A Path to Happiness: A Guide to Living a Balanced Life

In this barebones compilation, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, a Tibetan spiritual and political leader who has achieved global recognition, delivers three lectures to different audiences: an intimate March 1995 talk in his exiled Tibetan community of Dharamsala, and two larger presentations (from 1993 and 1996) in the U.K. Throughout, the Dalai Lama eschews lofty philosophical ideals in favor of simple teachings from the Four Noble Truths at the foundation of Buddhism, particularly related to overcoming suffering and finding happiness/nirvana. The Dalai Lama discusses happiness (in both mental and physical terms), looks at the two types of meditation (self-focused and analytical), and underscores the importance of tolerance for the world's religions, which may have different traditions, but together serve humanity. While the Dalai Lama's chats appear to be improvisational musings, his overall mission of bringing a fundamental sense of ethics to the global community remains focused and consistent. Recommended. Aud: P. (N. Plympton)