid=38SBR0RC7D3YX&keywords=Zen+Geist%2C+Beginner%27s+Geist&qid=1659564974&sprefix=zen+Geist%2C+beginner%27s+Geist%2Caps%2C228&sr=8-1

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is the ideal book to learn about an offshoot of Buddhist philosophies: Zen Buddhism (in this article, we explain All differences for you).

Suzuki was a Japanese priest and teacher of Zen Buddhism who founded the San Francisco Zen Center. This book is an excellent introduction to the world of Zen Buddhism.

The book is organized as follows:

PART 1 RIGHT PRACTICE

Posture
Breathing
Control
Mind Waves
Mind Weeds
The Marrow of Zen
No Dualism
Bowing
Nothing Special

PART 2 RIGHT ATTITUDE

Single-Minded Way
Repetition
Zen and Excitement
Right Effort
No Trace
God Giving
Mistakes in Practice
Limiting Your Activity
Study Yourself
To Polish a Tile
Constancy
Communication
Negative and Positive
Nirvana the Waterfall

PART 3 RIGHT UNDERSTANDING

Traditional Zen Spirit
Transiency
The Quality of Being
Naturalness
Emptiness
Readiness, Mindfulness
Believing in Nothing
Attachment, Nonattachment
Calmness
Experience, Not Philosophy
Original Buddhism
Beyond Consciousness
Buddha's Enlightenment
Epilogue: Zen Mind
Afterword by David Chadwick
Acknowledgment

Is Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind worth reading?

This book is an excellent starting point for learning the basics of Zen Buddhism. The topics are clearly explained and it is written in an accessible style. Suzuki's experience and wisdom are reflected in his writing, making the book a pleasure to read.

We hope you enjoyed our list of the four best books on Zen Buddhism for beginners. Do you have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments!