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The World of Tibetan Buddhism: An Overview of Its Philosophy and Practice
With characteristic humility, His Holiness the Dalai Lama begins this landmark survey of the entire Buddhist path by saying, "I think an overview of Tibetan Buddhism for the purpose of providing a comprehensive framework of the path may prove helpful in deepening your understanding and practice." In this book, the Dalai Lama delivers a presentation that is both concise and profound, accessible and engaging. As readers explore Tibetan Buddhism more fully than ever before, they will find in His Holiness a great friend and authority.
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First published June 10, 2005
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About the author
Dalai Lama XIV
1,554 books6,195 followersJetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.
On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.
After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.
Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 9, 2022
it's incredible how much overlap is between stoicism and buddhism (is there a book written on that yet?!) - I accidentally immersed myself in books on both at the same time, and at points I almost couldn't tell which is which.
though, if you believe they're onto something, it's not that fascinating at all that they come to often similar conclusions.
this is probably the first book that gave me a very clear understanding of emptiness, its meaning and its role in this whole framework - for which I'm deeply grateful.
though, if you believe they're onto something, it's not that fascinating at all that they come to often similar conclusions.
this is probably the first book that gave me a very clear understanding of emptiness, its meaning and its role in this whole framework - for which I'm deeply grateful.
July 29, 2015
Imo a very good book to read if you don't know much about buddhism at all yet. Sometimes I needed to reread some sentences for them to make sense to me, though, which is a little embarrassing.. but well, I didn't know much when I started the book and repeatedly forgot two rather important words. (In my defense: I need to take some meds that kind of impair, you know, my brain. ;))
I also think the fact that the Dalai Lama doesn't try to convince anyone or "make someone" believe in what he says is what made me like this book. He doesn't force his opinions on the reader, he explains.
I can't really explain it.
Richard Gere once said, when asked "You mentioned the Dalai Lama is a remarkable human being. You've spent a lot of time with him as a student. What is the role, the contribution, you believe the Dalai Lama is making?"
"He's the most simple man and the most complex man I've ever met. He's an artist and he's a farmer. He—like any great mind and heart—is able to engage each of us on a level where we exist. (..)
His Holiness said with total directness something that cut right through me. He said: "I never thought I was better than any creature." And when he says that you believe it. I can say that, but it's not really true—I am better than him or I am less good than him or whatever. His Holiness says all this without a mask, he's never had a mask. (..)"
I also think the fact that the Dalai Lama doesn't try to convince anyone or "make someone" believe in what he says is what made me like this book. He doesn't force his opinions on the reader, he explains.
I can't really explain it.
Richard Gere once said, when asked "You mentioned the Dalai Lama is a remarkable human being. You've spent a lot of time with him as a student. What is the role, the contribution, you believe the Dalai Lama is making?"
"He's the most simple man and the most complex man I've ever met. He's an artist and he's a farmer. He—like any great mind and heart—is able to engage each of us on a level where we exist. (..)
His Holiness said with total directness something that cut right through me. He said: "I never thought I was better than any creature." And when he says that you believe it. I can say that, but it's not really true—I am better than him or I am less good than him or whatever. His Holiness says all this without a mask, he's never had a mask. (..)"
December 24, 2020
I should have read the reviews on this first, before reading it. Definitely not for beginners. This was more academic, intellectual, and advanced than I was prepared for. There were a few chapters in the middle that were more approachable but, on the whole, much of this was just a bit beyond my current ability to comprehend. It's time for me to take a few steps back and gain a better understanding of the fundamentals before delving back into this one.
April 4, 2020
There is no doubt that this is a fantastic overview of Tibetan Buddhism and the practice of Tantra — the only issue I had was in the delivery. For newcomers to Buddhism, this book is remarkably dense will little explanatory value. Much attention is given to esoteric practices of Tantra, yet without a physical Guru to guide one through the practice the reader is simply faced with a jumble of words and meaningless proclamation. One could compare a written explanation of the practices of Tibetan Buddhism to the effects of reading an anatomy book on one's knowledge of the human body: without practical examples and real-world guidance, written explanation mean very little. One will not become an expert surgeon through solely reading about the human body, just as one will not reach higher spiritual planes through reading alone.
