Original reference for 'The essence of all religions is love, compassion and tolerance' by the HH the Dalai Lama
The phrase appears verbatim in Handbook for the Spirit, in the first essay (the opening chapter) which is titled "Love, Compassion, and Tolerance".

The author of that essay is given as (and copyright is attributed to) His Holiness the Dalai Lama, without any translator.

A copy of that essay can be found here: http://www.ofspirit.com/dalailama1.htm