Most Popular Books by The Dalai Lama

The autobiography of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the greatest contemporary spiritual leaders ''An extraordinary story'' Daily Mail ''Compelling, fascinating, eye-opening'' Washington Post ''A vital historical witness, not only to inhumanity but to compassion'' Los Angeles Times ''Forthright... often amusing'' New York Times In 1938 a two-year-old boy was recognised through a traditional process of discovery as being the reincarnation of all previous Dalai Lamas, the spiritual rulers of Tibet. Taken away from his parents, he was brought up in Lhasa according to a monastic regimen of rigorous austerity and in almost total isolation. Aged seven he was enthroned in the 1000-room Potala palace as the supreme spiritual leader of a nation the size of Western Europe, with population of six million. And at fifteen, he became head of state. With Tibet under threat from the newly Communist Chinese, there followed a traumatic decade during which he became the confidant of both Chairman Mao and Jawaharal Nehru as he tried to maintain autonomy for his people. Then in 1959, he was finally forced into exile - followed by over 100,000 destitute refugees. Here, in his own words, he describes what it was like to grow up revered as a deity among his people, reveals his innermost feelings about his role, and discusses the mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism.

In this accessible and important follow up to The Art of Happiness His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches us how to live a happier and more spiritual life by fostering compassion and wisdom. Filled with his trademark honesty and warmth, this book explains how practically applying the values of Buddhism can help you find answers to both the everyday problems we face - relationships, health, work and happiness - and the major issues and changes facing humanity today including globalisation, technology and terrorism. Drawn from the Dalai Lama''s teachings during his fourth visit to Australia and New Zealand, which focused on gaining strength through compassion, Lighting the Path reminds us that we each have the ability to change our own life for the better, and the power to improve the lives of others as well. Explaining the central tenets of Buddhism, including the Four Noble Truths, Atisha''s Lamp for the Path of Enlightenment and the Eight Verses of Mind Training, this book will give you the practical guidance you need to deal with life''s challenges and help you develop inner peace.

A little book for those in search of words to calm and inspire. In this gift book His Holiness the Dalai Lama imparts his message: the importance of love, compassion and forgiveness.

As human beings, we possess one common desire: the need for happiness and a meaningful life. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the ability to find true fulfillment lies within each of us. Now, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, Nobel Prize winner, and bestselling author helps readers begin the path to enlightenment in a very special book -- an easy-access reference for daily practice as well as stunning illumination of the timeless wisdom of His Holiness. How to Practice will guide you toward opening your heart, refraining from doing harm, maintaining mental tranquility, and more. Divided into a series of distinct steps that will lead spiritual seekers of all faiths toward enlightenment, this accessible book is a constant and daily companion in the quest to practice morality, meditation, and wisdom. The Dalai Lama shows us how to overcome our everyday obstacles, from feelings of anger and mistrust to jealousy, insecurity, and counterproductive thinking. Imbued with His Holiness'' vivacious spirit and sense of playfulness, How to Practice offers the Dalai Lama''s own sage and very practical insight into the human psyche and what binds us all together.

The world''s foremost Buddhist leader offers an accessible approach to relieving suffering and achieving peace. Full of personal reflections, "Becoming Enlightened" is an empowering book for people of all faiths.

Like the two wings of a bird, love and insight work cooperatively to bring about enlightenment, says a fundamental Buddhist teaching. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we each possess the ability to achieve happiness and a meaningful life, but the key to realizing that goal is self-knowledge. In How to See Yourself As You Really Are, the world''s foremost Buddhist leader and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize shows readers how to recognize and dispel misguided notions of self and embrace the world from a more realistic -- and loving -- perspective. Step-by-step exercises help readers shatter their false assumptions and ideas and see the world as it actually exists. By directing our attention to the false veneer that so bedazzles our senses and our thoughts, His Holiness sets the stage for discovering the reality behind appearances. But getting past one''s misconceptions is only a prelude to right action, and the book''s final section describes how to harness the power of meditative concentration to the service of love, and vice versa, so that true altruistic enlightenment is attained. Enlivened by personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama''s own life experiences, How to See Yourself As You Really Are is an inspirational and empowering guide to achieving self-awareness that can be read and enjoyed by spiritual seekers of all faiths.

