This volume consists of four texts that H.H. the Dalai Lama specially wrote or chose for the Western reader.

The Buddhism of Tibet by the Dalai Lama: In this excellent introduction, the the Dalai Lama explains the principle topics and central practices of Buddhism.

The Key to the Middle Way by the Dalai Lama: Here the the Dalai Lama leads the student to the discovery of the true meaning of emptiness. With acute precision, he presents many insights into the nature of emptiness.

The Precious Garland by Nagarjuna: Originally written for a king, this text is famous for its descriptions of the Bodhisattva path of compassion and foe its clear, concise analysis of the Buddha's teaching on emptiness. It describes how to find happiness by cultivating virtues of body, speech and mind and how to amass the stores of merit and wisdom required for enlightenment.

The Song of the Four Mindfulnesses by the Seventh Dalai Lama: This short poem, accompanied by a commentary by the present Dalai Lama, contains all the essentials of sutra and tantra. It is to be used as a basis for meditation on mindfulness of the guru, altruism, deity yoga and emptiness.

The Buddhism of Tibet, Dalai Lama, Jeffrety Hopkins, Snow Lion Publications, 219 pages, $15.95

The 14th Dalai Lama, born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6, 1935 to a peasant family in Northeastern Tibet, was recognized as the reincarnation of the spiritual and temporal leader of his nation at the age of two and officially enthroned on February 22, 1940. He served as the leader of Tibet until 1959, when he and 100,000 followers fled the country following a revolt against the Communist Chinese forces that had occupied Tibet for almost a decade. Since that time, the Dalai Lama has met with world leaders and U. N. officials and traveled the world in a tireless effort to free his country. Although he remains in exile, living in India, he was rewarded for his efforts in 1989, when he received the Nobel Peace Prize. He accepted the award in the name of oppressed people everywhere. The Dalai Lama, spiritual & political leader of the Tibetan people & a Nobel Peace Laureate, has in the last decade become a global spiritual leader whose message of universal & individual responsibility has won worldwide acclaim.

	Contents: The Buddhism of Tibet
	Foreword	9
I	THE BUDDHISM OF TIBET	13
	The need for religious practice in our present lives	15
	The need for religious practice for our future lives	16
	Buddhism, one of the many religions of the world: its teacher	17
	The spread of Buddhism to Tibet	21
	The meaning of dharma	23
	The four noble truths	23
	Cyclic existence and sentient beings	24
	Causes of cyclic existence	25
	Actions	26
	Liberation	27
	Hinayana	28
	Mahayana	29
	Tantrayana	29
	The two truths	31
	A general outline of the practice of Buddhism	32
	A specific outline of the practice of Buddhism	33
	The three refuges	34
	Training in higher ethics	35
	Training in higher meditative stabilisation	36
	Training in higher wisdom	41
	The mind of enlightenment	46
II	THE KEY TO THE MIDDLE WAY	49
	Notes	90
	Bibliography	91
	Glossary	94
	Index	95
III	PRECIOUS GARLAND OF ADVICE FOR THE KING by Nagarjuna	107
	Introduction	109
	1. High Status and Definite Goodness	111
	2. An Interwoven Explanation of Definite Goodness and High Status	126
	3. The Collections for Enlightment	141
	4. Royal Policy	156
	5. The Bodhisattva Deeds	172
	Guide to the stanzas by Gyel-tsap	188
	Notes	204
IV	SONG OF THE FOUR MINDFULNESSES by Kaysang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama	207
	Introduction	209
	1. Mindfulness of the Teacher	211
	2. Mindfulness of the Altruistic Aspiration to Highest Enlightenment	212
	3. Mindfulness of Your Body as a Divine Body	213
	4. Mindfulness of the View of Emptiness	215
	Notes	219