{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086FV2XM8?tag=bookfrontier-20","asin":"B086FV2XM8","authors":["Roger Allam","His Holiness the Dalai Lama","Shambhala Publications","& 0 more","Dalai Lama XIV"],"book_id":"9781559394758","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781559394758","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781559394758.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","description":"His Holiness the Dalai Lama presents the perfect introduction to traditional Tibetan Buddhist thought and practice, covering the Four Noble Truths and two essential texts. There is no one more suited to introduce beginners—and remind seasoned practitioners—of the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism than His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Speaking to an audience of Western students, the Dalai Lama shows us how to apply basic Buddhist principles to our day-to-day lives. Starting with the very foundation of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, he provides the framework for understanding the Buddha’s first teachings on suffering, happiness, and peace. He follows with commentary on two of Buddhism’s most profound texts: The Eight Verses on Training the Mind and Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment , often referring to the former as one of his main sources of inspiration for the practice of compassion. With clear, accessible language and the familiar sense of humor that infuses nearly all of his work, the Dalai Lama invites us all to develop innermost awareness, a proper understanding of the nature of reality, and heartfelt compassion for all beings. This book was previously published under the title Lighting the Way .","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9781559394758","publication_date":"20180717","publisher":"Shambhala","slug":"an-introduction-to-buddhism","subtitle":"","title":"An Introduction to Buddhism"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"REL007050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Tibetan Buddhism","score":0.856,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL007010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Buddhist History","score":0.8534,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL007020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Buddhist Practice & Ritual","score":0.8514,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"REL007050","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Tibetan Buddhism","score":0.856,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL007010","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Buddhist History","score":0.8534,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"REL007020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Buddhist Practice & Ritual","score":0.8514,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"PHI028000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Buddhist Thought","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL007020","confidence_band":"high","label":"Buddhist Practice & Ritual","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"REL007050","confidence_band":"high","label":"Tibetan Buddhism","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Tibetan Buddhism","score":0.856,"slug":"tibetan-buddhism"},{"label":"Buddhist History","score":0.8534,"slug":"buddhist-history"},{"label":"Buddhist Practice & Ritual","score":0.8514,"slug":"buddhist-practice-ritual"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers who enjoy Tibetan Buddhism","Good for readers interested in philosophy","Good for fans of Buddhism"],"related_lists":[{"intro":"","slug":"shelf-rel007050-tibetan","title":"Tibetan Books","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/lists/shelf-rel007050-tibetan"}],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Arnie Kozak"],"book_id":"9781440511639","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781440511639.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":19.429,"title":"The Everything Buddhism Book","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781440511639"},{"authors":["Gregory Kramer"],"book_id":"9781590304853","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781590304853.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.5468,"title":"Insight Dialogue","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781590304853"},{"authors":["Red Pine"],"book_id":"9781640095120","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781640095120.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.5394,"title":"Zen Roots","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781640095120"},{"authors":["Longchenpa","Dilgo Khyentse","Padmakara Translation Group","Matthieu Ricard"],"book_id":"9781645474791","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781645474791.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.5195,"title":"The Precious Treasury of Essential Instructions","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781645474791"},{"authors":["Red Pine"],"book_id":"9781640094949","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781640094949.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.4787,"title":"Three Zen Sutras","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781640094949"},{"authors":["His Holiness the Dalai Lama","Venerable Thubten Chodron","Dalai Lama XIV","Thubten Chodron"],"book_id":"9781614295204","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781614295204.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.3832,"title":"The Foundation of Buddhist Practice","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781614295204"},{"authors":["Jeffrey Hopkins","His Holiness the Dalai Lama","Don Lopez","& 0 more"],"book_id":"9781614299134","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781614299134.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":18.2839,"title":"Meditation on Emptiness","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781614299134"},{"authors":["Noah Rasheta"],"book_id":"9781641520478","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781641520478.jpg?v=20260402T191500Z-bisacv2site-fullset%3A2026-04-05T16%3A15%3A58Z","score":16.6096,"title":"No-nonsense Buddhism for Beginners","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781641520478"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:spiritual awakening"],"label":"Spiritual","score":0.1442,"slug":"spiritual"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:religious books"],"label":"Religious","score":0.1362,"slug":"religious"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:eastern philosophy"],"label":"Philosophy","score":0.1142,"slug":"philosophy"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:intro to buddhism"],"label":"Buddhism","score":0.0495,"slug":"buddhism"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Spiritual, Religious, Philosophy.","Reading lane: Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhist History.","Publisher: Shambhala."]},"llm_signals":null,"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":false,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":626,"goodreads_ratings_count":566,"goodreads_reviews_count":44,"quality_score":0.9133}}