Refining Gold: Stages in Buddhist Contemplative Practice

**One of the latest additions to the Core Teachings of the Dalai Lama series,** Refining Gold **explains, in clear and direct language, foundational instructions for attaining enlightenment.** One of the most central set of teachings of the succession of Dalai Lamas since the fifteenth century is the *Lam Rim* , or Stages of the Path, teachings—in particular those written by the great Tsongkhapa. These teachings are a guide, from start to finish, on how to engage in the transformational Buddhist practices that lead to enlightenment. In this illuminating work, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama discusses a short but powerful text by his predecessor, the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso, who penned a famous commentary on the Lam Rim entitled *Essence of Refined Gold*. The Dalai Lama speaks directly to the reader—offering spiritual guidance, personal reflections, and scriptural commentary. His sincere approach and lucid style make *Refining Gold* one of the most accessible introductions to Tibetan Buddhism ever published. * * * This book was previously published under the title *The Path to Enlightenment*.