Scudder Falls Zen

A selection of books that have especially influenced the sangha leader’s Buddhist practice. Books in bold print especially recommended for beginners.

General Introductions to Buddhism and Zen

Burk, Domyo Sater. Zen Living. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 2014.

Davis, Bret W. Zen Pathways: An Introduction to the Philosophy and Practice of Zen Buddhism. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2022.

Hagen, Steve. Buddhism Plain and Simple: The Practice of Being Aware, Right Now, Every Day. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2013.

Keown, Damien. Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. New ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.

———. Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020.

Nhất Hạnh, Thich. The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy & Liberation : The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and Other Basic Buddhist Teachings. New York: Harmony Books, 2015.

O’Brien, Barbara. The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World. First edition. Boulder: Shambhala, 2019.

Shrobe, Richard. Don’t-Know Mind: The Spirit of Korean Zen. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2004.

Classic Buddhist Texts

Addiss, Stephen, Stanley Lombardo, and Judith Roitman, eds. Zen Sourcebook: Traditional Documents from China, Korea, and Japan. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co., 2008.

Bhikkhu Bodhi, ed. In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pāli Canon. Teachings of the Buddha. Boston, Mass.: Wisdom Publications, 2005.

———, ed. The Buddha’s Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pāli Canon. Teachings of the Buddha. Somerville, MA: Wisdom, 2016.

Ferguson, Andrew. Zen’s Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2011.

Fronsdal, Gil, trans. The Dhammapada: A Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations. Second edition. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2023.
A different translation is available online.

Chinul. The Korean Approach to Zen: The Collected Works of Chinul. Translated by Robert E. Buswell. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1983.

Chinul. Chinul: Selected Works. Edited by Robert E. Buswell. Collected works of Korean Buddishm. Sŏul-si (Seul): Jogye Order of Korean Buddism, 2012.

Red Pine, trans. Zen Roots: The First Thousand Years. Anacortes, Washington: Empty Bowl Press, 2020.
Contemporary translations of the Heart, Diamond, & Platform Sutras; Bodhidharma’s Principles & Practice; Sengcan’s Trusting the Mind; & other core Zen texts

Śāntideva. The Bodhicaryāvatāra. Translated by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton. World’s Classics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.
A classic guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva. The Stephen Batchelor translation is available online. Translations also recommended: Padmakara Translation Group translation and the Vesna and Alan Wallace translation.

Sengcan. “Faith in Mind” (信心銘 Xinxinming).
A classic poem of early Ch’an. Multiple English translations available online. Also available in Red Pine’s Zen Roots.

Sŏsan Taesa. The Mirror of Zen: The Classic Guide to Buddhist Practice by Zen Master So Sahn. Translated by Boep Joeng and Hyon Gak. 1st ed. Boston, [New York]: Shambhala ; Distributed in the United States by Random House, 2006.

Guides to Buddhist Practice: Including Meditation, Mindfulness, Hwadu, Kung-ans, Lojong, Eightfold Path, Precepts

Bhikkhu Bodhi. The Noble Eightfold Path: Way to the End of Suffering. Chicago: Pariyatti Publishing, 2011.

Chan Master Sheng Yen. Faith in Mind: A Commentary on Seng Ts’an’s Classic. 1st Shambhala ed. Boston: Shambhala, 2006.

———. Shattering the Great Doubt: The Chan Practice of Huatou. 1st ed. Boston: Shambhala, 2009.

———. The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination. Boston: Shambhala, 2008.

Chödrön, Pema. Always Maintain a Joyful Mind: And Other Lojong Teachings on Awakening Compassion and Fearlessness. Boston: Shambhala, 2007.

Dahui (Ta Hui). Swampland Flowers: Letters and Lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui. Translated by Christopher Cleary. Evergreen Book. New York: Grove Press, 1977.

Fischer, Norman. Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong. Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala, 2013.

Goldstein, Joseph. Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True, 2013.

Gu, Guo. Silent Illumination A Chan Buddhist Path to Natural Awakening. New York: Shambhala, 2021.

———. The Essence of Chan: A Guide to Life and Practice According to the Teachings of Bodhidharma. First paperback edition. Boulder, Colorado: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 2020.

Gunaratana, Henepola. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012.

Gunaratana, Henepola. Mindfulness in Plain English. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2015.

Huikai. Passing through the Gateless Barrier: Kōan Practice for Real Life. Translated by Guo Gu. First edition. Boulder: Shambhala, 2016.

King, Ruth. Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the inside Out. Boulder, Colorado: Sounds True, Inc., 2018.

Kusan Sunim. The Way of Korean Zen. Edited by Stephen Batchelor. Translated by Martine Batchelor. Boston: Weatherhill, 2009.

Nhat Hanh, Thich. The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation. Translated by Mobi Ho. Boston: Beacon Press, 1975.

Nyanaponika Thera. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation: The Buddha’s Way of Mindfulness. San Francisco, CA: Weiser Books, 2014.

Rizzetto, Diane Eshin. Waking up to What You Do: A Zen Practice for Meeting Every Situation with Intelligence and Compassion. Boston: Shambhala, 2005.

Seung Sahn. Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn. Evergreen Book. New York: Grove Press, 1976.

Seung Sahn. The Whole World Is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-Ans for Everyday Life, with Questions and Commentary. Tuttle Library of Enlightenment. Boston, Mass.: C.E. Tuttle Co., 1992.

Contemporary Philosophical Interpretations of Buddhism

Bommarito, Nicolas. Seeing Clearly: A Buddhist Guide to Life. Guides to the Good Life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2020.

Kuzminski, Adrian. Pyrrhonian Buddhism: A Philosophical Reconstruction. Milton: Taylor & Francis Group, 2021.

Segall, Shlomi. Buddhism and Human Flourishing: A Modern Western Perspective. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.

Wright, Dale Stuart. Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to Know. What Everyone Needs to Know. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2020.

———. Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakīrti Sūtra. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2021.

———. The Six Perfections: Buddhism and the Cultivation of Character. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

———. What Is Buddhist Enlightenment? New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2016.