Beginners Books

The books in this section are suitable for all readers, from absolute beginners up.

They provide a basic introduction to Buddhist view, meditation, and practice that is suitable for beginners.

Eight Steps To Happiness |Transform Your Life | The New Meditation Handbook
Introduction to Buddhism | How to Solve Our Human Problems

Eight Steps To Happiness

This immensely practical book charts a complete path of spiritual development.

As a commentary to one of Buddhism’s best-loved and most enduring teachings, Eight Verses of Training the Mind by the great Tibetan Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa, it explains how to transform every moment of our life into a step on the path to inner peace, and in particular how to transform all of life’s difficulties into truly liberating experiences.

Geshe Kelsang shows how all our problems originate from a deeply ingrained tendency to cherish oneself more than others. He explains simple methods to eradicate this stultifying perspective and replace it with a genuine wish to cherish others – the source of all goodness and happiness in this world.

“… induces calmness and compassion into one’s being.” — THE NEW HUMANITY

Transform Your Life

This highly popular book is a manual for positive living.

Characterized throughout by a thoroughgoing optimism, it shows with extraordinary clarity how we can transform an ordinary human life into a blissful spiritual path.

This transformation is entirely internal. No external changes are required. We continue living in our homes, maintaining our relationships and our jobs while inwardly changing our view, intention, and actions.

As we become more and more pure through this practice, those around us also benefit. Our friends, family, neighbors, colleagues – everyone with whom we come into contact benefits from what we say, think, and do.

This is a journey that all of us in our hearts yearn to take.

“A work of deep spiritual insight.” — THE NAPRA REVIEW

The New Meditation Handbook

This perennial bestseller is a perfect handbook for daily meditation.

Written especially for the modern reader who is trying to incorporate a meditation practice into a busy lifestyle, it guides us through a sequence of 21 meditations, known as lamrim, that lead to an experience of true inner peace.

These meditations enrich our lives by helping us to develop special qualities such as mental clarity, kindness, patience, and insight. They empower us to deal positively with any situation we meet, gradually becoming a source of inspiration and joy for others.

With more and more people turning to the inner science of meditation to solve life’s problems this book is an indispensable companion.

“During this time of international tension and terrorism, when governments and groups justify violence as a legitimate means of achieving peaceful ends, Gyatso’s Buddhist perspective is particularly refreshing . . . Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s words provide a stimulatingly peaceful perspective.” — FOREWORD MAGAZINE

Introduction to Buddhism

These days, many people are developing an interest in Buddhism and meditation, in part because of its practical approach to the problems we experience in our daily lives, and also because Buddhism is an open, flexible faith that may be practiced by anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or religious background.

Buddhism teaches us to take responsibility for ourselves, our actions, and the consequences of our actions.

Through meditation we can follow the same path of inner transformation that Buddha followed and eventually attain a lasting inner peace and real power to benefit other living beings.

Introduction to Buddhism explains basic Buddhist view, intention, and action, and how to follow the Buddhist way of life in the modern world. It is the perfect manual for anyone with an interest in Buddhism and meditation.

“A brilliantly clear and concise introduction to this vast subject. Very highly recommended.” — YOGA & HEALTH MAGAZINE

How to Solve Our Human Problems

Buddha long ago pointed out that though humans universally seek happiness it consistently eludes them, and though they seek to avoid suffering it falls upon them like rain.

The root of the problem, he taught, is a deep ignorance about the nature of happiness and suffering and their causes.

In his famous teaching on the Four Noble Truths Buddha explained:

The truth about suffering
The true causes of suffering
How to achieve a true cessation of suffering
The true path that leads to that cessation

In How to Solve Our Human Problems, Geshe Kelsang explains with characteristic clarity how we can easily apply this teaching to our modern day lives and begin to experience the taste of true, lasting happiness.

The book also contains an exceptional section on how to overcome our anger problem.

“This insightful book offers peace of mind in these troubled times. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking happiness or greater meaning in their lives.” — THOMAS MITCHELL, PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR, INDIANA UNIVERSITY