Buddhism, despite being considered a religion, for me is more of a philosophical system, a way of life. It teaches you to believe in yourself, providing you with the keys to lead a peaceful and happy life. In this special I am going to suggest a series of books on Buddhism with which you will be able to know what this philosophical current consists of and how it can help you.
Well, Who has not ever wondered 'who am I?', 'Where am I going?', 'Why am I here?' They are the Questions, like this, with a capital letter, that every human being asks himself from time to time, especially when he is in full existential crisis.
The best books on Buddhism
In an increasingly urbanized world, how many times have you felt or thought that it seemed that we were straying too far from nature? I am not just referring to the fact that more and more people are already living in cities than in towns, but also that we live a life that, on many occasions, does not make us happy.
From childhood they tell us that we have to study to get a job that will give us security and, once achieved, we will be happy. But ... how many people do you know who are happy with their work? Few, right?
Some will say that it is very difficult to change your life, which is true in most cases. Although it is not impossible. With Buddhism you learn many things, and one of them is precisely to stop believing in what others have told you about what you should and not do with your life. Your life, my friend, is yours, and only you should decide for it. Buddha said: you can change your life, beliefs are not necessary.
For this and other reasons, many people conceive and plan their trips to the Far East as initiation experiences. There are some who go because they are simply curious, but for all of them, these books are highly recommended:
Milinda's Questions
This text, although in reality it is from the XNUMXnd century BC. C., is edited by the publisher New Book with annotations of Lucia Carro Marina. Its reading is easy and enjoyable since it is formulated based on questions and answers in which such deep issues are addressed such as the survival of the self after death. Surprisingly current when we consider that it was written two thousand years ago.
What Buddha taught
Written by Walpola rahula and edited in Spanish by Head. It may be too sensible and profound a book, but essential for a first contact with Buddhist philosophy. It is not one of those light readings to take to the beach, but it will help us to open ourselves to a new and fascinating world.
The heart of the Buddha's teachings
The book was written by the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, and edited by oniro in 2005. It is a review of the main aspects of Buddhism and not as thick as the previous one. For the author the Buddhist doctrine is summarized in the Four Noble Truths: suffering, the cause of suffering, the extinction of suffering and the path that leads to the extinction of suffering.
Buddha, his life and teachings
Written by philosopher, mystic, and spiritual leader Osho, and edited by Gaia Editions. It is one of those books that it is advisable to read a little every day, because from practically all its pages you can learn something. But it is a somewhat different book, since it does not tell you what to do, but that these "lessons" you will have to experience yourself in order to understand them. Of course, it gives you the necessary clues for it.
Siddharta
To understand Buddhism, you could not miss a book on Siddhartha, which was the name it had before being called Buddha. There are many authors who have spoken about it, but I am going to recommend the book of Hermann Hesse, which was edited by the publisher Pocket-size. In its pages, the author recounts the life of Buddha, when and how he discovered pain, aging, death, and how he acted afterwards, giving up all the luxury he had to start living a totally different life.
The Wisdom of the Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology
This is a book especially indicated for those who practice or want to start practicing meditation, as well as for psychologists and professionals in the field of mental health. Written by Jack kornfield and edited by The March Hare, the author tells us a series of accounts of his psychotherapeutic practice, as well as suggestive portraits and stories of the Buddhist teachers with whom he has worked.
There are many books on Buddhism, but with these six, not only will you be able to immerse yourself in a very interesting philosophical system, but also, for sure, you will find the answers to the Questions, or at least, the way you must follow to find them.