"This generous and gentle book contains some of the most beloved teachings on compassion that the Dalai Lama has ever offered-- a personal invitation to happiness from the Nobel Peace Prize-winner himself."

– Cambridge's Harvard Bookstore (Bookseller of the Year 2002)

"Into this deceptively simple little book, the Dalai Lama has poured the goodness of his own heart and the distilled wisdom of lifetimes of work and teachings aimed at refining heart and mind. It is all here, everything we need to enact in our own lives, even in the most trying of times, if we are to realize our own beauty and that of others, and the possibilities of true happiness and peacefulness in this very life, right here and right now. This sorely needed prescription for sanity and kindness in the world is unbelievably simple and unbelievably important, and therefore a practice worthy of our wholehearted commitment."

– Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are

"Simple but not simplistic; readers will enjoy this gentle, lucid call to the compassionate life."

– Publishers Weekly

"The Dalai Lama argues convincingly that putting others before ourselves is the key to both a happier life and a better society, and offers proven Buddhist techniques for how we can cultivate the mind of compassion and equanimity."

– Melvin McLeod, Editor, the Shambhala Sun

"A cogent and edifying little book about the art of cultivating compassion....In addition to his commentary on several passages from Eight Verses for Training the Mind by Langri Tangpa, the Dalai Lama also presents his spiritual readings on the ideas of global demilitarization and defense systems designed to insure protection against attack by enemies. All of this substantive material results in a deep and practical vision of the compassionate life."

– Spirituality and Health

"The editors at Wisdom Publications have done an excellent job in organizing the Dalai's teachings. Beginners will delight in this excellent primer. And Buddhist old-timers will appreciate the more advanced teachings. And almost everyone knows that the Dalai Lama is worth reading and re-reading on any given day."

– Amazon.com