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New Books of the Month - Wisdom Publications 

 
In this edition of Books of the Month, a collaboration with Wisdom Publications, the featured book in our giveaway contest is The Four Noble Truths: Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 by Geshe Tashi Tsering and Gordon McDougall, and the generously offered discount book for our readers is Portrait of a Dalai Lama: The Life and Times of the Great Thirteenth by Charles Bell.

Four Noble Truths is one of the suggested reading books for our DB: Samsara and Nirvana study group and a wonderful complement to the upcoming teaching with Don Handrick on June 10-12, How It Is and How It Could Be: An Exploration of the Four Noble Truths.

We hope that these nuggets of wisdom will offer some happiness and insight for your spiritual practice!
 
May Book of the Month Winner
  
Congratulations tLee for winning The Fine Arts of Relaxation, Concentration, and Meditation: Ancient Skills for Modern Minds by Joel & Michelle Levey.

The Four Noble Truths: Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 1 by Geshe Tashi Tsering and Gordon McDougall, Foreword by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
 
 
  
About the Book
 
The four noble truths are well known as the Buddha's first and most essential explanation of his enlightened realizations. The truths diagnose the human existential crisis--suffering and its origin--and prescribe a solution-cessation and the path. To understand the four noble truths is to understand Buddhism as a whole.

In The Four Noble Truths, Geshe Tashi draws on his decades of training in Tibetan Buddhism to illuminate these truths for a modern audience. His respectful engagement with Buddhists outside his own tradition and his insights into Western culture make this book refreshing. It will reward even those already acquainted with the fundamentals of Buddhism.

The Four Noble Truths is the first of six stand-alone volumes in the Foundation of Buddhist Thought series.

Click here for an in-depth Google Preview. 

Giveaway Contest:

For a chance to win a free copy of this book mailed to your door, please answer this month's question about the book by June 25, 2016:

The Buddha taught the four noble truths in a very specific order, but how does the order of the teaching differ from the way we experience reality?

You can find the answer in Wisdom Publications' Google Preview (Hint: Read p. 13. Chapter: "The Order of the Four Noble Truths"). Only people who answer correctly will be included in the random drawing for the book. We will contact the winner. Thank you for participating!


Portrait of a Dalai Lama: The Life and Times of the Great Thirteenth by Charles Bell
 
About the Book
        
The Dalai Lamas of Tibet are unique. A succession of fourteen have been guiding the spiritual life of the Tibetan people for nearly six centuries, and for three hundred years have held secular power as well. Revered as the human embodiment of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, they choose, out of their great desire to benefit others, to reincarnate life after life as the Dalai Lama.

Thubten Gyatso, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, was born to a peasant family in 1876. He was discovered, brought to Lhasa, and enthroned at the age of three. Educated as a monk, he took over full power when he was eighteen and ruled until his death thirty-seven years later. His rule would prove to be more stronger, more radical, and more complete than that of any Dalai Lama since the Great Fifth.

"His courage ad energy were inexhaustible. He recoiled from nothing," writes Charles Bell, who, as Political Officer in the Himalayas, first met the Thirteenth Dalai Lama in 1910. They developed a firm and affectionate friendship, politically and personally, that would last twenty-five years.

Portrait is packed full of history, stories, facts and figures, anecdotes, and conversation, and is a compelling read. Bell describes all aspects of Tibetan life, religion, and politics--the very heart of which is the Dalai Lama. He paints a vivid and masterly picture of this powerful yet humble man, who worked tirelessly and unceasingly for the good of Tibet; who struggled continually against both political and military onslaughts from China and fought for support from the outside world; who made radical changes at every level of life in his medieval nation, uniting and strengthening it as never before.

Gift Code for Discount

The discount code SWPD06 is valid through July 1, 2016 and gives a 20% discount on the book. Click here to order the book.

About Wisdom Publications

 

Wisdom Publications is the leading publisher of contemporary and classic Buddhist books and practical works on mindfulness. Publishing books from all major Buddhist traditions, Wisdom is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to cultivating Buddhist voices the world over, advancing critical scholarship, and preserving and sharing Buddhist literary culture.

 

Wisdom traces its beginnings to the influential Tibetan teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche who in the 1970s established the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Buddhist service organizations. Lama Yeshe's vision of "publications for wisdom culture" led to the founding of Wisdom Publications. For more information about Wisdom Publications, click here

 

About Shantideva Meditation Center


Shantideva Meditation Center is dedicated to cultivating wisdom and compassion through the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism within the New York community. 

We are affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught by Founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

For more information, please email Shantideva Meditation or visit our website

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