THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

A Guide to Everyday Life

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Wisdom Publications (JULY) Softcover $17.95 (312pp), 978-1-61429-394-1

Suffering is our national obsession. From wonder drugs to life-changing diet plans, to exist in the modern world is to be constantly plied with images of a life free of suffering. The Four Noble Truths, compiled from the teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, presents a different course. Aimed at uprooting the very causes of our suffering from the inside out, this work outlines an ancient framework for radical freedom in the modern age.

A work of devotion by Rinpoche’s longtime student Yeo Puay Huei, The Four Noble Truths possesses all the richness of a disciple’s meticulous notebook. Particularly lovely are the anecdotes from Rinpoche’s life shared at the close of each chapter, precious glimpses into a life lived in the dharma typically accessible only from the intimacy of studenthood.

The lessons explain the human condition with the extemporaneous tone of the teacher’s expository speech for the students at his feet. This is both the book’s triumph and its downfall; for all its richness, it is not a work for the uninitiated. Like borrowing a student’s notebook, it’s enriching if you’re taking the class and want to compare observations, but for the aspirant without a guide, the lessons may be intimidating, esoteric in their simplicity, and rife with seemingly impossible expectations and the occasional fire-and-brimstone image.

Heavy on theory and light on practices, The Four Noble Truths is best suited to enrich an existing library of Buddhist thought. These teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche are a sweet contemplation of life on the path. Generous, sincere, pleasantly conversational, and punctuated with bountiful metaphor, The Four Noble Truths brings the guru into your living room, with enough inspiration to enliven practice through many rereadings to come.