The story behind the books…

The Worst Horse has posed the best question.. “Why are these 5 your top 5 dharma books?”

Damm I was hoping to take the easy way out by just listin’ them! But hey. I think that credit to these fine authors / teachers is due so here’s further details on why these 5 books made the cut for me.

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior – Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
This was one of the first Tibetan Buddhist books I was exposed to and it resonated with me from the start. It was like reading something ancient and mystical but yet grounded and simple in its approach. It posed a way of relating with the world that was real and sane – something I was looking for at the time.

Upon reading the word ‘warrior’ in the title, I was confounded. ‘Warrior? What like that gang movie? Or like putting on battle armor and preparing for war? What am I fighting against?”

It was starting to make sense.

Dharma Punx – Noah Levine
You know that feeling you get when you are at a party and you are sharing stories with someone who is so cool. They have lived through similar experiences as you. They have awesome taste in music and are a great storyteller to boot.

You keep saying, “Yeah man. I was there. I saw that show. I was in that pit. I saw suffering. I tried to escape from suffering by using some very non-effective methods. Let’s compare tats (full disclosure- I have no ink!)”

When I was younger, I was part of a local ‘organization’ called “Punx for Peace” and we put out some ‘zines. The title of the book ‘Dharma Punx’ resonated with me for that reason. Rather than the hippy-trippy association that many (myself included) had upon my first encounter with Buddhism, this book showed me that amongst the plethora of boomerbuddhist books on the market, there are some voices that sound much closer to my ‘Rebel Yell” than to what my parents grooved out to.

The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness- Pema Chodron
I have been a control freak all my life. Familiar feelings of panic set in when heady circumstances whip out of my grasp and overtake me. I can worry with the best of them.

On the bright side, I don’t sweat the small stuff all that much anymore. Once getting over the initial panic of hearing that there is ‘no exit’ / ‘no escape’ this book helped me to acknowledge that I have no control. Never did. Never will. This makes life and it’s situations much more workable.

The Way of the Bodhisattva- Shantideva
For me… this is the quintessential guide on how to be a good person and is how I try to live out my days.

Maybe not rightfully so,I always reduced Buddhism to the simple tenet of ‘not being an asshole.” Perhaps a little too general or simplistic, but it works for me. Shantideva’s text is both poetic and gentle while also being so direct, to the point and sometimes graphic.

This book is the kick in the pants for my practice. I really do need to re-read it on a weekly basis.

This Precious Life- Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on the Path to Enlightenment- Khandro Rinpoche
Just as Shantideva’s ‘The Way of the Bodhisattva’ has been a strong influence in my practice- both on and off the cushion, Khandro Rinpoche’s ‘This Precious Life’ is a perennial favourite of mine for its clear and insigtful presentation of the 4 Reminders.

Khandro Rinpoche explains the teachings with clarity and focus and provides practices in this book which have helped me explore my various attachments, clingings and hangups.

Both of these books help me to see the urgency of using my time to be of service and for the betterment of this world and an awareness that there is no time to waste.