Essence of the Heart Sutra: Dalai Lama's heart of wisdom teachings

Essence of the Heart Sutra includes the complete text of the Heart of Wisdom teachings given over several days by the Dalai Lama to 8,000 enthralled attendees during May, 2001 in San Jose, California. The scope of this book extends far beyond the context of this teaching event, however, and it is no exaggeration to say that this book represents the best available resource for studying the Heart Sutra and understanding its significance as one of the seminal and best-known Buddhist texts. The Heart Sutra is a presentation of profound wisdom on the nature of emptiness and selflessness, but these terms can be easily misunderstood. The Dalai Lama identifies misconceptions an shows how an understanding of emptiness leads not to nihilism, but to a view of reality and to a deep and compassionate understanding. Masterfully translated and edited by Geshe Thupten Jinpa, this volume includes an overview of Buddhism, background material, and commentaries on the text.