Letter to a Friend by the great master Nagarjuna contains very practical advice and detailed instructions for all generations. It has been kept close to the heart and actualized by many practitioners across the centuries in India and Tibet. The main topic is how to be a good, decent, and responsible person in samsara. These principles are important and valuable for anyone, no matter where they live or what they believe.

Dharma is based on cultivating a good character and ethical conduct combined with a deep understanding of interdependence. There is a profound relationship between one's mind, motivation, and how they interact with natural systems and human societies. Nagarjuna is inviting us to take a deeper look at this relationship, and the renowned master Mipham Rinpoche expands these points even further.

Nagarjuna wrote this letter directly to his friend, but his advice applies to everyone. It explains how to be strong and conduct ourselves with courage and confidence in the world. It offers clear instructions on how to expand our human kindness and the precious qualities of morality, concentration, wisdom, and an open heart. We can work through difficult experiences and learn to meet all the challenges in samsara without a lot of hardship and struggle. Instead of collapsing and giving up, we can continue moving forward with good energy toward a bright future.

Advice from a Spiritual Friend: A Commentary on Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, Dharma Samudra, Paperback, 328 pp, $22.00

Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche (1950-) was born in eastern Tibet and enthroned as a Nyingmapa abbot by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. He traveled and studied with H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, as well as with his late brother, Vajrayana master and scholar Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche (1938-2010), and his father, the hidden yogi Lama Chimed Namgyal.

Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche established the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center (PBC) in 1989 to preserve the authentic message of Buddha Shakyamuni and Guru Padmasambhava in its entirety, and in particular to teach the traditions of the Nyingma school and Vajrayana Buddhism. PBC includes over 20 centers in the U.S.A., India, Puerto Rico, Latvia, and Russia, as well as monastic institutions in India, the U.S.A., and Russia.

As a holder of the complete Nyingmapa lineage, Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche is fully versed in the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana schools, and is a master of Dzogchen. He has co-authored over 30 Dharma books in English with Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, and travels throughout the world giving teachings, empowerments, and personal guidance in fluent English at numerous retreats.