Page 62 - EH74

60 EASTERN HORIZON | BOOK BRIEFS

BOOK REVIEW BY GARY GACH
BOOK S IN BRIEF BOOKS IN BRIEF

Geshe Sopa with Beth Newman, Nagarjuna’s Advice for Buddhists.
An Explanation of Letter to a Friend. Wisdom: USA. 2023. pp 399. Hardcover. US$49.95
www.wisdomexperience.org.

This is a modern commentary by one Nagarjuna maintained that all Buddhists
of the most erudite Buddhist scholar can embody the full teachings of the
th
monk of the 20 century, the late Geshe Buddha. Therefore, this book covers topics
Lhundup Sopa (1923-2014) who is also from simple virtues to the most profound
a much beloved Tibetan teacher. The truths of emptiness. Expertly compiled by
title of the book, Nagarjuna’s Advice for his student, scholar Beth Newman, from
Buddhists is Geshe-la’s explanation of the talks given over a number of years, the
classical Indian Buddhist text Letter to a commentary brings this ancient Buddhist
Friend which is a teaching on how to live a teaching to a modern audience.
Buddhist life in contemporary society.
The book is divided into two main
Written by the great Indian philosopher sections. Section 1 comprises topics
Nagarjuna, Letter to a Friend is one on advice for lay people, how to
of the best-known introductions to eliminate negative desires, qualities that
Buddhism. In this warm and generous accompany wisdom, the practices to
commentary, Geshe Lhundup Sopa, shows achieve spiritual goals, and how to use
how Nagarjuna’s advice on how to follow our human life positively for the benefit
Buddhist ethics while living fully in the of oneself and others. The Root Verses
world speaks just as clearly to us today as of Letter to a Friend in 123 verses is
it did to the Indian king for whom it was also provided as part of the Appendix in
composed. Section 2 which comprises many other
texts popular in Tibetan Buddhism. EH