Searching for the Self
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!

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Searching for the Self
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!

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Searching for the Self

Searching for the Self

Searching for the Self

Searching for the Self

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Overview

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!


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781614297956
Publisher: Wisdom Publications MA
Publication date: 05/17/2022
Series: The Library of Wisdom and Compassion , #7
Pages: 456
Product dimensions: 6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and a beacon of inspiration for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. He has persistently reached out across religious and political lines and has engaged in dialogue with scientists in his mission to advance peace and understanding in the world. In doing so, he embodies his motto: “My religion is kindness.”



Thubten Chodron has been a Buddhist nun since 1977. A graduate of UCLA, she is the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Washington State. She is a popular speaker and author of numerous books, including Buddhism for Beginners.

Table of Contents

Preface Bhiksuni Thubten Chodron xiii

Abbreviations xxi

Introduction by His Holiness the Dalai Lama 1

1 The Importance of Realizing the Ultimate Nature, Emptiness 5

Why Realizing Emptiness Is Important 5

What Is Emptiness? 9

Emptiness, Its Nature, Its Purpose, and Its Meaning 11

Suitable Vessels to Receive Teachings on Emptiness 16

Prerequisites for Insight 23

2 The Nalanda Tradition 25

Illuminating the Threefold Faith: An Invocation of the Seventeen Great Scholar-Adepts of Glorious Nalanda 26

Commentary on "Illuminating the Threefold Faith" 32

Reliable Guides and Explanations 35

3 Introduction to the Philosophical Tenet Systems 39

The Value of Studying the Tenet Systems 40

Buddhist Tenet Systems and Their Sages 46

4 Overview of Buddhist and Non-Buddhist Tenet Systems 51

The Worldly Person and the Yogi 51

Non-Buddhist Tenet Systems 54

Buddhist Tenet Systems 56

Vaibhasika 57

Sautrantika 59

Yogacara (Cittamatra) 64

Madhyamaka 69

5 Comparing Assertions 75

Levels of Selflessness of Persons 77

Levels of Selflessness of Phenomena 80

What Is the Middle Way? 83

Gradually Leading Us to the Correct View 86

Definitive and Interpretable 92

Proving the Definitive Meaning 100

The Three Doors of Liberation 103

Nagarjuna's Homage 107

6 Cognizing Subjects and Cognized Objects 111

The Steps to Understand Emptiness 111

The Process of Cognition 114

Syllogisms and Consequences 125

7 The Importance of Realizing Emptiness 129

Who Am I? 129

The Root of Samsara 132

How Ignorance Grasps Its Object 135

The Development of Afflictions in Daily Life 137

Inappropriate Attention and Distorted Conceptions 139

Conceptualizations and Elaborations 140

Ceasing Samsara 147

Emptiness Is a Nonaffirming Negative 150

Realizing the Selflessness of Persons and Selflessness of Phenomena 152

Characteristics of Reality 156

The Object of Attainment 158

8 Objects of Negation 161

Objects Negated by the Path and Objects Negated by Reasoning 161

The Importance of Correctly Identifying the Object of Negation 164

What Is Not the Object of Negation 168

The Valid Sense of I 170

Inherent Existence 171

Self of Persons 176

Self of Phenomena 187

The Heart Sutra 189

9 The Middle Way View 197

Settling the Object of Negation and the View of Selflessness 197

Correctly Identifying the Object of Negation to Avoid the Two Extremes 202

Confusing Existence with Inherent Existence and Emptiness with Nonexistence 204

Madhyamaka's Unique Quality 206

Samsara and Nirvana Are Empty and Dependent 211

Madhyamikas Are Not Nihilists 216

Emptiness Exists and Is Itself Empty 221

Do Madhyamikas Have Theses? 223

Abandoning the Two Extremes 226

10 The Extreme of Absolutism 229

Buddhist Essentialists That Don't Refute Enough 230

What Do Sravakas and Solitary Realizers Realize? 232

The Fundamental Vehicle and the Universal Vehicle 237

Examining Our Absolutist Beliefs 238

A Creator or Prior Intelligence 241

The Origin of the Universe 246

Self and Soul 247

Misunderstanding Buddha Nature 249

Causes and Effects, Permanent and Impermanent 251

Buddhism and Other Religions 253

Awakening and Other Spiritual Traditions 255

Free Will and Predetermination 258

11 Pali Tradition: Abandoning the Two Extremes 261

Wisdom 261

Penetrating the Four Truths 262

Subduing Defilements 265

The Importance of Realizing Selflessness 268

Cultivating Wisdom and Gaining Realization 272

Calming Reactivity to Feelings 274

Unique Qualities of the Buddha's Teaching 277

Relinquishing Wrong Views 279

12 Pali Tradition: Cultivating Insight Knowledge 285

Schemas to Use and Phenomena to Examine 286

The Three Characteristics 288

Abandon What Is Not Yours 300

Insight Knowledge 302

The Six Sets of Six 303

Analysis of the Thirty-Six Factors as Not-Self 308

Understanding Selflessness by Means of the Elements 312

Understanding Selflessness by Means of Derived Forms 317

Coda: The Pali Abhidharma 321

Formulating a Philosophy Rooted in the Buddha's Teachings 322

The Early Abhidharmikas 324

The Dharma Theory 326

The Development of the Dharma Theory 329

Substance and Own-Nature 331

Own-Characteristic 334

Designation and Concepts 338

The Two Truths 340

The Theory of Form 343

The Theory of Smallest Particles 346

The Theory of Momentariness (Instantaneous Being) 349

The Theory of Time 351

The Theory of Space 352

The Evolution of the Abhidharma 353

Some Reflections 355

The Abhidharmikas and Later Indian Philosophers 358

Notes 361

Glossary 375

Recommended Reading 395

Index 399

About the Authors 423

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