Top 5 Best Buddhist Books for Beginners - Alan Peto (2024)

Are you looking for the best Buddhist books for beginners? Then look no further!

My top five Buddhist books for beginners are perfect if you want to understand Buddhism, and how to apply it to your daily life! These book recommendations are also beneficial if you don’t have a Buddhist teacher yet (or close by) and are attempting to learn on your own.

After reading all of my Buddhist books for beginners’ recommendations, you can dive into other books and scriptures that relate to your branch/school of Buddhism (click here to learn more about Buddhist scripture for Beginners).

Be sure to get my FREE eBook on an introduction to Buddhism. Co-written with Buddhist monk Sanathavihari Bhikkhu. Includes three bonus graphics!

Are you interested in learning how to practice Buddhism? My new book, the“Daily Buddhist Practice Guide”, isfull of pictures, calendars, instructions, guided practice, and more to help you start practicing Buddhism in a traditional way. You’ll also learn how to create a home altar, use Buddhist prayer beads (malas), meditate, chant, give offerings, and much more!

The paperback book is available on Amazon or you can get an eBook version. Learn more here:https://alanpeto.com/books/daily-buddhist-practice-guide/

These five books will be more than enough to get you started in learning about Buddhism, and putting that knowledge into direct practice.

Be sure to check out myadditional recommendations at the end of this article which include FREE books/resources!

Affiliate Links Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. (You can read my full disclaimer here.).

#1: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teachings

By Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh

[Learn the basics, and much more, about Buddhism] One of my favorite authors, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh gives a great review of the Buddha’s teachings. Thay (as his followers call him which means “Teacher”) gives you in-depth information about the Buddha’s teachings, without making it overly complex (not an easy feat!). You’ll gain wisdom from one of the world’s great Buddhist teachers that will help your practice especially if you don’t have a teacher already (I call this book “a teacher in a book”). Topics include the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and other basic Buddhist teachings (such as the three Dharma seals). Throughout this book are helpful diagrams, illustrations, and tables which I felt help ‘visualize’ the concepts and text so you can more easily understand it. I refer to this book often and recommend it if you can only get one book initially.

#2: What the Buddha Taught

By Ven. Walpola Rahula

[Learn the basics about Buddhism] Although this book was written in the 1950s, it’s a fantastic book to start off with for anyone who is new to Buddhism and will give you a good foundation to begin your practice. It is considered a “classic” among many (myself included) in Theravada Buddhism, so it is one you will want to have on your bookshelf (and read!). You will learn about the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, and other Buddhist concepts. Also included are selected texts including some selections from the Dhammapada. Even though the title says, “What the Buddha Taught”, it will not contain in-depth information about every topic. This is Ven. Walpola Rahula’s explanation and discussion of the Buddha’s teachings, and does a wonderful job at it.

#3: Awakening of the Heart: Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries

By Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh

[Core Buddhist Scripture For Your Practice]In 2019, I came across this fantastic book and added it to my top 5 list (don’t worry, I added the prior book “Buddhism for Beginners” to my list at the end of this article). This book provides both Theravada Suttas and Mahayana Sutras in one book with great commentary on what it means, and how to apply it to your practice. Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh has long articulated that having Theravada and Mahayana scripture has helped to preserve the different teachings of the different schools of Buddhism that existed. In this book, he gives a few of the scripture he says will be the foundation of your practice. While this is a thick book (of course, it has scripture and commentary), I liked how it was laid out and the commentary provided a way for everyone to understand the scripture. Scripture is important to practice, yet it can be difficult to figure out (especially without a teacher), so this book is one of my top picks. However, it can wait until later. My first two books will give you a foundation to start understanding Buddhism before you dive into scripture.

As another option, In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha), By Bhikkhu Bodhi, is a great foundational book of the Buddha’s sermons from the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism

#4: Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism

By Gary Gach

[A fun and complete book for beginners] Not only is this an enjoyable book for beginners, but author Gary Gach also provides plenty of humor (at all the right points) to help make learning about Buddhism fun. You will get to explore all the different Buddhist traditions, gain some insightful historical and practical information, and much more. For those who are “just becoming a Buddhist” or “exploring Buddhism”, this is a great way to get not only an overview of the religion but also very beneficial for those who are new to it.

