WHAT SHOULD I READ?
Beginnings
The Wisdom of No Escape: and the Path of Loving-Kindness ~by Pema Chodron
A Path With Heart ~by Jack Kornfield
Open Heart, Clear Mind: An Introduction to the Buddha’s Teachings ~by Thubten Chodron
The Miracle of Mindfulness ~by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living ~by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Buddhism for Beginners ~by Thubten Chodron
Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living ~by Pema Chödrön
Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience by Sharon Salzberg
Contemplating the Buddhist Path
The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness ~by Mingyur Rinpoche
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying ~by Sogyal Rinpoche
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism ~by Chogyam Trungpa
Exploring Tibetan Buddhism
Training in Awakening
Heart Advice from a Mahamudra Master ~by Gendun Rinpoche
As it Is ~by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Fearless Simplicity ~Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis ~by Thinley Norbu
Lives of the Kagyu Lineage Masters
The Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury ~by Khenchen Konchok Gyaltshen Rinpoche
The Life of Marpa the Translator ~translated by the Nalanda translation committee
The Life of Milarepa ~translated by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa
We suffer without a choice. We do not want to suffer and we try everything to be happy but the suffering happens regardless of our wishes and we cannot do anything about it.
Why ? Because we have already created the causes for suffering in the past. Where are these causes of suffering ? They are in our minds right now, in the self centered mind and the negative emotions that result from this mental state.
If you really think about it, you come to understand that you are responsible for your own suffering and that there is no one else to blame. Understanding this, you will be able to tolerate difficulties and to avoid more suffering in the future. If you want to be happy you need to know the causes of happiness. The Buddha said: I can show you the path of liberation, but liberation depends upon yourself.
Whether you are Buddhist or not, whether you practice a religion or not, you have a mind, temporarily and all causes of happiness and suffering are in this mind.
The only cause of happiness is love and the only cause of suffering is attachment to the ego (the continuing need to satisfy the self). If you understand this, you understand the work of Karma, cause and effect, perfectly. All suffering without exception comes from the desire for one’s own personal happiness.”