Great Buddhism Gift Ideas and Presents, appropriate gifts for Buddhists

Gifts for Buddhists

Presents for Men and Women for Christmas, Birthdays and Valentine's Day. Gift Ideas for your Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Wife or Husband

Looking for a top gift for your Buddhist friends and family? You don't have to look any further. I've found you artwork, calendars and books that will delight and inspire them.

Save yourself some time by ordering online and still enjoying their happy faces over your thoughtful quality gift.

Buddhism and Valentine's Day

Do Buddhists Celebrate Valentine's Day? This is a very good question. Certainly a lot of them do.

Considering there are hundreds of millions of Buddhists all over the world, and there are multiple Buddhists sects - it would be tough to present a comprehensive list of Valentine's Day Spiritual and Religious gifts for all Buddhist men on one page.

I have kept the diversity of the Buddhist tradition in mind while presenting these gifts:

Buddhism Books

The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation


A classic by the famous Nhat Hanh - a Zen Buddhist who transcends the boundaries between traditions. A good reminder and inspiring read for the seasoned Buddhist and a very accessible book for a new Buddhist who may be ready to start meditating.

More Thich Nhat Hanh books

The Pocket Pema Chodron

Perhaps it's suitable to give your female Buddhist friend (girlfriend perhaps) a book by the best known female Buddhist teacher: Pema Chodron. And what better, then the book created to introduce people to her most essential en inspiring thoughts.

This book is meant to be taken on the road, kept on her bedside and meditated on.

Pema Chodron Books (My reviews):


Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior

Chogyam Trungpa was the first most famous Tibetan Buddhist popularizer in the West.

He writes in an accessible style and I think for many women the 'warrior' approach can help them deal with the conflicting claims of family and career. How to juggle having to be strong and aggressive to survive in the workplace and yet kind and nurturing at home. And then do all that without becoming a bitch... We set the bar so high on ourselves (and each other) that it becomes impossible to live up to.

Perhaps this book can help...

Ruling Your World: Ancient Strategies For Modern Life

Sakyong Mipham, son of Chogyam Trungpa, writes a book about a theme that most of us will recognize: sometimes our emotions overwhelm us. How do we avoid letting annoyances build till we burst?

Dalai Lama Books

Popular and inspiring books by and about His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Mindfulness books
Buddhist mindfulness books, Mindfulness exercise books and
Mindfulness books and Meditation books for kids. Books about learning to be in the moment
Tibetan Buddhism Books, best
Books about Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan Book of the Dead
Zen Buddhism Books, best
Books about Zen Buddhism

Buddhism Calendars

Buddhism-calendar

Buddhist calendars
Calendars inspired by Buddhism, often including Buddhist quotes
Mindfulness Calendars
Calendars and Planners about living in the NOW.
Pema Chodron Calendars
Quotes and Buddhist art
Thich Nhat Hanh Calendars
Calendars featuring Thich Nhat Hanh Zen Buddhist quotes and beautiful art
Zen Buddhist calendars
Calendars featuring Zen sayings and art

Buddhism Posters and Art Prints

Golden Buddha Lakeside
Golden Buddha...
Jan Lakey
Buy This at Allposters.com

DVD's and Movies

Movies on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray, about Buddhism

Buddhism is perhaps the world religion with the best PR team: the Dalai Lama and his friends. They've succeeded in painting a picture of Buddhism that is undogmatic, peaceful and fully compatible with science. Want to get a glimpse of that Buddhism, be inspired by that dream? Here are the top videos about the topic.

Buddha - Featuring Richard Gere

The story of the founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama, later known as The Buddha. The Buddha never claimed to be God or his emissary on earth. He said only that he was a human being who, in a world of unavoidable pain and suffering, had found a kind of serenity that others could find, too. This documentary by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin tells the story of his life, a journey especially relevant in our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion.

Peace Is Every Step-Meditation In Action

The Life and Work of Thich Nhat Hanh

The life of Thich Nhat Hanh on tape. The extras include his teachings, which some reviewers thought far more valuable than the movie itself, however well done.

Famous account of two European men who end up in Tibet. One of them even teaches the young Dalai Lama.

Kundun: On the life of the Dalai Lama and his family. After the book of the same name.

This biography of the Dalai Lama and his family will help you understand the context of the life of the Dalai Lama. Readers have told me this book opened their eyes to the real Tibet - a place where people with real faults and virtues live. Where not everyone is a saint and power struggles are as important as anywhere else in the world.

Available also on DVD and VHS.

A western kid gets recognized as the reincarnation of a Tibetan lama...

