List of recommended Books
[ZEN] [MARTIAL ARTS] [TAOISM] [OTHERS]
HOME
Preliminary words
- All the books listed here have been
read in one of two ways: from A to Z at least one time,
or reading thoroughly and extensively covering most
issues and chapters. Any other cases will be noted
explicitly. Most of these books I have in my library.
- I only list and recommend on books
that I value (to my best judgment and current attainment)
as Humanistic, leading to deep and genuine Knowledge, and
that can truly help people with information or knowledge
for self-cultivation and development.
- The books are classified into Must-books,
Important-books, and Nice-books. Must-books are the books
that to my own judgment must be read by people that are
keen participators in fields that those books are related
to. Important-books are books that it is important or
very important to read. And Nice-books are Nice-to-have
books. They contain some valuable and important or
interesting content. It is as plane as it is - Nice to
have them or read them. Even if a book is not classified
as a must it doesn't mean that it is not a valuable, deep,
and worth reading book, if it wouldn't I would not have
included it in the list. Every one is welcome to judge by
himself/herself.
- All books are in English unless
noted otherwise. This Page will be always on construction - Please be
patient.
- Currently you can find 160 recommended
books on Zen, Martial Arts, Taoism and related subjects
and more.
- It must be noted that such translators as
Thomas Cleary, Eva Wong, John Stevens, F. Cook, Prof.
Masunaga Reiho and others had done tremendous pioneering
hard and excellent work to bring the treasures of Zen and
Taoism and Martial arts to the interested westerners.
Those and other generous people have opened the gate for
deep knowledge. Generally speaking almost any book of
them is worth reading. While reading their books and
train and cultivating ourselves we should remember their
benevolence efforts, that keep on helping us now.
Ofer C.
[MARTIAL ARTS] [TAOISM] [OTHERS] [TOP]
HOME
Zen books
Name
|
M/I/N
|
Writer/Translator Name
|
Comments
|
ISBN
|
Soto
approach to Zen
|
Must
|
Masunaga Reiho
|
|
|
Zen in Daily
living
|
Must
|
Masunaga Reiho
|
|
|
Zen beyond
Zen
|
Must
|
Masunaga Reiho
|
|
|
Denkoroku
|
Must
|
W: Keizan T: F.H.
Cook
|
|
|
Zen Gardens
|
Nice
|
Tom Write & Mizuno
Katsuhiko
|
Kyoto nature
|
4-8381-0111-2
|
Zen Guide
|
N to I
|
Martin Roth & John Stevens
|
|
0-8348-0202-3
|
The Sword of No-Sword
|
Must
|
John Stevens
|
Life of Zen Master Warrior Tesshu
|
|
The Hekigan Roku
|
Must
|
T: R.D.M Show.
|
The Blue Cliff Records (great)
|
|
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
|
I to M
|
Shunryu Suzuki
|
|
0-8348-0079-9
|
Dream Conversations
|
N to I
|
A: Muso Kokushi. T: Thomas Cleary
|
|
0-87773-992-7
|
The Zen teaching of Homeless Kodo
|
Imp
|
Kosho Uchiyama
|
|
|
Introduction to Zen Buddhism
|
Nice
|
D.T. Suzuki
|
|
|
Zen Enlightenment
|
Nice
|
Heinrich Dumoulin
|
|
0-8348-0141-8
|
Zen Buddhism - A history (vol. 2)
|
N to I
|
Heinrich Dumoulin
|
|
|
Zen words for the Heart
|
N to I
|
W: Hakuin, T: N. Waddell
|
|
|
Zen doctrine of no-mind
|
Nice
|
D.T. Suzuki
|
|
|
Master Dogen's - Shobogenzo (3 vol.)
