What speaks to each of us will vary widely. Check reviews and descriptions and trust your inner wisdom to choose materials that will best support you. Enjoy your exploration!
Below are important Buddhist courses, teachings and Dharma/Dhamma talks. If you don't have the inclination to study the full Buddhist scriptures, there are other avenues for learning that will provide insight, inspiration and guidance. You'll find more resources in the Teachers section on this page, but I provide these links as I think they are highly informative and valuable for the newly curious and long-time practitioners alike.
Below are books on Buddhist teachings, some from varying sects or schools of Buddhism. It can take some effort to sort out the common language and terminology so as to keep the different schools' approaches and teachings clear (i.e. not mixing them up). For that reason, I am trying to keep this list to the resources on Buddhism I've found most broadly useful regardless if you're a Theravada, Pure Land, Zen, Dzogchen, or Vajrayana Buddhist or not Buddhist at all! Quick tip: You can often find books on Buddhism offered freely in PDF versions.
When I talk to people about the sutras that I'm reading (I plan to start studying the Pali suttas soon too), I usually get comments like "Oooh, you're a scholar." Well, I don't know about that! But I really get a lot out of studying these texts and discourses. Sometimes they motivate and move me. Sometimes I gain insights and have deep meditation experiences after reading the sutras. They deepen my understanding of the Buddha's teaching like few other resources have. And they work their way into my daily practice or when I reflect on life situations and even show up often in my dreams.
That said, sutras and suttas can be difficult to understand if you don't have: a teacher well-versed in the texts (hopefully with direct understanding, not just scholarly knowledge) and/or a strong knowledge of core Buddhist terminology and concepts and/or, as translator Red Pine says, really good karma!
Below you'll find a mix of Buddhist, Taoist, Advaita Vedanta and other relevant non-dual wisdom tradition teachings that I've found particularly illuminating.
There have been a simple living resource here and there who had ideas that I appreciated. But most of what I know and do are my own thing and the best ideas come from just talking openly with others who are interested in simplifying their lives. Of course, the Tao Te Ching is probably the earliest authority on the topic... about 2500 years ago and still totally relevant today!
Movies are quite personal to taste. Some may contain content that is unpleasant to you, so please do check trailers and reviews first. Although I find these to all have a quality of personal growth or awakening, don't assume because I like them that you won't find a movie to be boring, stupid or downright offensive! Tip: You can watch movies for free on Kanopy if you have a library card. There are also many full length spiritual movies on YouTube.
Aware being - a journey of awakening
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