Compassion is the guiding principle of the bodhisattvas, those who vow to attain enlightenment in order to liberate all sentient beings from the suffering and confusion of imperfect existence. To this end, they must renounce all self-centered goals and consider only the well-being of others. The bodhisattvas' enemies are the ego, passion, and hatred, their weapons are generosity, patience, perseverance, and wisdom.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is considered to be a living embodiment of this spiritual ideal. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama presents here a detailed manual of practical philosophy, based on The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara), a well-known text of Mahayana Buddhism written by Shantideva. The Dalai Lama explains and amplifies the text, alluding throughout to the experience of daily life and showing how anyone can develop bodhichitta, the wish for perfect enlightenment for the sake of others. This book will surely become a standard manual for all those who wish to make the bodhisattva ideal a living experience.

New Edition: For the Benefit of All Beings: A Commentary on the Way of the Bodhisattva

A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night, Dalai Lama, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, $13.95

Tenzin Gyatso was born in Amdo, Tibet in 1935 and was recognized as the fourteenth incarnation in the line of Dalai Lamas. Today he is known the world over as a great spiritual teacher, a tireless worker for peace, and a man with a gift for conveying great truths in a manner accessible to all. Since the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, he has headed the Tibetan government-in-exile from Dharamsala, India.

	Contents: A FLASH OF LIGHTNING IN THE DARK OF NIGHT
	Forword	vii
	Acknowledgments	ix
	Translators' Note	xi
	Introduction: The Way of the Bodhisattva	1
1.	The Benefits of Bodhichitta	9
2.	Offering and Purification	20
3.	Embracing Bodhichitta	30
4.	Carefulness	35
5.	Attentiveness	40
6.	Patience	52
7.	Endeavor	75
8.	Meditative Concentration	88
9.	Wisdom	114
10.	Dedication	124
	Notes	127
	Glossary	131
	Bibliography	137
	Index	139