So much of this book feels unnecessary, or at least superfluous from the perspective of a beginner. And if one is at the point of understanding the teachings within, there are probably much better books to guide oneself. The few sections devoted to more practical philosophies and explanations of the religion were very enjoyable and lucid, but were too far and few between.
So much of this book feels unnecessary, or at least superfluous from the perspective of a beginner. And if one is at the point of understanding the teachings within, there are probably much better books to guide oneself. The few sections devoted to more practical philosophies and explanations of the religion were very enjoyable and lucid, but were too far and few between.
May 14, 2023
una mierda, gracias Agís por nada
la parte más interesante es la segunda, el resto es metafísica y terminologías que no entiendo porque no soy una experta en budismo jij
la parte más interesante es la segunda, el resto es metafísica y terminologías que no entiendo porque no soy una experta en budismo jij
April 30, 2022
Essentially a transcript of a workshop the Dalai Lama gave on some of the basic tenants of Buddhism.
There's a fair amount of repetition from other of his works, so I didn't get much that's new out of this one. Still, a nice refresher.
There's a fair amount of repetition from other of his works, so I didn't get much that's new out of this one. Still, a nice refresher.
August 16, 2021
Editing my 2008 travel journal about Dharamshala, India; Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, Nepal; and Tibet inspired me to pull this book off a shelf. I became a Tibetophile circa 2003, when I first got into meditation, but it's good to brush up and better your understanding.
I will say that the Dalai Lama has great energy. After standing 3 feet away while he walked past, I was euphoric for 24 hours. He meditates 5 hours a day, so I suspect that's why.
This book is divided into different parts. Part 1 is a general introduction to Buddhism. Part 2 is about Buddhist altruism. Part 3 is specifically Tibetan Buddhism, especially Vajrayana, the complicated tantric stuff.
This is a pretty good introduction to Tibetan Buddhism... except:
Homophobia and lack of understanding of gender. He emphasizes that the sexual attraction in tantric practice must be for "the opposite sex."
And he uses the expression "Hinayana." This is a misnomer--an insult la-de-da Mahayana Buddhists use against Theravada Buddhists, accusing our practice of being the "lesser wheel" and claiming that it's a selfish practice. If it were so selfish, why is lovingkindness meditation so central to Theravada Buddhism/insight meditation?!?
Also, you're insulting the original Buddhist practice of the historic Buddha, Siddhartha Gautoma, and his sangha. Yes, that's right: I just said Mahayana Buddhists insult the Buddha. Theravada Buddhism/insight meditation is the closest we have now to the Buddha's practice.
The way he talks about gender equality in Tibetan Buddhism didn't quite sit well with me. Sure, he says the genders are equal and women can attain enlightenment, and I'm glad he acknowledges this. But he doesn't sufficiently acknowledge the misogyny so commonly practiced in his religion. There's a gap between theory and practice. (I know--this book would go off in a tangent if he sufficiently addressed this. I've heard and read horror stories. Seriously, read _Being a Buddhist Nun_ if you want nightmares about nuns being treating with no respect and "monks" getting away with being sexual predators.)
Bear in mind with these criticisms: the book was published in the 1990s. Gender studies have come a long way since then. Maybe Mahayana Buddhists have by now ceased using that misnomer "Hinayana." (My days of regularly reading Buddhist magazines were between 2003 and 2008, so I'm not sure about the latter--just hopeful. Theravada Buddhists have been complaining about this, so maybe Mahayana Buddhists have finally started listening.)
I guess Vajrayana (tantra) isn't for asexuals. Yabyum practice, according to this book, requires sexual attraction... which aces don't have (depending on where you are on the ace spectrum). And as I mentioned above, it specifies exclusively heterosexual attraction.
(If you want simple, straightforward Buddhist meditation instruction that's a great introduction and free of cultural baggage, I recommend the book and CD set called _Insight Meditation_ by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein. Tibetan art is exquisite, but for me Buddhism is psychology.)