|
I toM
|
T: Gudo Nishijima & Chodo Cross
|
very important because offer all of
Shobogenzo
|
|
Zen teaching of Huang Po
|
Imp
|
T: John Blofeld
|
|
|
Zen Antics
|
Must
|
T: Thomas Cleary
|
Great companion to the Zen trainees
|
|
Immovable Wisdom - The teaching of
Takuan Soho
|
Must
|
T: Nobuko Hirose
|
|
|
Zen and the Japanese culture
|
I toM
|
D. T. Suzuki
|
|
|
The Tiger's Cave
|
Imp
|
Trevor Leggett
|
|
|
Buddhism and Zen
|
I toM
|
Nyogen Senzaki & Ruth Strout
McCandless
|
|
|
Original Teachings of Chan Buddhism -
Selected from The Transmission of the Lamp
|
N toI
|
T: Chang Chung-Yuan
|
|
|
The Record of tung-shan
|
N toI
|
T: William F. Powell
|
|
|
Master Yunmen (teaching and life)
|
Imp
|
T: Urs App
|
|
|
The Essence of Zen
|
ItoM
|
W: Sekkei Harada, T: Daigaku Rumme
|
|
|
Zen Action Zen person
|
Imp
|
T.P. Kasulis
|
|
|
Zen Flesh Zen Bones
|
Imp
|
Paul Reps & Nyogen Senzaki
|
|
|
Zen and the art of Archery
|
Nto I
|
Eugen Herrigel
|
|
|
The Zen way to the Martial Arts
|
N toI
|
Taisen Deshimaru
|
|
|
Sounds of Valley streams (translations
from Shobogenzo)
|
I toM
|
Francis H. Cook
|
|
|
Dogen's formative years in China
|
Imp
|
Takashi James Kodera
|
|
|
The Buddhist Tradition
|
Imp
|
|
|
|
Flowers of Emptiness (translations
from Shobogenzo)
|
I toM
|
Hee-Jim Kim
|
|
|
Zen and the way of the sword
|
Imp
|
Winston L King
|
|
|
A Primer of Soto Zen
|
Imp
|
Prof. Masunaga Reiho
|
|
|
Questions to a Zen Master
|
Imp
|
Taisen Deshimaru
|
|
|
Empty Logic - Madhyamika Buddhism
|
Nto I
|
Hsueh-Li Cheng
|
|
|
Dharma Eye -Soto Zen Journal
|
Nto I
|
The Soto Zen Education center
|
|
|
Zen at Work
|
Nto I
|
Les Kaye
|
|
|
The Elements of Zen
|
Ito M
|
David Scott and Tony Doubleday
|
|
|
Bankei Zen
|
Must
|
Peter Haskel
|
|
|
| |
|
|
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[ZEN] [TAOISM] [OTHERS] [TOP]
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Martial Art Books
Name
|
M/I/N
|
Writer/Translator Name
|
Comments
|
ISBN
|
Japanese Swords
|
N to I
|
Nobuo Ogasawara
|
|
4-586-54022-2
|
The Dragon Mask
|
I toM
|
Trevor Leggett
|
Judo stories in the Zen Tradition
|
1-874572-16-x
|
Kata of Kodokan Judo Revised
|
Must
|
Kotani, Osawa, Hirose
|
|
|
Osoto-Gari
|
N to I
|
Yasuhiro Yamashita
|
|
0-9518455-8-6
|
The Little Capeira Book
|
Imp
|
Nestor Capoeira
|
|
1-55643-199-6
|
Judo - Formal Techniques
|
Must
|
Otaki & Draeger
|
|
0-8048-1676-x
|
Tai Chi Classics
|
I toM
|
Waysun Liao
|
|
0-87773-531-x
|
Tai Chi Chuan
|
Nice
|
Douglas Lee
|
|
|
Tomoe-Nage
|
Nice
|
Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki
|
|
1-85223-249-8
|
Iron & Silk
|
I to N
|
Mark Salzman
|
A story of learning Budo in China
|
|
Stick Fighting
|
I toM
|
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
|
|
|
Japanese Art of War
|
N to I
|
Thomas Cleary
|
|
|
Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on Tai
Chi Chuan
|
I toM
|
Cheng Man Ch'ing
|
|
|
Bruce Lee's Fighting Method
|
Imp
|
Bruce Lee & M. Uyehara
|
|
|
The Techniques of Judo
|
I toM
|
Shinzo Takagaki & H. Sharp
|
|
|
Martial Arts - The spiritual
dimension
|
Imp
|
Peter Payne
|
very good first entrance
|
|
Ninja Secrets from the Grandmaster
|
I toM
|
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi & S. Hayes
|
|
|
Aikido with Ki
|
Imp
|
Koretoshi Maruyama
|
Must to Aikido trainees
|
|
The Essence of Tai Chi Chuan
|
Must
|
T: Lo, Inn, Amacker, Foe
|
|
|
Ninjutsu - History & Tradition
|
I toM
|
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
|
|
|
Tai Chi Chuan & I Ching
|
N to I
|
Da Liu
|
|
|
Hsing - I Chuan
|
N
|
D. Hsieh
|
|
|
Chen style Tai Chi Chuan
|
N to I
|
Feng Zhiqiang & Feng Dabiao &
Chen Xiaowang
|
|
|
The Tao of Tai Chi Chuan
|
Must
|
Jou Tsung Hwa
|
Best companion for Tai Chi students
|
|
Shaolin Chin Na
|
Nice
|
Yang Jwing Ming
|
|
|
The Sword and the centuries
|
N toI
|
Alfred Hutton
|
European Swords!
