Other Sites

San Francisco Zen Center - Dharma Talks
Welcome to the San Francisco Zen Center's online library of Dharma talks. The talks listed here were given at City Center, Green Gulch Farm, or Tassajara as part of a public dharma talk.

Access to Insight - The Pali Canon
The Pali canon forms the doctrinal foundation of Theravada Buddhism which scholars generally agree contains the earliest surviving record of the Buddha's teachings.The Pali canon is a vast body of literature: in English translation the texts add up to thousands of printed pages. Most (but not all) of the Canon has already been published in English over the years. Although only a small fraction of these texts are available on this website, this collection can be a good place to start.

Metta Forest Monastery
Metta Forest Monastery is a meditation monastery in the lineage of the Thai Forest Tradition. Founded in 1990 by Ajaan Suwat Suvaco, it has been under the direction of Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Ajaan Geoff) as abbot and meditation teacher since 1993. The Monastery is outside of Valley Center, California at the end of a road in an avocado orchard surrounded by the mountains.

Deer Park Monastery
A practice center in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Check their calendar for weekly Day of Mindfulness Practice. Deer Park is located in Escondido, CA. 

Dharma Seed
Welcome to Dharma Seed, dedicated to preserving and sharing the spoken teachings of Theravada Buddhism in modern languages. Explore and take nourishment from these heartfelt teachings.

Audio Dharma - All Dharma Talks
This site is an archive of Dharma talks given by Gil Fronsdal, Andrea Fella and various guest speakers at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. Each talk illuminates aspects of the Buddha's teachings.The purpose is the same that the Buddha had for his teachings, to guide us toward the end of suffering and the attainment of freedom.

Hidden Valley Zen Center
Located in a quiet rural setting in San Diego’s North County under historic hundred-years-old California Oaks, the Hidden Valley Zen Center is a place for inner spiritual quest, using the forms of Rinzai Zen, which emphasizes the practice of zazen (seated meditation), and includes working with susok’kan (the extended out-breath) and koans.Hidden Valley Zen Center was founded in 1968 by American Tien-li Lola Lee, Osho, long-time student of Dr. Henry Chikuen Kugai Platov, whose primary teacher was Sokei-an [Shigetsu Sasaki, founder of the First Zen Institute of America in New York City].

Prison Minfulness Institute
Our mission is to provide prisoners, prison staff and prison volunteers, with the most effective, evidence-based tools for rehabilitation, self-transformation, and personal & professional development.

suggested reading/listening: introduction to buddhism

The following resources are suggested for getting a basic understanding of Buddhist concepts, history, Buddhist schools of thought, as well as different styles of meditation. The purpose of this is not to steer you to a particular Buddhist school of thought or meditation style, only to give you an idea of what is out there. There is MUCH more than is what is offered on this short list. You are encouraged to explore on your own what you personally feel most comfortable with; a style and a practice that will enrich not only your own life, but the lives of those who come in contact with you as well.

Books
1. Old Path White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh - Life and Teaching of Gautama Buddha
2. The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh - Commentary on Heart Sutra
3. The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche - Basic Human Goodness
4. The World of Tibetan Buddhism by The Dalai Lama - Overview of Tibetan Buddhism
5. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki – A Classic Introduction to Zen
6. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism by D.T. Suzuki - Simply Zen
7. Lotus in the Stream by Master Hsing Yun (Translated by Tom Graham) - Excellent and Simple
8. Buddhism: A Concise Introduction by Huston Smith and Philip Novak – Introduction to the History of Buddhism
9. Buddhism for Beginners by Thubten Chodron – Introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Practice
10. A Path With Heart by Jack Kornfield – Kind & Gentle
11. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa – Another Classic
12. Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Songyal Rinpoche – Tibetan Practice in Everyday Life
13. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron
14. The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chodron
15. Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chodron