I will say that the Dalai Lama has great energy. After standing 3 feet away while he walked past, I was euphoric for 24 hours. He meditates 5 hours a day, so I suspect that's why.
This book is divided into different parts. Part 1 is a general introduction to Buddhism. Part 2 is about Buddhist altruism. Part 3 is specifically Tibetan Buddhism, especially Vajrayana, the complicated tantric stuff.
This is a pretty good introduction to Tibetan Buddhism... except:
Homophobia and lack of understanding of gender. He emphasizes that the sexual attraction in tantric practice must be for "the opposite sex."
And he uses the expression "Hinayana." This is a misnomer--an insult la-de-da Mahayana Buddhists use against Theravada Buddhists, accusing our practice of being the "lesser wheel" and claiming that it's a selfish practice. If it were so selfish, why is lovingkindness meditation so central to Theravada Buddhism/insight meditation?!?
Also, you're insulting the original Buddhist practice of the historic Buddha, Siddhartha Gautoma, and his sangha. Yes, that's right: I just said Mahayana Buddhists insult the Buddha. Theravada Buddhism/insight meditation is the closest we have now to the Buddha's practice.
The way he talks about gender equality in Tibetan Buddhism didn't quite sit well with me. Sure, he says the genders are equal and women can attain enlightenment, and I'm glad he acknowledges this. But he doesn't sufficiently acknowledge the misogyny so commonly practiced in his religion. There's a gap between theory and practice. (I know--this book would go off in a tangent if he sufficiently addressed this. I've heard and read horror stories. Seriously, read _Being a Buddhist Nun_ if you want nightmares about nuns being treating with no respect and "monks" getting away with being sexual predators.)
Bear in mind with these criticisms: the book was published in the 1990s. Gender studies have come a long way since then. Maybe Mahayana Buddhists have by now ceased using that misnomer "Hinayana." (My days of regularly reading Buddhist magazines were between 2003 and 2008, so I'm not sure about the latter--just hopeful. Theravada Buddhists have been complaining about this, so maybe Mahayana Buddhists have finally started listening.)
I guess Vajrayana (tantra) isn't for asexuals. Yabyum practice, according to this book, requires sexual attraction... which aces don't have (depending on where you are on the ace spectrum). And as I mentioned above, it specifies exclusively heterosexual attraction.
(If you want simple, straightforward Buddhist meditation instruction that's a great introduction and free of cultural baggage, I recommend the book and CD set called _Insight Meditation_ by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein. Tibetan art is exquisite, but for me Buddhism is psychology.)
December 7, 2007
This is a great book if you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism and are looking for a good intro.
November 24, 2010
This was such a wonderful book. The Dalai Lama never fails to inspire and alter me.
October 12, 2018
This is not actually a text written by the Dalai Lama, it is a translated and transcribed monologue from a series of lectures he gave over several days to an audience of Buddhist and curious irreligious people. That is kind of an advantage, as the manner of communication being oral makes it extremely quick and easy to read; but at the same time the conversational style makes it seem a little scant and cursory in detail.
The first third or so of the book (or talk) seems very specifically constructed to communicate basic Buddhist principles to uninitiated westerners, and there is the sense that the religion is being contorted to make it more 'marketable'. But there is still a good overview of the origin and initial teachings of the Buddha and some extrapolation on a few of the more heady concepts.
The second half is more frustrating, however, as this is where the talk turns to the specific intricacies of Tantra and Tibetan Buddhism, and while it is at times broad and attempting to convey an overview, it is also extremely esoteric and heavily refers to very specific and niche texts (that on investigation, are often not even broadly 'core' Buddhist texts, they are specifically Tantric works esteemed by various schools in Tibet) and it becomes difficult to follow. Perhaps it is inevitable that the religious head of these various schools would speak in a manner overly intimate with them, but given how interesting Tantric Buddhism is (with its very alien concept of deity and deification) I would have been more interested in a discussion on the various aspects of theology that compose that broad collection of different schools. But that is probably a work best composed by an outsider, so I should look for a book like that instead.