The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Intimate Conversations and Journeys is the most personal portrait yet of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, revered spiritual leader. A huge international success, the Dalai Lama''s books are bestsellers all over the world. Now, for the first time, we are able to discover the personal feelings and thoughts of this highly respected spiritual figure on subjects ranging from how the experience of profound spiritual insight actually feels, to how he has learned to love people who anyone else would consider an enemy, and under what circumstances he believes he would be capable of violence. Victor Chan came to meet the Dalai Lama through an extraordinary kidnapping experience. Since that time, over thirty years ago, he has become a close friend of the Dalai Lama and here is able to give us the most personal and intimate portrait yet of this iconic figure. In relaxed conversation, at his prayers and meals, meeting other world leaders – this up-close-and-personal account is filled with the Dalai Lama''s customary insight, humour and compassion. Victor Chan''s unique access to the life of this most inspiring of men gives us the closest look yet into the heart and mind of one of our greatest spiritual leaders. Other titles by the Dalai Lama The Art of Happiness The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World The Art of Happiness at Work A Profound Mind

About one thousand years ago, the great Indian pandit and yogi, Dipamkara Shrijnana (Atisha), was invited to Tibet to re-establish the Buddhadharma, which had been suppressed and corrupted for almost two centuries. One of Atisha''s main accomplishments in Tibet was his writing of the seminal text, A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, in which he extracted the essence of all 84,000 teachings of the Buddha and organized them into a clear, step-like arrangement that makes it easy for any individual practitioner to understand and practice the Dharma. This genre of teachings is known as lam-rim, or steps of the path, and forms an essential part of every school of Tibetan Buddhism. In this book, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives a commentary to not only Atisha''s revolutionary work but also to Lines of Experience, a short text written by Lama Tsongkhapa, who was perhaps the greatest of all Tibetan lam-rim authors. In bringing together Atisha, Lama Tsongkhapa and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this book offers readers one of the clearest and most authoritative expositions of the Tibetan Buddhist path ever published, and it is recommended for those at the beginning of the path, the middle and the end. This book is made possible by kind supporters of the Archive who, like you, appreciate how we make these teachings freely available in so many ways, including in our website for instant reading, listening or downloading, and as printed and electronic books. Our website offers immediate access to thousands of pages of teachings and hundreds of audio recordings by some of the greatest lamas of our time. Our photo gallery and our ever-popular books are also freely accessible there. Please help us increase our efforts to spread the Dharma for the happiness and benefit of all beings. You can find out more about becoming a supporter of the Archive and see all we have to offer by visiting our website. Thank you so much, and please enjoy this book.

The Dalai Lama reveals how training the mind in compassion for other beings is directly related to—and a prerequisite for—the very pinnacle of Buddhist meditation The heart of meditation—the thing that brings it alive—is compassion. This is not an ordinary compassion but one that is developed and expanded in parallel with wisdom that arises through meditation. Without that essential foundation, other practices are pointless. Fortunately, the mind can be trained in compassion, and the mind thus trained is fertile ground for the practice of the Great Completeness (Dzogchen), which is considered the pinnacle of spiritual practice by many in Tibetan Buddhism. In this book, His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches the Great Completeness simply but thoroughly, using as his reference a visionary poem by the nineteenth-century master Patrul Rinpoche to show that insight can never be separated from compassion. Through practice of the Great Completeness, we can access our innermost awareness and live our lives in a way that acknowledges it and manifests it. The wisdom and compassion that arise from such insight are critical, His Holiness teaches, not only to individual progress in meditation but to our collective progress toward peace in the world.

