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Searching for the Self

The Library of Wisdom and Compassion | Volume 7

Volume 7 of The Library of Wisdom and Compassion explores emptiness and leads us to delve deeply into the topic of the ultimate nature of reality, presenting it from a variety of approaches.

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About the book

His Holiness the Dalai Lama explores emptiness, one of the most central teachings in Buddhism, in the newest volume of the bestselling series The Library of Wisdom and Compassion.

In Searching for the Self, the Dalai Lama leads us to delve deeply into the topic of the ultimate nature of reality, presenting it from a variety of approaches while focusing on identifying our erroneous views and directing us to the actual mode of existence of all persons and phenomena.

Placing our study of reality within the auspicious context of a compassionate motivation to benefit all sentient beings, the Dalai Lama explains why realizing emptiness is important and what qualities are needed to do that, and he evaluates various tenet systems’ perspectives on this vast topic. He then helps us understand our perceptions and the mental states involved in both our ignorant and accurate cognitions. He examines inherent existence and other fantasized ways of existence that we seek to disprove through reasoned analysis and presents the Middle Way view that abandons all extremes. The closing chapters by Thubten Chodron discuss the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and not-self as explained in the Pali tradition and show how meditation on these can lead to the meditative breakthrough to realize nirvana.

Engaging in this investigation with His Holiness will challenge our deepest-held beliefs and uproot false ways of viewing ourselves and the world that are so habitual we don’t even notice them. Get ready to be challenged and intrigued, for realizing the nature of reality has the power to cut our defilements at the root and free us from cyclic existence forever!

Contents

  • The Importance of Realizing the Ultimate Nature, Emptiness
  • The Nālandā Tradition
  • Introduction to the Philosophical Tenet Systems
  • Overview of Buddhist and Non-Buddhist Tenet Systems
  • Comparing Assertions
  • Cognizing Subjects and Cognized Objects
  • The Importance of Realizing Emptiness
  • Objects of Negation
  • The Middle Way View
  • The Extreme of Absolutism
  • Pāli Tradition: Abandoning the Two Extremes
  • Pāli Tradition: Cultivating Insight Knowledge
  • Coda: The Pāli Abhidharma

Overview of contents

Venerable Chodron reads an excerpt

Teaching series

Talks

Translations

Available in Spanish

Cover of the Spanish translation Searching for the Selp

Reviews

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I am thrilled to see “Searching for the Self.” All the volumes in “The Library of Wisdom and Compassion” are highly cherished treasures—they are profound yet easily accessible. “Searching for the Self” will help to open your wisdom eye to investigate emptiness. With that understanding, you can fly in freedom without grasping at illusory objects.

— Geshe Lhakdor, Director, Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, India

It is refreshing to come across such a clear and in-depth study of the Middle Way teaching of no-self and emptiness as found in the Mahayana and Theravada traditions. This remarkable book opens the door to a wide and profound understanding of those teachings and to the path leading to their realization.

— Ajahn Sundara, Author of “Walking the World,” “Seeds of Dhamma,” and “Paccuppanna: The Present Moment”

This seventh volume in the “Library of Wisdom and Compassion” is undoubtedly the masterpiece of H. H. the Dalai Lama and Thubten Chodron. “Searching for the Self” not only deals with the heart of the Buddhist view on emptiness, which distinguishes it from the great monotheistic religions, it also discusses the approaches of Pali and Chinese Buddhism on the ultimate nature. A brave, impressive, and convincing presentation toward a theory of “Buddhist ecumenism,” it enables Buddhists worldwide to speak in one voice about important issues that concern all of us today. At the same time, it gives non-Buddhists fresh insight into the world of Buddhist thought and practice.

— Dr. Carola Roloff (Bhikshuni Jampa Tsedroen), Professor for Buddhism and Dialogue at the Academy of World Religions of the University of Hamburg

With this book the authors have opened the door to a vast treasure of Buddhist ideas. Based on instruction given by the Dalai Lama to audiences around the world, it speaks directly to issues of the human condition. A valuable compendium of Buddhist philosophy that addresses both simple, grounded spiritual practice and the need to comprehend higher profound truths.

— Ian Coghlan (Jampa Ignyen), Monash University

About the series

The Library of Wisdom and Compassion is a special multi-volume series in which His Holiness the Dalai Lama shares the Buddha’s teachings on the complete path to full awakening that he himself has practiced his entire life. The topics are arranged especially for people not born in a Buddhist culture and are peppered with the Dalai Lama’s own unique outlook. Coauthored by one of his long-standing Western disciples, the American nun Thubten Chodron, each book can be enjoyed on its own or read as the logical next step in the series.