|
|
Practical Unarmed combat
|
Imp
|
Moshe Feldenkrais
|
|
|
The Art of peace
|
N toI
|
W: Morihei Ueshiba, T: John Stevens
|
|
|
The Karate Dojo
|
Nto I
|
Peter Urban
|
|
|
Hwarang Do
|
Nice
|
Joo Bang Lee
|
|
|
Abundant Peace -Biography of Morihei
Ueshiba
|
I toM
|
Johns Stevens
|
Must to Aikido trainees
|
|
Jo - The Japanese short Staff
|
Nice
|
Don Zier & Tom Lang
|
|
|
Diary to the Way
|
I toM
|
Ira Lerner
|
|
|
Essence of Ninjutsu
|
Must
|
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi
|
|
|
The Book of Five Rings + The Art of
War of Yagyu!
|
Must
|
W: Musashi, W: Yagyu Munenori, T:
Thomas Cleary
|
|
|
Advanced Yang Style Tai chi Chuan (vol.
1)
|
N toI
|
Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming
|
|
|
Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan (vol.
2)
|
Nice
|
Dr. Yang Jwing Ming
|
|
|
Bo - The Japanese long Staff
|
Nice
|
Tadashi Yamashita
|
|
|
Ancient Chinese Weapons
|
Nice
|
Dr. Yang Jwing Ming
|
|
|
Moi Fah - The Plum Flower Fist (Northern
Chinese Kongfu)
|
Nice
|
Kown Wing Lam & T. Mancuso
|
|
|
Pa Kua Chuan (for self defense)
|
Nice
|
D. Hsieh
|
|
|
The Tai chi journey
|
N toI
|
John Lash
|
|
|
Karate - Beginner to Black belt
|
N toI
|
H.D. Plee
|
|
|
Tai Chi Touchstones -Yang family
Secret Transmissions
|
Must
|
T: Douglas Wile
|
|
|
Modern Bujutsu & Budo
|
Imp
|
Donn F. Draeger
|
|
|
Classical Budo
|
I toM
|
Donn F. Draeger
|
|
|
Beyond the Known
|
I toM
|
Tri Thong Dang
|
Nice story about being a disciple
|
|
Women in Aikido
|
I toM
|
Andrea Siegel
|
Very important book to both sexes
|
|
Advanced Karate
|
Imp
|
Masutatsu Oyama
|
|
|
The Deity Of the Sword, Katori Shinto
Ryo (3 vol)
|
Nice
|
Risuke Otake
|
|
|
Kodokan Judo
|
ItoM
|
Jigoro Kano
|
|
|
The weapons and Fighting Arts of
Indonesia
|
I toM
|
Donn F. Draeger
|
|
|
Hsing Yi Chuan
|
ItoM
|
Liang Sho-Yu & Dr. Yang Jwing
Ming
|
|
|
Legacies of the Sword (Kasima Shinryu
School)
|
Nice
|
Karl F Friday
|
|
|
The Secrets of Aikido
|
Imp
|
John Stevens
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
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[ZEN] [MARTIAL ARTS] [OTHERS] [TOP]
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Taoist Books and
related issues
| Name |
M/I/N |
Writer/Translator Name |
Comments |
ISBN |
The Tao of I
Ching - Way of Divination
|
I to M
|
Jou Tsung Hwa
|
|
|
The Buddhist
I Ching
|
N to I
|
T: Thomas
Cleary
|
|
|
The Inner
Teaching of Taoism
|
Must
|
W: Chang Po-Tuan,
T: Thomas Cleary
|
Best of Bests
|
|
Bone Marrow
Nei Kung
|
Nice
|
Mantak &
Maeewan Chia
|
|
|
Traditional
Acupuncture: The law of the five elements
|
Nice
|
Dianne M
Connelly
|
|
|
Cultivating
Stillness
|
Must
|
T: Eva Wong
|
definite Must
|
|
Understanding
Reality
|
Must
|
W: Chang Po-Tuan,
T: Thomas Cleary
|
Must of Musts
|
|
The Way and
its Power
|
I toM
|
Arthur Waley
|
Tao Te Ching
|
|
Chuang-Tzu -
the Inner Chapters
|
N to I
|
A.C. Graham
|
|
|
Teaching of
the Tao
|
I to M
|
T: Eva Wong
|
|
|
The Chinese
Sexual Yoga Classics
|
N to I
|
Douglas Wile
|
|
|
Muscle/Tendon
Changing & Marrow/brain Washing Chi Kong
|
Imp
|
Dr. Yang
Jwing-Ming
|
|
|
Taoist
classic Chuang-Tsu
|
N to I
|
T: Fung Yu-Lan
|
|
|
I Ching
Mandalas
|
N to I
|
T: Thomas
Cleary
|
|
|
Awakening to
the Tao
|
Must
|
W: Liu I-Ming,
T: Thomas Cleary
|
very good
companion for the trainee
|
|
The Astrology
of I Ching
|
N to I
|
T: W.k. Chu,
E: W.A. Sherrill
|
|
|
Kiatsu
|
N to I
|
Koichi Tohei
|
|
|
I Ching
|
N to I
|
T: Richard
Willhelm, T: C.F. Baynes
|
|
|
Chinese
Qigong Therapy
|
ItoM
|
T: Yang
Entang, Yao Xiuqing
|
|
|
Daoist Health
Preservation Exercises
|
N to I
|
Bian Zhizhong
|
|
|
Massotherapy
of Traditional Chinese Medicine
|
I toM
|
W: Cao Xi
Zhen, T: Ding Chang Hao
|
|
|
The Secrets
of Chinese Meditations
|
Nice
|
Lu K'uan Yu
|
|
|
The Tao of
Meditation
|
N to I
|
Jou Tsung Hwa
|
|
|
Seven Taoist
Masters
|
Must
|
T: Eva Wong
|
Must of Musts!