This little book contains the core teaching on Buddhism by the Dalai Lama. It includes thought-provoking quotations about the importance of love and compassion, and the need for individual responsibility, fuses ancient wisdom with an awareness of the problems of everyday life. In addition to containing the essence of Buddhism, this book offers practical wisdom for daily life. The goal of this small gift book is to improve the reader''s state of mind and to discover the deep peace that exists within. Here are pithy reflections on the need to rid oneself of preoccupations with mundane concerns and to find refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

What is the essence of the mind? Could computers ever have consciousness? Can compassion be learned? When does consciousness enter the human embryo? These are just some of the many questions that were discussed during a historic meeting that took place between several prominent Western scientists and the Dalai Lama. Gentle Bridges is a chronicle of this extraordinary exchange of ideas.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama presents the perfect introduction to traditional Tibetan Buddhist thought and practice, covering the Four Noble Truths and two essential texts. There is no one more suited to introduce beginners—and remind seasoned practitioners—of the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism than His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Speaking to an audience of Western students, the Dalai Lama shows us how to apply basic Buddhist principles to our day-to-day lives. Starting with the very foundation of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, he provides the framework for understanding the Buddha’s first teachings on suffering, happiness, and peace. He follows with commentary on two of Buddhism’s most profound texts: The Eight Verses on Training the Mind and Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, often referring to the former as one of his main sources of inspiration for the practice of compassion. With clear, accessible language and the familiar sense of humor that infuses nearly all of his work, the Dalai Lama invites us all to develop innermost awareness, a proper understanding of the nature of reality, and heartfelt compassion for all beings. This book was previously published under the title Lighting the Way.

Remarkable insights into the mind of one of the world''s greatest spiritual icons His Holiness the Dalai Lama is celebrated as Buddhism’s preeminent spiritual master and teacher, embodying the highest aspirations of this rich tradition that is more than 2,500 years old. With both profundity and simplicity, he has carried the nuanced teachings of the Buddha to the far corners of the globe, and in the process has touched and transformed millions of lives. Like the Buddha himself, the Dalai Lama, with his ever-smiling face, reaches out to people in ways that connect to their individual mental dispositions, abilities, and everyday realities. Buddhism, which never seeks to proselytize, has been made accessible by the Dalai Lama to both non-Buddhists and Buddhists alike so that we may all learn from one of the most valuable strands of our shared heritage. This fascinating book brings together extracts from some of His Holiness’s most powerful writings and talks. As he explains the elements of the Buddha’s teachings and the basic practices of meditation, he also engages and reconciles the innovations of modern science with Buddhist perspectives. Ultimately, His Holiness calls for the celebration of diversity and the recognition of interdependence that breeds a sense of Universal Responsibility—which must govern all of our relationships in this increasingly fragmented world. Serving as the perfect introduction to the Dalai Lama’s philosophy, both Buddhist and secular, In My Own Words is just the book for gleaning insights into the mind of one of the world’s greatest spiritual icons.

In the tradition of The Art Of Happiness: A Handbook For Living, which continues to sell well ten years after its first release. The perfect book for our time. Filled with wisdom and practical help from one of the world''s greatest thinkers - His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. Other titles by the Dalai Lama The Art of Happiness The Art of Happiness at Work A Profound Mind The Wisdom of Forgiveness

With characteristic humour and a down-to-earth approach to the Buddhist path, the Dalai Lama offers us an inspirational way to transform our hearts and minds and create the happiness we seek. He shows us how our state of mind, in terms of our attitudes and emotions, plays a crucial role in shaping the way we experience happiness and suffering.

In Worlds in Harmony, the Dalai Lama explores the nature of suffering and its release through compassionate action. The book focuses on the understanding that a deep awareness of our shared desire to avoid pain leads to an awareness of our responsibility to relieve others of suffering. Worlds in Harmony offers the reader insight into the relation between awareness and right action, and bridges personal consciousness and global concerns. With the knowledge that insight is of no use unless it results in action, the Dalai Lama teaches ways of being, thinking, and acting in the world that are based on equanimity and understanding.

Based on the Dalai Lama’s talks in London this ebook addresses the current difficulties facing humanity including: racial hatred, gender and environmental protection.

In conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In April of 2006, the prominent Japanese cultural anthropologist Noriyuki Ueda sat down with the Dalai Lama for a two day conversation. This book is based on that long and lively conversation in Dharamsala. In this little book, the two men explore whether there is a place in religious practice for anger against social injustice, the role of competition in spiritual life, conditional versus unconditional love, and the soullessness of materialism. One of the real pleasures of this book is the Dalai Lama''s uncharacteristic candor. For example: ''I am not only a socialist but also a bit of a leftist, a Communist.'' ''I hold the position of a high monk, a big lama. Unless I exercise self restraint, there is every possibility for me to exploit others.'' He also argues that rather than suppressing anger, Buddhism embraces using anger to precipitate social change. In other words anger can be an important spiritual practice. This book offers a unique perspective on the Dalai Lama''s political and spiritual views. And it guides the reader through the complex reality of what it means to practice compassion in the here and now.

Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart is His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s gentle and profoundly eloquent instruction for developing the basis of the spiritual path: a compassionate motive. With extraordinary grace and insight, His Holiness shows how the Tibetan Buddhist teachings on compassion can be practiced in our daily lives through simple meditations that directly relate to past and present relationships. This illuminating and highly accessible guide offers techniques for deepening and heightening compassion in our lives and the world around us.

Two leading thinkers engage in a landmark conversation about human emotions and the pursuit of psychological fulfillment At their first meeting, a remarkable bond was sparked between His Holiness the Dalai Lama, one of the world''s most revered spiritual leaders, and the psychologist Paul Ekman, whose groundbreaking work helped to define the science of emotions. Now these two luminaries share their thinking about science and spirituality, the bonds between East and West, and the nature and quality of our emotional lives. In this unparalleled series of conversations, the Dalai Lama and Ekman prod and push toward answers to the central questions of emotional experience. What are the sources of hate and compassion? Should a person extend her compassion to a torturer—and would that even be biologically possible? What does science reveal about the benefits of Buddhist meditation, and can Buddhism improve through engagement with the scientific method? As they come to grips with these issues, they invite us to join them in an unfiltered view of two great traditions and two great minds. Accompanied by commentaries on the findings of emotion research and the teachings of Buddhism, their interplay—amusing, challenging, eye-opening, and moving—guides us on a transformative journey in the understanding of emotions.

This beloved classic brings together in one volume all the major themes of the Dalai Lama’s teachings. Drawn from the lectures he gave during his first three visits to North America, the book covers the core subject matter of Tibetan Buddhism, as presented for the first time to an English-speaking audience. The chapters are arranged developmentally from simple to complex topics, which include the luminous nature of the mind, the four noble truths, karma, the common goals of the world’s religions, meditation, deities, and selflessness. Central to all these teachings is the necessity of compassion—which the Dalai Lama says is “the essence of religion” and “the most precious thing there is.”

This book contains the essential guide to some of the central Buddhist teachings based on the recent UK lectures by his holiness.

For the first time ever, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses children directly, sharing lessons of peace and compassion, told through stories of his own childhood. One of today''s most inspiring world leaders was once an ordinary child named Lhamo Thondup. In a small village in Tibet, his mother was his first great teacher of compassion. In everyday moments from his childhood, young readers begin to see that important lessons are all around us, and that they, too, can grow to truly understand them. With simple, powerful text, the Dalai Lama shares the universalist teachings of treating one another with compassion, which Bao Luu illustrates beautifully in vibrant color. In an increasingly confusing world, The Seed of Compassion offers guidance and encouragement on how we all might bring more kindness to it.

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” For the Dalai Lama it is kindness that makes the world go ‘round. Kindness at the heart of human nature, and it is kindness that is the essential component to developing healthy bodies, minds, and spirits. It is the glue that holds society together. Its absence results in isolation, dislocation, and suffering. In this slender volume, the Dalai Lama outlines what compassion is and how its practice affects every area of life. He also provides an exercise process for developing kindness. One of the strengths of this book is that it demonstrates that living a life of kindness or compassion is not just about altruism. It is a way of life that benefits us in concrete ways. Compassion makes us resilient in the face of adversity, enables us to live with courage, and provides a level of self-confidence that makes us more effective in our personal and professional endeavors. This is a book not only for fans of the Dalai Lama but also for those of all faiths interested in lives filled with hope, promise, and authenticity.

Central to Buddhism is knowing our own minds. Until we do, we are driven by unconscious, often destructive desire and aversion. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s Stages of the Path: An Annotated Commentary on the Fifth Dalai Lama''s Oral Transmission of Mañjusri is the second volume of the Dalai Lama’s outline of Buddhist theory and practice. Having introduced Buddhist ideas in the context of modern society in volume one, the Dalai Lama turns here to a traditional presentation of the complete path to enlightenment, from developing faith in the Dharma to attaining the highest wisdom. This book, compiled by the revered Tibetan lama Dagyab Rinpoché, comments on the Fifth Dalai Lama’s stages of the path titled Oral Transmission of Mañjusri. The volume will appeal to all readers interested in the Dalai Lama’s works, both those new to Buddhism and those looking to deepen their understanding of the Tibetan presentation of the Buddhist path.

