Gift Ideas for a Buddhist

The last several decades have been marked by a huge increase in the number of Teachers and students of Buddha Dharma in the west (the proverbial "transplant" of the Dharma from its motherlands of India, Tibet & China to Europe and North America). Which increases the likelihood (if you are a westerner) of their being one or more Buddhist practitioners on your gift list. There are of course many distinct lineages of Buddhist practice: the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma, Kagyu, Geluk, Sakya) as well as the Tibetan Bon tradition; the Chan traditions of China; Zen from Japan; as well as various Theravadin "forest" lineages; to name just a few. So best, when shopping for your Buddhist friends, to have an idea of which tradition(s) they are participating in ~ though many of the gift ideas on the following list will be of interest to practitioners within any lineage.

1."The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet" by Baker & Laird. This beautiful coffee-table gift book is a bit pricey (lists at $65) but is totally worth it! The book, as its title implies, is structured around photographs and explanation of paintings found in the island temple used by the Dalia Lamas for their most advanced meditation practices. What is portrayed in these paintings are various Buddhist Yogas (e.g. the Six Yogas Of Naropa) ~ bodymind practices engaged in by Vajrayana practitioners. Along with explanatory text by Ian Baker, the book features quotes from the various Dalai Lamas. A jewel of inspiration for Tibetan practitioners in particular!

2. A beautiful mala. For anyone whose practice includes the recitation of mantras, a mala is a great gift idea. Malas come in all shapes and sizes. (The standard type contains 108 beads.) For "simple elegance" you can go for a mala whose beads are made of sandalwood (this is also a good choice for prostration practice, since sandalwood beads won't break when they hit the floor); more elaborate (and expensive) varieties can be found with beads made of just about every type of crystal and gemstone.