Keanu Reeves is one of my favorite actors. This movie intertwines the lives of Buddha, played by Reeves and a contemporary incarnation of a Tibetan Lama, Norbu. Imagine it: being raised to be a spiritual teacher. As the kid learns about Buddhism and the life of the Buddha, so does the viewer.

10 questions for the Dalai Lama - A good introduction to his philosophy and the challenges the Tibetan people face.

Buddhist Jewelry for Valentine's Day

Buddha is one of the most popular and easily recognizable faces in the world. The choice of Buddha/Buddhist Jewelry is impressive too.

Each Buddhist country has its own style of representing Buddha and Buddhist symbols on Jewelry. For men there are lots of designs in pendants, rings, and bracelets which make for ideal Valentine's Day gifts.

Spiritual Jewelry for Buddhist Women and men

Om Mani Padme Hum bracelet in copper

There are lots of options to choose from if you are gifting Buddhist Jewelry for your Valentine. Jewelry with Buddha and Buddhist Mantras and Sacred symbols is available with a cool choice of metals, gems, styles, and designs.

Om Mani Padme Humis the mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig), the Buddha of compassion.

Another popular jewelry theme is a simple Buddha-pendant. To be on the safe side - there are all kinds of designs available, some offensive to Buddhists - I would recommend picking a sitting Buddha Pendant.

For men and women: Traditional Tibetan Buddhist mala with 108 beads

Prayer beads are a great gift for a new Buddhist: they probably don't have one yet and will love to own one. I know women who collect these and I have three already myself.

The most common number of beads on a Buddhist rosary is 108, however some teachers prefer 111. Either way: the point is to count your mantras.

This is a classic mala without beads of a different size to help count less than 108 prayers. For advanced use, perhaps...

Buddha Statues

Buddhism statues, busts, figures and sculpture

Buddha images as spiritual home decor gift ideas

Many (though not all) Buddhists feel that you should always receive a Buddha image as a gift, and never buy one for yourself. Make sure your lady or man has one - so she doesn't have to decide to buy one anyhow...

Brass statues have been made in India since the 8th century. Until the 13th century Buddhism was widespread in India and it was natural that Indian artisans would make Buddha statues with brass, the popular metal of the times.

Can you mix Tibetan, Zen and Theravada statues on one altar?

Sure, there is no reason to avoid mixing statues from the various traditions on your Buddhist altar as long as you respect them. Only statues and images you feel represent your faith belong on your altar.

In fact, in the Tibetan version of the Bodhisattva Vows it's explicitly mentioned that one should respect all forms of Buddhism.

Singing bowl

Tibetan Singing Bowl

In Chinese and Zen Buddhism a singing bowl is often used to signify the beginning and the end of a meditation session. They are used by many mindfulness teachers for this purpose as well. The have a lovely harmonic tone that is often used during Buddhist religious cermonies as well.

The singing bowl is traditionally used as a special offering bowl in a Buddhist altar containing barley, flower or rice, water, and butter with a wick placed in the center to create a butter lamp. Due to its amazing sonorous properties singing bowl has become not just a musical instrument, but rather a practical tool of letting go in the practice of meditation.

More about choosing a Tibetan Singing Bowl

Monk Bag (also for Nuns)Buddhism bags, totes and handbags

There used to be quite a few bags available with mantras and Buddha-images on them. They seem to have vanished. There is good reason for this: a traditional Buddhist would never want a Buddha image to get in contact with the floor. Given that bags spend a lot of time there, having a sacred image on a bag is impractical.

If you are looking for a bag for a Buddhist friend, you may want to take a look at what are called 'Monk Bags'. These are the bags commonly used to carry the stuff you take with you when going to a Buddhist lecture or meditation meeting: a flask of water, a note-pad, a mala (rosary) and perhaps a khata (ceremonial scarf).

And yes, of course women can use them too.

When in doubt, pick a neutral color: red or orange (for the sangha) or black. However, there are no formal rules or guidelines, so if the person you're giving it to has blue as their favorite color, go for it! Mine is orange, as shown. It is decorated with the eternal knot, symbol for luck.

Here's a totally different type of Buddhist bag: Don't you think Zen Rocks?

Zen Rocks Tote Bag by Cafepress
Note that many bags sold as 'Buddhist' have images of a Buddha or a mantra on them. This may offend practicing Buddhists - buy at your own risk! The 'Zen Rocks' bag is a safe alternative.

  • Buddha Quote Shirts and Tees
  • Traditional Buddhist Dresses: Perfect Valentine's Day Gift

    The traditional dress worn by Tibetan women is called Chupa or Chuba, it is very elegant and graceful.

    The Chuba is surprisingly flexible for day-wear: the design makes it look like a very tight skirt or dress, but there are so many folds in the back that there is no restriction to movement at all. I can even sit on my meditation cushion in one of these - and that is saying something.