The Buddhism of Tibet (Wisdom of Tibet Series) [Paperback]

Dalai Lama (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wisdom of Tibet Series | Publication Date: January 1, 1987

Texts especially written or chosen for Westerners explain the central ideas and practices of Buddhism.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As Tibetan Buddhism matures in the West, the release of more substantive and esoteric literature becomes timely. With this intermediate audience in mind, and with the hope that "even a few people for a short period could have some internal peace," the Dalai Lama here offers two of his original writings alongside two ancient texts. His works "The Buddhism of Tibet" and "The Key to the Middle Way" comprise roughly half of the book. They reveal some of the secondary and more cerebral layers of Tibetan Buddhist study, going well beyond the primary embrace of the Four Noble Truths. Emptiness, "the final mode of being of all phenomena," is a recurring motif throughout the volume. The second half includes "Precious Garland of Advice for the King," 500 quatrains written by Nagarjuna, who lived 400 years after the Buddha. Written to advise the Indian king Satavahana, it has specific counsel on ruling, plus more general material on emptiness and compassion. Although theoretically softened by a caveat of application to both sexes, the prohibition against desiring women, who are partially described as "a source of excrement, urine and vomit," among other similar vitriolic phrases, will be hard to stomach for many. The book concludes with an exposition of a relatively short poem, "Song of the Four Mindfulnesses" by Kaysang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama. No doubt a book of merit, this volume is most appropriate for serious students who are ready to wade through fairly heavy intellectual currents.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

The Buddhism of Tibet consists of four texts that the Dalai Lama specially wrote or chose for Western readers: The Buddhism of Tibet is a concise introduction to the principle topics and central practices of Buddhism. The Key to the Middle Way is an acute and precise presentation of the nature of emptiness. The Precious Garland by Nagarjuna is a description of the bodhisattva path of compassion and a clear, concise analysis of the Buddha's teaching on emptiness. The Song of the Four Mindfulnesses by the 7th Dalai Lama is a short poem accompanied by a commentary by the present Dalai Lama. Containing all the essentials of sutra and trantra, The Buddhism of Tibet is to be used as a basis for meditations on the mindfulness of the guru, altruism, deity yoga and emptiness. -- Midwest Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Snow Lion Publications (January 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0937938483
• ISBN-13: 978-0937938485
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,649,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935 to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet and was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. The world's foremost Buddhist leader, he travels extensively, speaking eloquently in favor of ecumenical understanding, kindness and compassion, respect for the environment, and, above all, world peace.