Book corner

Books worth arguing with

Philosophy from every tradition, and the books members write and love, of every kind. Each has its own page: what it is, why read it, where to start, and what members thought. Put books on your shelf, rate what you have read, and add the books you think everyone should know.

The Masnavi

Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī · c. 1258–1273

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Persian
Ethics (Rinrigaku)

Watsuji Tetsurō · 1937–1949

4.5 · 2 reviews

Advanced Japanese & Korean
The Structure of Iki

Kuki Shūzō · 1930

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Japanese & Korean
Tannishō (A Record in Lament of Divergences)

Yuien, recording the teaching of Shinran · late 13th century

4.5 · 2 reviews

Beginner Japanese & Korean
Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning

Yi Hwang (Toegye) · 1568

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Japanese & Korean
Evidential Commentary on the Meanings of Terms in the Mencius

Dai Zhen · 1777

4.5 · 2 reviews

Advanced Chinese
Instructions for Practical Living

Wang Yangming (recorded by his disciples) · 16th century (first part published 1518)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Chinese
Reflections on Things at Hand

Zhu Xi and Lü Zuqian (compilers) · 1175

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Chinese
Balanced Inquiries (Lunheng)

Wang Chong · 1st century CE

4.0 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Chinese
The Art of War

Attributed to Sunzi (Sun Wu) · c. 5th–4th century BCE (compiled)

4.0 · 2 reviews

Beginner Chinese
The Doctrine of the Mean (Focusing the Familiar)

Traditionally attributed to Zisi, grandson of Confucius · c. 3rd century BCE (date and authorship disputed)

4.0 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Chinese
Han Feizi

Han Fei (some chapters probably by other hands) · 3rd century BCE

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Chinese
Treatise on the Golden Lion

Fazang · c. 700

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Buddhist
The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

Attributed to Huineng (compiled by his disciple Fahai, with later revisions) · 8th century (earliest Dunhuang manuscript); expanded editions later

4.5 · 2 reviews

Beginner Buddhist
The Way of the Bodhisattva

Śāntideva · c. 8th century CE

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Buddhist
Twenty Verses (with the Thirty Verses)

Vasubandhu · c. 4th–5th century CE

4.0 · 2 reviews

Advanced Buddhist
The Questions of King Milinda

Anonymous (dialogues of King Milinda and the monk Nāgasena) · c. 1st century BCE–1st century CE (with later additions)

4.0 · 2 reviews

Beginner Buddhist
Dhammapada

Traditionally the Buddha (an anthology of verses) · c. 3rd century BCE (compiled; dates uncertain)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Beginner Buddhist
Nāṭyaśāstra

Attributed to Bharata · c. 200 BCE–200 CE (compiled over time)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Indian
Vākyapadīya (On Sentence and Word)

Bhartṛhari · c. 5th century CE

4.5 · 2 reviews

Advanced Indian
Tattvārtha Sūtra (That Which Is)

Umāsvāti (Umāsvāmī in the Digambara tradition) · c. 2nd–5th century CE (dates debated)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Indian
Yoga Sūtras

Attributed to Patañjali · c. 2nd century BCE–5th century CE (dates debated)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Indian
Sāṃkhya Kārikā

Īśvarakṛṣṇa · c. 4th–5th century CE

4.5 · 2 reviews

Intermediate Indian
Mīmāṃsā Sūtra

Attributed to Jaimini · c. 300–100 BCE (dates uncertain)

4.5 · 2 reviews

Advanced Indian