The first third or so of the book (or talk) seems very specifically constructed to communicate basic Buddhist principles to uninitiated westerners, and there is the sense that the religion is being contorted to make it more 'marketable'. But there is still a good overview of the origin and initial teachings of the Buddha and some extrapolation on a few of the more heady concepts.
The second half is more frustrating, however, as this is where the talk turns to the specific intricacies of Tantra and Tibetan Buddhism, and while it is at times broad and attempting to convey an overview, it is also extremely esoteric and heavily refers to very specific and niche texts (that on investigation, are often not even broadly 'core' Buddhist texts, they are specifically Tantric works esteemed by various schools in Tibet) and it becomes difficult to follow. Perhaps it is inevitable that the religious head of these various schools would speak in a manner overly intimate with them, but given how interesting Tantric Buddhism is (with its very alien concept of deity and deification) I would have been more interested in a discussion on the various aspects of theology that compose that broad collection of different schools. But that is probably a work best composed by an outsider, so I should look for a book like that instead.
April 19, 2016
(IN SPANISH BELOW)
"The World of Tibetan Buddhism", by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, is a clear, concise overview of the whole Buddhist system of thought and practice. The text corresponds to Gueshe Thupten Jinpa's (Google him if you don't know who he is and his work) edited transcription of a series of talks His Holiness gave in London at the end of the eighties, so the tone and explanations which can be found here are precisely aimed at provided Westerners with a vantage point about the whole Buddhism, and especially the Mahayana and Tantric systems of it.
The first section of the book deals with the major themes common to all schools of Buddhism: the Three Higher Trainings, the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma, the Four Seals and so forth. By elaborating on these points, His Holiness lays the frame through which section two (the Bodhisattva/Mahayana path) and especially section three (Tantra/Vajrayana) can be better understood: not as mere added creations that came after the Buddha, but as real, genuine teachings coming straight from him, integrating, expanding and trascending the teachings of the previous turnings.
And it is in section three, devoted to the Vajrayana/Tantric path, that I've found this book particularly enlightening. Please, don't get me wrong - the whole text, from beginning to end is a constant source of clarifications and important points. However, given the esoteric (aka hidden) and somewhat different approach taken in tantra, His Holiness explanation of its main topics and practices is so straightforward, yet in no way shallow, I couldn't help but feel enthused by how accessible he's made these points to the untrained reader (aka me). However, I must admit that from a certain point onwards, the understanding simply faded, and it only remained my perplexed reading of a number of lists of strange names. But this is not to be blamed on HH, or on Jinpa's notes, but simply on the extreme depth and complexity of the matter, almost impossible to transmit in such a short space, and the lack of more knowledge (and experience) on my side to fully comprehend these words. I'm sure that a future re-reading will provide me with new insights on these obscure topics.
Thus, I strongly recommend reading (and especially re-reading, for how many new things it's got in store for the second comer) to anyone seriously interested in Buddhism, and ideally (though not necesarrily, nor only) to those who already have a minimum knowledge about the subject. The presentation is wide enough to cover all the main topics, while at the same time the depth encompasses all the fine details and explanations you'd ask from an authority on the matter as His Holiness.
"El Mundo del Budismo TIbetano", por Su Santidad el XIV Dalai Lama es una clara y concisa visión de conjunto del sistema budista de pensamiento y práctica en su totalidad. El texto se corresponde con la transcripción editada por Gueshe Thupten Jinpa (búscale en google si no sabes quién es y su trabajo) de la serie de charlas que Su Santidad dio en Londres a finales de los ochenta, por lo que el tono y las explicaciones que pueden encontrarse aquí están orientados precisamente a dotar a la audiencia occidental de esta visión panorámica de la totalidad del budismo, y especialmente de los sistemas mahayana y tántricos del mismo.
La primera sección del libro se encarga de los temas principales comunes a todas las escuelas de budismo: los tres entrenamientos superiores, los tres giros de la rueda del Dharma, los cuatro sellos y demás. Al elaborar estos puntos, Su Santidad asienta el marco a través del cual la segunda sección (el camino del bodhisattva/mahayana) y especialmente la tercera (Tantra/Vajrayana) pueden ser entenderse mejor: no como meras creaciones añadidas que surgieron después del Buda, sino como enseñanzas reales y genuinas que provienen directamente de él, que integran, expanden y trascienden las enseñanzas de los giros previos.
