Library, Book and Gift Shop
We welcome you to browse Root Institute’s excellent library of Buddhist books and videos, our small bookshop and our gift shop of beautiful high-quality Dharma and gift items.
Library
Root Institute’s library is an extensive collection of books, teaching transcripts, videos, sadhanas, audio tapes/CD’s and magazines.
Items can be borrowed by guests staying at Root Institute only. A deposit and small loan fee will be requested. Anyone not staying at Root Institute is welcome to use the items here in our library during opening hours.
Books and teaching transcripts
Root Institute’s library contains approximately 2500 books and transcripts covering a wide range of subjects, including:
- Sutras (discourses of the Buddha)
- Tibetan Buddhism:
- Overview / Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism
- Stages of the Path (Lam Rim)
- Thought Transformation (Lojong) / Bodhisattva Training
- Philosophical Studies (Nature of mind, Emptiness, Debate)
- Preliminary Practices (Ngondros)
- Prayers / Pujas
- Tantra
- Nyingma / Dzogchen
- Death & Dying
- Non-Tibetan Buddhist traditions: Classic Treatises by Indian pandits, Theravada, Zen, Chinese, etc.
- Buddhist biographies (including the life of the Buddha)
- Pilgrimage
- Vinaya / Monasticism
- Comparative and world religions
- Buddhism & other disciplines (science, the environment, psychology, sociology)
- Foreign language Buddhist texts in Hindi, French, German, Spanish, Tibetan and a few in Chinese, Dutch, Italian and others
- Non-Buddhist books including travel guidebooks, psychology, world philosophies, health/medicine, Tibetan and Indian culture/politics, foreign language dictionaries, etc.
Videos
Over 100 video teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and other Tibetan and Western Buddhist teachers, as well as Buddhist-related documentaries and movies (such as “Kundun” and “The Little Buddha”) are available for viewing at Root Institute.
Included in this collection is “Discovering Buddhism”, a 13-part video series which gives an overview of the entire path to Enlightenment. Each 25-minute video focuses on a different part of the path (for example: “Mind and Its Potential” and “How to Meditate”) and includes teachings from Tibetan Masters such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Western teachers, as well as students who describe their experiences of applying the teachings in daily life. This series is a great way to explore Buddhism at your own pace.
Sadhanas
Meditation practices and commentaries available on most Tibetan Buddhist meditational deities
Audio
Teachings, meditations and pujas on audio tape and CD from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, Denma Locho Rinpoche, Jhado Rinpoche and other Tibetan and Western teachers.
Magazines
A small collection of Buddhist magazines (Mandala and Tricycle).
Book Shop
Available by donation:
- Modern Buddhist texts in English
- Sadhanas, meditation practices and prayer books
- Photos of Buddhist deities and teachers
Gift Shop
Available by donation:
- thangkas (Tibetan paintings of meditational deities)
- prayer wheels (pendants and desk top)
- semi-precious malas
- silk goods such as altar cloths, Dharma book covers, mandala cloths, mala bags
- prayer flags
- mandala sets
- high quality incense and incense holders
- khatas (offering scarves) and offering envelopes
- shoulder bags (“monk’s bags”)
- daily need items such as toiletries, stationary, candles, snacks and cold drinks
