Here are a few books I recommend.  I’ll add more to the list periodically.

Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepola Gunaratana


Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World by His Holiness The Dalai Lama




The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu


Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor



Experience of Insight by Joseph Goldstein


Awakening the Buddha Within  by Lama Surya Das



Secular Buddhism by Noah Rasheta



5 Responses

    1. Thanks for the recommendation; I’ll look into it. I have read part of “The Monk and the Philosopher”, which is a conversation between Matthieu Ricard and his philosopher father, Jean Francois Revel about “the meaning of life”. I found it interesting, but I don’t have a strong enough knowledge of philosophy to really get into it.

  1. Mindfulness in plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. Available in hard copy for purchase or free in line at several sites, e.g. http://ftp.budaedu.org/ebooks/pdf/EN036.pdf An outstanding relatively short introductory how to and why guide to meditation written by a Sri Lankan monk who now runs a monastery and retreat center in West Virginia. Chapter 1, “Meditation, why bother?” Makes a particularly captivating introduction.

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