#5: Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha

By Ven.Thich Nhat Hanh

[Learn about the Buddha’s life and teachings] I am absolutely in love with this story about the Buddha’s life and teachings. Drawn from 24 Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh presents the Buddha’s life in a beautiful and meaningful way that has made this book a classic. With any religion, knowing the founder or central figure is important, and that goes for Buddhism as well. By understanding our teacher, the historical Buddha (Shakyamuni Buddha), you will understand his struggles, understandings, teachings, beauty, love, and the profound impact he has had for over 2,600 years. I enjoyed how you follow this story through both the Buddha, and Savasti (a buffalo boy) who later became a Bhikkhu (monk). This helped to nicely balance the story and teachings in a very accessible and enjoyable way. Highly recommended.

Special note: I cannot recommend highly enough to (also) get the Audible “audiobook” version of this. Why? The narrator, Eduardo Ballerini (a frequent narrator of other Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh books) does an amazing job that “pulls” you into the world of the Buddha and you feel very much a part of the story.

The following are some of my additional book recommendations if you would like to expand your collection and learn more about the religion.

1. Buddhism for Beginners– ByThubten Chodron.This book made my list because of the wonderfully laid out “questions and answers” format. Having a book in a “Q&A” format makes it accessible and understandable to a wide range of people, which also makes it easy to quickly find more information on a topic. Thubten Chodron is of the Tibetan Buddhism faith, and some parts in this book reflect that, however, she does a great job being very encompassing of all branches and schools of Buddhism to make this applicable to any new Buddhist. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama wrote a letter of praise for this book which appears in the beginning. Terrific book for any new Buddhist!
2. In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha) – By Bhikkhu Bodhi. This is a terrific book (and he has many others) that takes you right into what the Buddha taught as explained in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This is also a delightful book for Mahayana Buddhists as it received praise from Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh: “I am sure that many people will benefit fromIn the Buddha’s Words.”
3. Making Space – By Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh. Another book you may want to consider for starting your daily practice is by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh. In his signature style, the book is very welcoming and covers all the topics needed to start a safe, comforting, and familiar practice at home. Of course, each Buddhist tradition may want you to apply certain rituals, customs, and other things that this book won’t cover. However, it is a good place to start by one of the world’s most respected Buddhist teachers.
4. For All Living Beings – A Guide to Buddhist Practice – By Ven. Master Hsing Yun. This book helps you start your practice by focusing on the “threefold training”, which all Buddhist schools follow. Although Mahayana Buddhism in nature, this is one of my favorite books about getting started on the path, so it should not be overlooked by those practicing Theravada Buddhism.
5. The Core Teachings – By Ven. Master Hsing Yun. This is one of my “go-to” books, the title explains it all as it covers all the necessary topics in Basic Buddhism which include the life of the Buddha, how to study Buddhism, dependent origination, the Four Noble Truths, Karma, the Three Dharma Seals, emptiness, mind, the Three Bodies of the Buddha, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, the Triple Gem, the Five Precepts, the Noble Eightfold Path, and Becoming a Bodhisattva.
6. Essence of Buddhism – By Ven. Master Hsing Yun. This is my little “travel” book (it’s tiny!) but it is chock full of the basics of Buddhism. Why I like this and recommend it for new Buddhists, is that you can take it with you! It fits in a pocket, so I keep one in my bag so I can always get some Buddhist teachings wherever I am, whenever I need it. It also makes a handy (and small) book to use when traveling.
7. Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm – By Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh. I actually ran across this book by accident in 2016 and quickly recognized it as a very important book to read in order to understand the fear and how it plays a very important role in our practice with Buddhism. Understanding fear, and how to avoid having your life shaped and driven by it, will be essential in your practice.
8. Being Good: Buddhist Ethics for Everyday Life – By Ven. Master Hsing Yun. This was one of my first books by the author and brought me into his many works since. What I enjoyed about this book was the mixture of Buddhist scripture, and how to apply it to everyday life in various aspects. Each little chapter is broken up nicely so you can jump to a situation you are facing, or easily include one in your daily practice very easily and quickly.

