Venerable Master Hsing Yun is a Chinese Buddhist monk, author, philanthropist, and founder of the Fo Guang Shan monastic order, which has branches throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Ordained at the age of twelve in Jiangsu Province, China, Master Hsing Yun has spent his over seventy years as a Buddhist monk building what he calls Humanistic Buddhism: Buddhism that meets the needs of people and is integrated into all aspects of life. In 1949, Master Hsing Yun came to Taiwan and began to nurture the new burgeoning Buddhist culture in Taiwan. He served as an editor and contributor to many Buddhist magazines and periodicals, authoring the daily columns "Between Ignorance and Enlightenment," "Dharma Words," and "Hsing Yun's Chan Talk," as well as starting his own Buddhist magazine, Awakening the World, in 1957, and the first daily Buddhist newspaper, the Merit Times, in 2000. Master Hsing Yun authored many important works including the Song of Silence, the Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha, and National Master Yulin. Master Hsing Yun also edited and sponsored the Fo Guang Encyclopedia, the most authoritative Buddhist reference work in the Chinese language. His contributions have reached as far as sponsoring Buddhist music and art, to creating Buddhist programming for television, radio, and the stage.

Conceived as a starting point for those coming to Buddhism for the first time, "The Core Teachings" is a guided tour of the most essential aspects of Buddhist wisdom and how they can be applied in our own lives and practice. Honed by Venerable Master Hsing Yun¿s decades of teaching and commitment to sharing Buddhism in a straightforward, accessible way, "The Core Teachings" gives new life to Buddhist basics like the Four Noble Truths, karma, and the five precepts. First published as "Lotus in a Stream," this well-loved text has served as a gateway for many to bring peace and compassion into their lives. Now newly revised, expanded, and better than ever, "The Core Teachings: Tenth Anniversary Edition" is a worthy companion for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.