Recommended Reading
This is an incomplete list of books for people of any skill level. I have found these handy in expanding my horizons both philosophically and in meditation practice.
Beginner
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Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
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The Book by Alan Watts
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Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
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Way of Zen by Alan Watts
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Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana
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Direct Pointing To Reality by Anne Bancroft
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Buddhism Plain & Simple by Steve Hagen
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Zen For Americans by D.T. Suzuki
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Zen Bridge by Keido Fukushima
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Effortless Living by Jason Gregory
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Advice Not Given by Mark Epstein
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The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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The Noble Eightfold Path by Bhikku Bodhi
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Living Buddha Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh
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Dhammapada
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Huston Smith’s: The World’s Religions
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You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh
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Being Nobody, Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema
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12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
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Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris
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Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
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Diamond Mind and the Psychology of Meditation by Rob Nairn
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Seeds by Thomas Merton
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What is Zen? by Norman Fischer
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True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh
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Grist for the Mill by Ram Dass
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Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
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Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff
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Psychotherapy East and West by Alan Watts
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Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts
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A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield
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Practical Insight Meditation by Mahasi Sayadaw
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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa
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Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom by Joseph Goldstein
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The Path Is the Goal: A Basic Handbook of Buddhist Meditation by Chogyam Trungpa
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The Path of Serenity and Insight by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
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Teachings of Ramana Maharshi
Adept
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The Essential Dogen: Writings of the Great Zen Master
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Being-Time: A Guide to Shobogenzo by Shinshu Roberts
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The Middle Way by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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What is Sangha? by Sangharakshita
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Stilling the Mind by Alan Wallace
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Fathoming the Mind by Alan Wallace
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The Life of Milarepa
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The Science of Self Realization by A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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Upanishads
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Bhagavadgita
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Narrow Road to the Interior by Matsuo Bashō
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The Tantra Tradition by Agehananda Bharati
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The Ramayana
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The Gospel According to Zen
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Hoofprints of the Ox by Sheng Yen
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Buddhist Wisdom Books: Containing the Diamond and the Heart Sutra
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Garden Chrysanthemums and First Mountain Snow by Ian Haight
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The Tibetan Yoga of Dreams and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
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A Flower Does Not Talk by Zenkei Shibayam
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Mudra by Chogam Trungpa
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The Art of Living Vipassana Meditation as Taught by S.N. Goenka by William Hart
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The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh
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Tibetan Book of the Dead translated by Robert A.F. Thurman
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Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
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Ponder On This by Alice Bailey
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The Mind Illuminated by John Yates
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Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha: An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book by Daniel Ingram
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After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield
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In This Very Life by Sayadaw U. Pandita
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Indestructible Truth by Reginald A. Ray
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Secret of the Vajra World by Reginald A. Ray
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Living Dharma edited by Jack Kornfield
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The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha translated by Bikkhu Nanamoli and Bikkhu Bodhi
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Path to Deliverance by Nyanatiloka
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The Path of Serenity and Insight by Henepola Gunaratana
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Insight Meditation: Practical Steps to Ultimate Truth by Achan Sobin S. Namto
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A Still Forest Pool: The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah compiled and edited by Jack Kornfield and Paul Breiter
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The Progress of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw
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Psychology and Alchemy: the Collected Works of C.G. Jung
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Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition by Frances A. Yates
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Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand: A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment by Pabongka Rinpoche
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Clarifying the Natural State: A Principal Guidance Manual for Mahamudra by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal
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Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness (Shambhala Library) by Chogyam Trungpa
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Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava’s Teachings on the Six Bardos by Padmasambhava
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Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas by Leigh Brasington
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Avadhuta Gita
Advanced
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The Land Of Bliss/Sukhavativyuha Sutra
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The Platform Sutra
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Shobogenzo by Dogen
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Mumonkan
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The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way/Mulamadhyamakakarika by Nagarjuna
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The Vajra Essence by Dudjom Lingpa
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The Lotus Sutra by Gene Reeves
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Naked Awareness by Gyatrul Rinpoche
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Practical Ethics and Profound Emptiness by Khensur Jampa Tegchok and Thubten Chodron
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Bodhicaryavatara Shantideva
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In the Light of Self: Adi Shankara and the Yoga of Non-Dualism
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The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali translated by Chip Hartranft
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Zen Comments on Mumonkan by Zenkei Shibayama
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Zen and the Brain by James H. Austin
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Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana by Shaila Catherine
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The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga) translated by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli
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The Path of Freedom (Vimuttimagga) translated by Rev. N.R.M. Ehara, Soma Thera and Kheminda Thera
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Buddhist Meditation in Theory and Practice by Paravahera Vajirana Mahathera
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Moon In a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen
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Light of Wisdom, Vol. 1 by Padmasambhava
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Light of Wisdom, Volume II: A Collection of Padmasambhava’s Advice to the Dakini Yeshe Togyal and Other Close Disciples
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Light of Wisdom, Volume III: Teachings on the Secret Empowerment by Padmasambhava
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Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind: Trilogy of Rest, Volume 1-3 by Longchenpa
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Buddhahood without Meditation (Dudjom Lingpa’s Visions of the Great Perfection) by Dudjom Lingpa
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Heart of the Great Perfection: Dudjom Lingpa’s Visions of the Great Perfection
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A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga by Karma Chagme