BOOKS/READING

Buddha Style 

Bringing Peace to the Mind at War   

How to Speak and Hear the Truth 

Buddha, by Karen Armstrong
An excellent, powerfully written (and relatively short) biography of the Buddha.

An End to Suffering: the Buddha in the World, by Pankaj Mishra
Weaves together politics, travel, biography and philosophy in a quest to understand Buddha's life and teachings.

For a Future To Be Possible: Commentaries on the Five Mindfulness Trainings, by Thich Nhat Hanh
Great expanded reflections on The Five Precepts by one of the world's leading Buddhist teachers (excerpts available online.

A Gradual Awakening, by Stephen Levine

Buddhism: A Concise Introduction, by Huston Smith and Philip Novak

Unattended Sorrow, by Stephen Levine

Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom, by Joseph Goldstein
Key teachings, favorite stories, and answers to commonly asked questions about insight meditation by the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society.

The Mind Like Fire Unbound: An Image in the Early Buddhist Discourses, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff)
Describes Nirvana (well, makes an attempt anyway) and what one must do to attain it according to the Suttas. Also puts the phrase in historical context so that you know a bit more about what the Buddha achieved and what he meant for others to achieve. [Freely available online atwww.accesstoinsight.org]

Noble Strategy: Essays on the Buddhist Path, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff)
Presents views on basic elements in the Buddhist path — the attitudes, concepts, and practices that lead to total freedom for the mind. [Freely available online at www.accesstoinsight.org]

Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha, by Tara Brach
Excellent and very accessible introduction to Buddhist practice by the founder and senior teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D. C.

Small Boat, Great Mountain, by Ajahn Amaro
Those finding the suttas difficult to interpret might want to sneak a peek at Ajahn Amaro's awe-inspiring Small Boat, Great Mountain, which has served as a guide for me during my rereadings of the Udana. The second chapter, The Place of Nonabiding, will blow your mind. [Freely available as a PDF]

The Udana and the Itivuttaka, Translated by John D. Ireland
The Udana is a wonderful collection of short stories followed by a verse. Wise, interesting and excellent for meditative reflection. See Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses [Also freely available online at www.accesstoinsight.org]

WEBSITES

accesstoinsight.org
Perhaps the best Theravada Buddhist resource on the web. Free Suttas, articles, books, study guides, and links to other resources.

saigon.com
Hundreds of free books and articles for download.

nibbana.com
Theravada Buddhist site with a Burmese feel – the English can be rough, but there is good stuff to be found here.

SuttaReadings.net
Suttas selected and read aloud by teachers and senior Dhamma practitioners in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.

DHARMA TALKS/PODCASTS

Dharma talks are one of the best ways to listen to the Dhamma, associate with wise people (in a way), and to feel supported in the practice when live teachers go missing...

Audio Dharma http://www.audiodharma.org/

Dhamma Talks http://www.dhammatalks.org.uk/index2.htm

Dharmastream http://dharmaseed.org/talks/

Vipassana Fellowship
http://www.vipassana.org/meditation/
khema/hereandnow/index.php

Access to Insight
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/outsources/audio.html)

Tara Brach http://www.tarabrach.com/audiodharma.html

George Haas http://www.mettagroup.org/

Buddhist Meditation Centers in the US

Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
dharma.org

Spirit Rock Meditation Center http://www.spiritrock.org/
Great meditation center near San Francisco in Marin County, California.

www.dhamma.org http://www.dhamma.org/
The organization which offers courses in Vipassana Meditation in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin as taught by S.N. Goenka.

Metta Forest Monastery http://www.watmetta.org/
Thai forrest monastery near San Diego, California.

The Bhavana Society
http://www.bhavanasociety.org/
Sri Lankan Forest Monastery near Washington, D.C.

New York Insight Meditation Center http://www.nyimc.org/
Highly recommended resource to stay aware of; NYIMC offers many workshops and speakers from around the world.

Downtown New York Meditation Community (http://www.dnymc.org/)
Peter Doobinen's group. Peter is one of New York's leading meditation teachers.

MONASTERIES IN OR NEAR CITY

When browsing these websites please look at their schedule of events and plan a visit with friends if you are able.

American Burma Buddhist Association http://www.mahasiusa.org/
Burmese monks in Brooklyn

American Sri Lanka Buddhist Association: Staten Island Buddhist Vihara
Sri Lankan temple in Staten Island http://www.sibv.org/

New York Buddhist Vihara http://www.newyorkbuddhist.org/
Sri Lankan temple in Queens. The Queens Vihara offers meditation and a Dhamma talk on Wednesday evenings.

Bodhi Monastery 
http://www.bodhimonastery.net/
Monastery in Lafayette, New Jersey Bhikkhu Bodhi, prolific translator of the Pali Canon into English, lives here. Take advantage of talks on the web, weekly classes and meditations at the monastery. One of the few monasteries where Mahayana and Theravada monks and nuns live together.

Wat Buddha Thai Tavorn Vanaram http://www.watbuddhathai.org/
Thai Monastery in Queens