Now that you have seen several Buddhist books for beginners that can help you, what about some free resources?

Several organizations offer free online versions of their publications, such as the Fo Guang Shan International Translation Center (FGSITC), the website Buddhanet, and more. The following are some publications I believe will be helpful to you and are FREE!

1. BDK’s the Teachings of Buddha: This popular publication has been around since the 1930s in English and updated ever since. It is also provided to hotels, so you might have seen this along with a Bible in a drawer. It contains the history of the Buddha, teachings, daily practice, and more based on the Buddhist canon. You can also listen to the audio version of the book. The link will take you to a page where you can find a version based on your language. Note that you can either buy a hardcopy book, or there will be a FREE ‘PDF’ version button on the page for your language.
2. Good Question, Good Answer: A favorite among Buddhists that provides a question & answer format to many of the Buddhist teachings, beliefs, and other topics that many who are new to Buddhism will appreciate.
3. Eightfold Path for the Householder: Those who are not monastics are ‘householders’ (laypersons, like you and me). This is a nice little book that shows you how to follow the Eightfold Path as a layperson.
4. Buddhism in a Nutshell: A classic! And as it is termed, it gives you a variety of explanations about Buddhism and several topics.
5. What Buddhists Believe: A great explanation of what Buddhists believe which can help you as you navigate Buddhism as a religion.
6. Faxiang: This is a Buddhist practitioner’s encyclopedia. I have the printed version, although you can get the eBook format online. It’s perfect for introducing you to a variety of topics, terms, and words you are likely to experience as a Buddhist.
7. Starting a Daily Practice: Learn how to begin practicing Buddhism in this short booklet.
8. The Five Precepts: This is what all Buddhists strive to follow in their path towards awakening. Moral precepts (rules) that help you stay focused on the path towards liberation.
9. The Triple Gem: Learn about the three faiths in Buddhism of the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings), and Sangha (monastic community).
10. The Four Noble Truths: The basis of Buddhist belief and practice are the Four Noble Truths.
11. Meditation: Learn how to start your mediation practice in the spirit of Chan (Zen)
12. Visiting a Buddhist Temple: Ready to visit a temple for the first time? This particular booklet focuses on Mahayana, and specifically Chinese Buddhism, but can be great overall insight when going to a temple.
13. The Short March to Wisdom: For young children, this eBook provides moral explanations, and some study/exercises, to help teach Buddhism and Buddhist concepts in an easy to understand manner.
14. Another resource is the Buddha Educational Foundation which has many publications online, and that can also be sent to you.

While my Buddhist books for beginners’ recommendations are a suitable place to start, they are usually explanations of Buddhist thought and teachings. If you want to dive into the sutras/suttas (scriptures), check out these resources:

1. My Article: As mentioned at the beginning of this article, check out my article devoted to Buddhist Scripture for Newbies for some great selections. The books listed here are to get you an “introduction” to Buddhism without having you dive right into reading scriptures. You can also find a copy of the Dhammapada (Buddha Dharma) in this article.
2. Sutta Central: Gain access to early Buddhist texts and insights. Offers a variety of scripture you can’t find elsewhere.
3. Access to Insight: Popular resources with lots of scripture and articles that are Theravada specific, but Mahayana generally recognizes all these texts as well (learn more about that here and here).
4. Diamond Sutra: One of the two classic and important scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism, which is especially important to Chan/Zen Buddhists.
5. Heart Sutra: The other classic Mahayana Buddhism scripture which is loved by Buddhists worldwide. This version by Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh works to give a modern version of the Heart Sutra along with commentary and is recommended. For the original text, you can find it here on Buddhanet.