Y es la sección tercera, dedicada al camino Vajrayana/Tántrico, la que he encontrado particularmente iluminadora. Por favor, no me malinterpretes: todo el texto, de principio a fin, es una fuente constante de clarificaciones y puntos importantes. Sin embargo, dado el enfoque esotérico (u oculto) y de alguna manera diferente, que se da en el tantra, la explicación de Su Santidad de los temas y prácticas principales es tan directa, y aún así para nada superficial, que no he podido evitar sentirme entusiasmado por lo accesible que ha hecho estos puntos al lector sin experiencia (o sea, yo). Sin embargo, he de admitir que, a partir de cierto punto, la comprensión simplemente se fue desvaneciendo, dejando solo mi perpleja lectura de una serie de listas de nombres extraños. Pero esto no es responsabilidad de SS, o de las notas aclaratorias de Jinpa, sino simplemente de la extremada profundidad y complejidad del tema, casi imposibles de transmitir en tan poco espacio, así como de la falta de mayor conocimiento (y experiencia) por mi parte para comprender completamente estas palabras. Estoy seguro de que una futura relectura me dará nuevas comprensiones de estos difíciles temas.
Por lo tanto, recomiendo enfáticamente leer (y especialmente releer, por la cantidad de cosas nuevas que tiene que ofrecer para el visitante "por segunda vez" de sus páginas) a cualquier interesado seriamente en budismo, e idealmente (aunque no necesaria, ni únicamente) a aquellos/as que ya tengan un mínimo conocimiento sobre el tema. La presentación es lo suficientemente amplia como para cubrir todos los temas principales, al tiempo que la profundidad abarca todos los pequeños detalles y explicaciones que podrían pedirse de una autoridad en la materia como Su Santidad.
"The World of Tibetan Buddhism", by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, is a clear, concise overview of the whole Buddhist system of thought and practice. The text corresponds to Gueshe Thupten Jinpa's (Google him if you don't know who he is and his work) edited transcription of a series of talks His Holiness gave in London at the end of the eighties, so the tone and explanations which can be found here are precisely aimed at provided Westerners with a vantage point about the whole Buddhism, and especially the Mahayana and Tantric systems of it.
The first section of the book deals with the major themes common to all schools of Buddhism: the Three Higher Trainings, the Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma, the Four Seals and so forth. By elaborating on these points, His Holiness lays the frame through which section two (the Bodhisattva/Mahayana path) and especially section three (Tantra/Vajrayana) can be better understood: not as mere added creations that came after the Buddha, but as real, genuine teachings coming straight from him, integrating, expanding and trascending the teachings of the previous turnings.
And it is in section three, devoted to the Vajrayana/Tantric path, that I've found this book particularly enlightening. Please, don't get me wrong - the whole text, from beginning to end is a constant source of clarifications and important points. However, given the esoteric (aka hidden) and somewhat different approach taken in tantra, His Holiness explanation of its main topics and practices is so straightforward, yet in no way shallow, I couldn't help but feel enthused by how accessible he's made these points to the untrained reader (aka me). However, I must admit that from a certain point onwards, the understanding simply faded, and it only remained my perplexed reading of a number of lists of strange names. But this is not to be blamed on HH, or on Jinpa's notes, but simply on the extreme depth and complexity of the matter, almost impossible to transmit in such a short space, and the lack of more knowledge (and experience) on my side to fully comprehend these words. I'm sure that a future re-reading will provide me with new insights on these obscure topics.
Thus, I strongly recommend reading (and especially re-reading, for how many new things it's got in store for the second comer) to anyone seriously interested in Buddhism, and ideally (though not necesarrily, nor only) to those who already have a minimum knowledge about the subject. The presentation is wide enough to cover all the main topics, while at the same time the depth encompasses all the fine details and explanations you'd ask from an authority on the matter as His Holiness.