A remarkable, accessible and rare overview of the key aspects of Tibetan Buddhism provided by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Path of Tibetan Buddhism presents a clear and straightforward road map, to how we might end our experience of suffering and discover happiness, drawn by the most celebrated spiritual master of Buddhism – His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. In this insightful volume, not only does he describe what religion can contribute to mankind, but also accentuates the significance of truly practicing religion and understanding what it is that mankind really needs. Familiar for his ever-smiling face and his message of love, compassion and peace, he explains the three turnings of the wheel of dharma; the purpose and the means of generating the mind of enlightenment; and the twelve links of dependent arising, among other things. ‘The three principal aspects of the path’ and ‘the stages of the path to enlightenment’ based on Je Tsongkhapa’s (the famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism) own experience and realization have also been beautifully described by the Dalai Lama in great detail. Here''s an easily accessible and illuminating glimpse into the core of Tibetan Buddhism.

Born out of a decade of discussion between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and international management consultant Laurens van den Muyzenberg, The Leader’s Way is the unique meeting of two worlds: the global business landscape and Buddhism. At first sight, these seem to be an unlikely pairing. After a closer look, however, the best business practices and Buddhist principles in fact have much in common; both are concerned with making rational, holistic decisions and turning them into responsible, effective action. Indeed, the teachings of Buddhism have much to offer business leaders. The world today faces many unique challenges: the worst global recession in over seventy-five years, with millions out of jobs and entire economies in a tailspin; billions of people living in abject poverty; the imminent threat of an environmental meltdown. Even prosperous businesses and leaders feel insecure about the future. A new kind of leadership is needed–one that sees events as they really are and understands the interconnectedness, impermanence, and interdependence of individuals, companies, and the global economic system. Through fascinating insights and day-to-day examples, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers practical tools and advice on how to lead in our twenty-first-century world. Drawing on the wise teachings of Buddhism, he says, we can become better, more informed leaders as individuals, achieve more progressive leadership in our organizations, and help address some of the world’s most pressing problems. Moreover, we can improve the quality of life for all by promoting responsible, ethical, and profitable business practices. That is the leader’s way. A rewarding, surprising view into the life and thoughts of one of the world’s most inspiring leaders, The Leader’s Way provides a powerful manifesto for leading change at every level–in our lives, our organizations, and the wider world.

A little book for those in search of words to calm and inspire. In this mini ebook His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches us how to deal with suffering.

At a time and in a culture where science and technology have taken over from religious belief, when ethics are understood primarily in terms of aesthetic choice or legality, how are we to formulate moral principles to guide us in our daily lives? Though religion can certainly help in this, the Dalai Lama demonstrates that there are universal principles we can draw on which transcend the dilemma of belief or unbelief. And whilst many have been content to speak of spiritual matters as something mysterious or evanescent, the Dalai Lama explains his approach in terms that are as clear and concise as they are compelling. With wit, gentle good sense and with penetrating insight, the Dalai Lama shows how the truths that have stood the test of generations of practise can provide us with the tools to live happy, fulfilled and meaningful lives. In the process, it becomes apparent that he does not merely espouse the ''feelgood'' religiosity some accuse him of. The reader is left admiring not just the wisdom of the author, but the wisdom of the culture he represents.

In this unique and important book, one of the world''s great spiritual leaders offers his practical wisdom and advice on how we can overcome everyday human problems and achieve lasting happiness. The Art of Happiness is a highly accessible guide for a western audience, combining the Dalai Lama''s eastern spiritual tradition with Dr Howard C. Cutler''s western perspective. Covering all key areas of human experience, they apply the principles of Tibetan Buddhism to everyday problems and reveal how one can find balance and complete spiritual and mental freedom. For the many who wish to understand more about the Dalai Lama''s approach to living, there has never been a book which brings his beliefs so vividly into the real world.