In July 1996, for the first time in the West, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave two exclusive days of teaching in London on The Four Noble Truths - the heart of the Buddha's teachings.
The Four Noble Truths - the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering and the truth of the path leading to this cessation - was the first sermon the Buddha gave after he was enlightened. As well as elucidating these teachings, His Holiness the Dalai Lama also explains the relationship between relative and absolute compassion.

The Four Noble Truths, The Dalai Lama, Thorsons, 166 pages, Pocketsize, $7.99

Tenzin Gyamtso, the 14th Dalai Lama, was born on July 6, 1935 in a small village called Takster in northeastern Tibet. At the age of two, His Holiness was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalaia Lama. He was enthroned at the age of five and assumed full political power in 1950. In 1959, His Holiness was forced into exile and has striven ever since for a peaceful solution to the the Sino-Tibetan crisis. He continually promotes his compassionate approach to life struggles, whether personal or global, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.