"El Mundo del Budismo TIbetano", por Su Santidad el XIV Dalai Lama es una clara y concisa visión de conjunto del sistema budista de pensamiento y práctica en su totalidad. El texto se corresponde con la transcripción editada por Gueshe Thupten Jinpa (búscale en google si no sabes quién es y su trabajo) de la serie de charlas que Su Santidad dio en Londres a finales de los ochenta, por lo que el tono y las explicaciones que pueden encontrarse aquí están orientados precisamente a dotar a la audiencia occidental de esta visión panorámica de la totalidad del budismo, y especialmente de los sistemas mahayana y tántricos del mismo.
La primera sección del libro se encarga de los temas principales comunes a todas las escuelas de budismo: los tres entrenamientos superiores, los tres giros de la rueda del Dharma, los cuatro sellos y demás. Al elaborar estos puntos, Su Santidad asienta el marco a través del cual la segunda sección (el camino del bodhisattva/mahayana) y especialmente la tercera (Tantra/Vajrayana) pueden ser entenderse mejor: no como meras creaciones añadidas que surgieron después del Buda, sino como enseñanzas reales y genuinas que provienen directamente de él, que integran, expanden y trascienden las enseñanzas de los giros previos.
Y es la sección tercera, dedicada al camino Vajrayana/Tántrico, la que he encontrado particularmente iluminadora. Por favor, no me malinterpretes: todo el texto, de principio a fin, es una fuente constante de clarificaciones y puntos importantes. Sin embargo, dado el enfoque esotérico (u oculto) y de alguna manera diferente, que se da en el tantra, la explicación de Su Santidad de los temas y prácticas principales es tan directa, y aún así para nada superficial, que no he podido evitar sentirme entusiasmado por lo accesible que ha hecho estos puntos al lector sin experiencia (o sea, yo). Sin embargo, he de admitir que, a partir de cierto punto, la comprensión simplemente se fue desvaneciendo, dejando solo mi perpleja lectura de una serie de listas de nombres extraños. Pero esto no es responsabilidad de SS, o de las notas aclaratorias de Jinpa, sino simplemente de la extremada profundidad y complejidad del tema, casi imposibles de transmitir en tan poco espacio, así como de la falta de mayor conocimiento (y experiencia) por mi parte para comprender completamente estas palabras. Estoy seguro de que una futura relectura me dará nuevas comprensiones de estos difíciles temas.
Por lo tanto, recomiendo enfáticamente leer (y especialmente releer, por la cantidad de cosas nuevas que tiene que ofrecer para el visitante "por segunda vez" de sus páginas) a cualquier interesado seriamente en budismo, e idealmente (aunque no necesaria, ni únicamente) a aquellos/as que ya tengan un mínimo conocimiento sobre el tema. La presentación es lo suficientemente amplia como para cubrir todos los temas principales, al tiempo que la profundidad abarca todos los pequeños detalles y explicaciones que podrían pedirse de una autoridad en la materia como Su Santidad.
May 26, 2023
The first half of the book is relatively easy to grasp. The theories and insight of non-dualism or emptiness was fascinating to consider. It's a good book for that part, though for a layperson it's not easily to wrestle with all the buddhist terminology. The latter half of the book which delves into tantra is way more difficult to understand. To be fair, it's stated before that this is advanced buddhist theory and is directed towards more experienced practitioners. I was really hoping to learn more about buddhist cosmology, maybe even more about the "Bon" (original Tibetan spiritualist world view), but it's not dealt with here.
September 10, 2017
The part about Buddhism, the theoretical part, was to hard for me to comprehend. I don't think he explained it for people who don't know much about Buddhism. I think it's more for people who already has a vast knowledge about this subject.
However, I enjoyed the second chapter where he talked about altruism. It gave me a new perspective about some things.
However, I enjoyed the second chapter where he talked about altruism. It gave me a new perspective about some things.
November 16, 2020
I am nobody to disagree with Mr. Gyatso, but this book is not for me, each line unfolds in 7 steps, which become 5 which become 4 and the thing never ends. I have been a Buddhist for over 20 years and the best results I obtained were through simple meditation and without complex concepts that, in my opinion, are opposite to the Buddha's teachings.
