[AnattaBlog] Three Recommended Readings for the Prospective Rebel Buddhist (Part 1)

I’m a big fan of irony. So I think it’s great that after my last post about reading less and practicing more the #1 question I get asked is “What books do you recommend?” While reading can only get you so far, there are some fantastic books out there to get you caught up on the last 2500 years of Buddhist thought and how it is (or isn’t) relevant to 21st century life in the western hemisphere. So if you’re a new student of the dhamma, or maybe just AnattaCurious,  here is a list to jump start your radical rejection of suffering and reckless compassion for your fellow Earthlings.

Buddha, A Beginner’s Guide written and illustrated by Stephen T. Asma

1. Buddha, a Beginner’s Guide by Stephen T. Asma

Originally published in the mid-90’s as “Buddha for Beginners,” there is no introduction to Buddhism that is as accessible and informative as this gem. Asma’s prose is extremely readable and accompanied on every page by clever illustrations that make this feel more like a comic book than a textbook. But the comic book vibe doesn’t keep this from being an in-depth discussion of the most important aspects of Buddhism. Asma brilliantly dispels common western stereotypes and mischaracterizations of Buddhism. He clears away mythology and mysticism to bring philosophical arguments to the forefront. There’s a ton of ground covered in this one. He touches on everything from the story of Siddhartha Gautama’s “enlightenment” to the Four Noble Truths to the dissemination and evolution of the teachings in the various strands of Buddhism in the world today. And he manages to do this in a very small package (150 pages or so, including full page illustraions) that can easily be read in a single afternoon. If you only read one book on Buddhism in your whole life it should be this one. And if you end up continuing further in your Buddhist studies, this is a great one to loan out to your curious friends and family who want to know what the fuck you’re up to with all that meditating and treating people kindly and shit. Check out the preview on Google Books [here].

BONUS ADVANCED READING: Asma has other books that are definitely worth reading, including Why I Am a Buddhist: No Nonsense Buddhism with Red Meat and Whiskey, and The Gods Drink Whiskey: Stumbling Toward Enlightenment in the Land of the Tattered Buddha. The latter is a memoir of Asma’s experiences teaching Buddhism to students in Cambodia. The former is more personalized and in-depth discussion of his own Buddhist practice as a parent and professional in contemporary western society. DISCLAIMER: While AnattaPunk does not endorse Asma’s appetite for red meat, we can certainly appreciate his insistence on including whiskey in the title of so many books.

EXTRA CREDIT: For a more thorough, scholarly historical background, check out Karen Armstrong’s Buddha (free to read [here]). Armstrong does a good job of depicting Siddartha as a relatable human being rather than the superhero he’s often portrayed to be. On the other hand, if you’re less interested in the academic historical/philosophical approach and want to jump right into what Buddhist practice has to offer you, check out Rebel Buddha: On the Road to Freedom by Dzogchen Ponlop. This one will give you more immediate insight into why your life sucks so bad and what you can start doing to improve it. Rebel Buddha is written for the contemporary western newcomer to Buddhist practices and won’t bog you down with jargon or confusing metaphysical queries. And like Asma’s writings, it won’t tell you to trade everything you own and shave your head and move to a monastery.

NEXT UP: So you think you got the jist? Now that you’ve got some background info you think you’re ready to dip your toes into actually practicing some of this shiz? Ok, slow your roll tough guy. Coming up in Part 2 of 3, AnattaPunk tells you what to read to take the next step in your journey toward a more enlightened, compassionate, and peaceful state of mind.

Thanks for reading. If you’ve got more recommendations for introductory reading material feel free to share on our Facebook page or leave a comment below! Cheers!