|
|
The great
path of Awakening
|
N to I
|
Jamgon
Kongtrul
|
|
|
Chi Nei Tsang
- Internal organs Chi Massage
|
Imp
|
Mantak &
Maneewan Chia
|
|
|
Awaken
healing energy through the Tao
|
Nice
|
Mantak Chia
|
|
|
Scholar
Warrior
|
Ito M
|
Deng Ming Dao
|
|
|
The wandering
Taoist, Seven Bamboo Tablets of the Cloudy Satchel,
Gateway to a vast World
|
Must
|
Deng Ming Dao
|
Great trilogy
- the life story of a Taoist disciple
|
|
The Yellow
Emperor's Classic of internal Medicine
|
I toM
|
T: Ilza Veith
|
|
|
Taoist
Secrets of Love
|
Nice
|
Mantak Chia
& M. Winn
|
|
|
I Ching
Numerology
|
N toI
|
Da Liu
|
|
|
Ki -
practical guide for Westerners
|
Nice
|
William Reed
|
|
|
The complete
book of Shiatsu Therapy
|
N to I
|
Toru
Namikoshi
|
|
|
Shiatsu &
Stretching
|
Imp
|
Toru
Namikoshi
|
|
|
Zen Imagery
Exercises (Meridian Exercises)
|
N to I
|
Shizuto
Masunaga
|
|
|
Taoist Yoga
|
Imp
|
Lu K'uan Yu
|
|
|
Meridian
Qigong
|
N toI
|
Li Ding
|
|
|
The Taoist I
Ching
|
Must
|
Liu I Ming, T:
Thomas Cleary
|
Must of Musts!
|
|
The Spirit of
Tao
|
Must
|
T: Thomas
Cleary
|
|
|
Book of Ki -
Coordinating Mind and Body in daily life
|
Imp
|
Koichi Tohei
|
Very imp to
Aikido trainees
|
|
The Root of
Chinese Chi Kong
|
I toM
|
Dr. Yang
Jwing Ming
|
|
|
The Tao of
Sex
|
Nice
|
H.S. Levy
& Akira Ishihara
|
|
|
Chinese
Medical Terminology
|
N toI
|
Frank Liu
& Liu Yan Mau
|
|
|
Body and
Mature behavior
|
Imp
|
M.
Feldenkrais
|
|
|
The way to
locate Acu-Points
|
N to I
|
T: Dr. Meng
Xiankun & Dr. Li Xuewu
|
|
|
Tao &
longevity
|
N to I
|
T: Wen Kuan
Chu
|
|
|
Taoism - the
way of the mystic
|
N to I
|
J.C. Cooper
|
|
|
Immortal
sisters - secrets of Taoist women
|
I toM
|
T: Thomas
Cleary
|
|
|
Taoist
Meditation
|
Imp
|
Isabelle
Robinet
|
|
|
[ZEN] [MARTIAL ARTS] [TAOISM] [TOP]
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Others:
Name
|
M/I/N
|
Writer/Translator Name
|
Comments
|
ISBN
|
Japanese for beginners
|
Imp
|
Yoshida, Kuratani, Okunishi
|
Excellent book
|
4-05-050647-5
|
Fun with Chinese Characters
|
Nice
|
Tan Huay Peng
|
Serious of books
|
|
Illustrated Japanese Characters
|
Imp
|
Japan Travel Bureau
|
Splendid
|
|
The Book of Tea
|
Nice
|
Kakuzo Okakura
|
|
|
Japanese Picture Dictionary
|
Nice
|
Editors of passport books
|
|
|
Kanji book (series of books)
|
N to I
|
Naganuma
|
|
|
Kanji and Kana
|
Imp
|
Wolfgang Hadamitzky & Mark Spahm
|
|
|
A look into Japan (illustrated)
|
N to I
|
Japan travel Bureau
|
|
|
a guide to learning Hiragana &
Katakana
|
N to I
|
K.G. Henshall & Tetsuo Takagaki
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
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|