The four noble truths were the Buddha’s first statement to his first disciples on the essence of his awakening. Earlier he had made a statement, with no witnesses, saying that what he had discovered upon his awakening was luminous, utterly tranquil, peaceful, beyond elaboration, and inconceivable.

Lama Yeshe Gyamtso gives an elegant presentation of the four noble truths, introducing several aspects of the Buddhist outlook, including the four seals, which are connected to the truth of suffering; the four mindfulnesses, which are the means through which you begin to abandon the cause of suffering; the four views, which are primarily views of cessation; and the four reliances, which are how to find a practical path. The teaching is both accessible to beginners and informative to long-standing practitioners.