August 8, 2021
The word "overview" made me think this book would provide a nice beginner's survey of Buddhism. I was mistaken. This book requires advanced knowledge about Buddhism to be digestible. Ive enjoyed other books by the Dalai Lama, but this one is way over my head. The one star rating is not intended to be mean spirited, but rather to give an alert to others that the title is misleading.
December 24, 2020
The Dalai Lama has some practical things to say, as does Buddhism in general. The problem from a Western perspective is to see dogma as a cultural explanation, which is fairly unnecessary from a Pragmatic, a opposed to an Absolute approach.
October 25, 2023
I went with the audio version on this one & wasn't crazy about the narrator so I think it may have been better to go with the physical copy since I didn't end up being able to get as invested as I would have thought in the content.
September 23, 2020
A helpful overview that mostly went over my head. I believe this is book revisit often on my path
November 22, 2020
Good overview
Precise and specific. No fluff. Deep and surface level if interested. I have to read other related contexts to understand.
Precise and specific. No fluff. Deep and surface level if interested. I have to read other related contexts to understand.
December 29, 2021
Good clear explanation of the doctrine.
January 12, 2022
Not my favorite of his books. This one is more dry.
January 18, 2022
Like everything else I've read by HHDL, the words are simple but the meaning is difficult to grasp.
Read
October 11, 2022Not an intro book. Assumes you have base knowledge and is very technical at parts but informative.
January 5, 2023
A thorough overview of Tibetan Buddhism and madyamika Buddhist philosophy for modern practioners.
August 2, 2023
Want to listen to this a second time it was so interesting.
Will edit my review after that. 5 stars likely.
Will edit my review after that. 5 stars likely.
November 3, 2024
An enlightening read filled with profound wisdom. 🙏🙏🙏
December 26, 2024
Thorough, but to a fault, was like taking a second or third year World Religions college course, was expecting something more introductory.
November 19, 2025
Interesting!
September 22, 2015
Something (or several things) may have been lost in translation with this one.
The Dalai Lama's work tends to be pretty dense and can be quite the slog. That said, it usually contains some pretty interesting insight, even when I'm half lost. I feel bad giving this book 2 stars, but I had a lot of trouble with it, and gained so little from it.
Given the title, I was expecting an overview on Tibetan Buddhism, perhaps something of a summary explaining how it differs from other forms of Buddhism. You know, the basics. This was about as far from the basics as pluto is from the sun. Okay, maybe Jupiter. But this was pretty high level stuff, which is great if that's what you're looking for.
This book requires past knowledge of or experience with Buddhism. I'm not new to this, and I had to look up several words that weren't clear from context.
The language was a bit wordy and vague at times, making it tough to follow. This is unfortunate, as it does not tend to improve understanding on concepts.
I got so lost on the first chapter on tantra that I never fully recovered. There were words on the page, and they were in English. But their arrangement left me baffled.
There were a few concepts that seemed to severely violate the eightfold path, that were inadequately explained or justified (specifically the encouragement to eat meat in the highest yoga tantra).
The Dalai Lama's work tends to be pretty dense and can be quite the slog. That said, it usually contains some pretty interesting insight, even when I'm half lost. I feel bad giving this book 2 stars, but I had a lot of trouble with it, and gained so little from it.
Given the title, I was expecting an overview on Tibetan Buddhism, perhaps something of a summary explaining how it differs from other forms of Buddhism. You know, the basics. This was about as far from the basics as pluto is from the sun. Okay, maybe Jupiter. But this was pretty high level stuff, which is great if that's what you're looking for.
This book requires past knowledge of or experience with Buddhism. I'm not new to this, and I had to look up several words that weren't clear from context.
The language was a bit wordy and vague at times, making it tough to follow. This is unfortunate, as it does not tend to improve understanding on concepts.
I got so lost on the first chapter on tantra that I never fully recovered. There were words on the page, and they were in English. But their arrangement left me baffled.
There were a few concepts that seemed to severely violate the eightfold path, that were inadequately explained or justified (specifically the encouragement to eat meat in the highest yoga tantra).
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