The spiritual leader of the Tibetans on the basics of Buddhism - the standard work for all those interested The Four Noble Truths are the be-all and end-all of any discussion of Buddhism. If you only want to read one book about Buddhism, you will learn about and understand the essential statements of this world religion. In this book, Tenzin Gyatso, the XIV Dalai Lama, explains in a generally understandable form the meaning of the Four Noble Truths for Buddhism and their application in today's West: "If one has not understood the Four Noble Truths and has not experienced the truth of these teachings oneself, it is practically impossible to apply the Buddha-Dharma, i.e. the teachings of Buddha". H.H. the XIV Dalai Lama.