Dharma sources

Links to books and other sources of Zen teaching

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - Shunryu Suzuki

Informal talks on the basics of Zen practice, by the founder of San Francisco Zen Center and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and teacher of many influential Western Zen teachers.

No Beginning, No End - Jakusho Kwong

Combining traditional Zen stories, anecdotes from his training with Suzuki Roshi, and his own inspiring teachings, Kwong Roshi points to the intimate heart of Zen, and its potential expression in everyday life.

Everyday Zen - Charlotte Joko Beck

A student of Taizan Maezumi, Joko Beck taught Zen students in different venues for many years. Her teaching focused on using Zen practice to deal with situations that arise in daily living.

Living by Vow - Shohaku Okumura

A  superb translator and teacher provides a deep interpretation of eight essential Zen texts, seamlessly linking their contemporary relevance with their traditional origins. Essential for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

Taking the Path of Zen - Robert Aitken

An American Zen teacher influenced by Japanese teachers from several Zen lineages, Aitken provides a deep introduction to zazen (seated meditation) as the fundamental Zen practice.

Breath Sweeps Mind - Jakusho Kwong

An illuminating resource for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. This audiobook contains a series of dharma talks--always serious and often playful--on the core principles of Zen, and how they relate to our everyday world.

Don't Be A Jerk  - Brad Warner

Brad Warner, a long-time Zen student and teacher (and punk-rock bassist), provides an irreverent and entirely serious paraphrase of Shobogenzo, the seminal work of Soto Zen by Eihei Dogen that many students struggle to understand in traditional translations.

Invoking Reality - John Daido Loori

The subtitle, Moral and Ethical Teachings of Zen, explains the essence of this important work by the founder and long-time abbot of the Mountains and Rivers Order.

Instructions to the Cook - Bernard Glassman

Bernie Glassman draws on the teachings of Dogen and his own experience as a Zen entrepreneur to relate "lessons in living a life that matters." The sections of the book indicate its breadth and depth: Recipes for Spirit; Recipes for Learning; Recipes for Livelihood; Recipes for Social Change; Recipes for Community.

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