** 알라딘: 달라이 라마 오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라 - 요약

알라딘: 오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라

오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라 
달라이 라마 (지은이),

도솔 (옮긴이)

나무심는사람(이레)2002-01-10

원제 : Ancient Wisdom, Modern World : 

Ethics for the New Millennium

Sales Point : 58

9.0 100자평(0)리뷰(2)
- 절판 확인일 : 2017-03-09


새상품 eBook 중고상품 (12)
판매알림 신청 출간알림 신청 2,500원
기본정보
245쪽

책소개

일반적인 윤리원칙에서부터 매스미디어, 교육, 환경, 군축 문제에 이르기까지 실로 광범위한 문제를 언급하고 그 해결책('자비심')을 제시했다. 달라이 라마는 인간은 누구나 고통을 피하고 행복할 권리가 있으며 우리 모두가 그러한 권리를 존중해야 한다고 말한다.

또, 종교나 이념을 초월해 보편적 책임감을 가질 때 영적 혁명을 이룰 수 있다고 전했다. 티베트 말 '션 펜 키 셈  Shen pen kyi sem'('다른 사람들을 도와주려는 생각'이라는 뜻)을 인용해, 영적인 특성에 대해서 설명한 것은 그 때문이다. 

영적인 수행은 타인의 행복에 관심을 가지고 행동하는 것으로 자비를 베풀고, 사랑하고 용서하는 일련의 행동이 이에 속한다.

결론적으로 그는 각자가 '원초적인 순수성'을 깨닫고 행동할 때, 모두가 사랑과 자비로 충만한 사회에 살 수 있다고 정리했다. 자상하고 정열적인 목소리의 달라이 라마와 만날 수 있는 책이다.


목차


책머리에

제1부 행복의 근원

행복을 원하는 사람들
영적 혁명을 이루는 길
서로 의존하는 관계에 있다
지속적인 행복을 얻는 방법
인간의 가장 소중한 감정

제2부 행복한 삶의 조건

자제력의 가치
공덕을 쌓는 법
고귀한 자비심
고통과 마주할 때
올바른 분별력

제3부 행복한 사회를 만들기 위하여

보편적 책임감이 깃들인 사회
지혜로운 실천
건강한 사회
비폭력은 결코 나약하지 않다
현대 사회에서 종교의 역할
오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라

옮긴이의 말
접기



저자 및 역자소개
달라이 라마 (Tenzin Gyatso) (지은이)


제14대 달라이 라마 땐진 갸초(Bstan ’dzin rgya mtsho, Dalai Lama XIV)는 1935년 티베트 암도 지방에서 태어났다. 1937년 제13대 달라이 라마의 환생자로 지목된 이후 공식 절차를 거쳐 1940년 제14대 달라이 라마로 즉위하였다. 훌륭한 스승들의 지도 아래 현교와 밀교의 핵심을 모두 섭렵한 달라이 라마는 티벳의 정신적 지주이다. 1959년 중국이 티벳을 침략하면서 인도로 망명해야 했던 달라이 라마는 북인도 다람살라에 정착한 이후 망명 정부를 수립하고 무종파적 화합 정신인 리메(Ri-med, 無山... 더보기

최근작 : <달라이 라마, 깨달음을 말하다>,<로사르믹제>,<행복한 삶 그리고 고요한 죽음> … 총 464종 (모두보기)

도솔 (옮긴이)

서울대학교 외교학과와 동 대학원을 졸업했다. 전문 번역가로 활동하고 있으며, 옮긴 책으로는 『마음의 기적』, 『영혼의 비행』, 『세상에서 가장 아름다운 여행』, 『내 안의 빛나는 1%를 믿어준 사람』 등이 있다.

--------------

마이리뷰
구매자 (2)
전체 (2)




사랑, 자비심이라는 선이 몸과 마음에 온전히 녹아들듯이.... 

2003년의 첫걸음에 어떤 마음가짐으로 시작하려는지 고민하는 사람들에게 권할만한 책이 있다. 인도의 다람살라에서 티베트의 망명정부를 이끌고 있는 14대 달라이라마 텐진 가쵸의 전세계인에게 전하는 행복의 메세지가 바로 그것이다. 1989년 노벨평화상을 수상한 소감문에서 그는 '오른 손이 하는 일을 오른 손도 모르게 하라'라고 말하였다. 자신의 행동 속에 자리한 선한 마음이 온전히 몸과 마음에 녹아들듯이 행하라는 그의 메세지에는 우리 지구별이 나아가야 할 아름답고 평화로운 미래에 대한 갈망이 담겨 있다.

그는 인간은 성별, 종교, 민족, 신분, 사회적 계급에 관계없이 누구나 행복하고자 하고 그럴 권리를 가지고 있다고 한다. 자신도 그 중 하나라고 함으로써 우리들 속에 그 중 하나로 존 재함을 보여준다. 그런데 이러한 행복의 원인은 부를 축적하는데 있지도 않고 사회적 지위를 획득하는 데 있지도 않다고 한다. 그것은 오로지 마음의 평화를 얻을 수 있을 때 가능하다고 한다. 따라서 우리의 행복을 위해 밖으로만 돌리고 있던 우리의 관심을 우리의 내부로 돌릴 것을 그는 제안한다.

마음의 평화를 갖기 위해선 우리 마음 속의 긍정적인 면들을 키워나가고 부정적인 면들을 극복해가야 한다. 다른 사람과 생명에 대한 감정이입과 깊은 사랑, 자비심은 바로 우리의 마음을 평화롭고 행복하게 하는 긍정적인 것들이라고 한다. 

우리 각 개인은 스스로의 노력만으로 진정한 마음의 평화를 온전히 누릴 수 없다. 그 이유는 우리는 다른 사람들의 존재에 의존하고 있다는 사실 때문이다. 그래서 달라이 라마는 윤리적인 훈련이 필요하다고 한다. 이것은 사람들이 타인과 더불어 행복하게 사는 방법이라고 그는 말한다.

그래서 그는 우리 사회의 정치, 경제, 군사, 환경 등의 여러 제도적인 면에 있어서의 자비심이 깃들인 정책이 필요함을 강조한다. 비록 결과적으로 같은 정책이라도 정책입안자의 마음에 자비심이 있고 없음은 근본적으로 다른 의미를 가진다고 한다. 

우리에게 진정으로 필요한 것은 사회, 정치적 제도적 혁명이 아니라 각 개인의 내적인 혁명, 영적인 혁명이다. 

새해의 아침무렵 여러분은 이 책을 통해 그가 우리들 속으로 친밀하게 다가온 이유를 알게 될 것이고 그것은 바로 지금 우리 인류가 직면한 문제들을 가장 지혜롭게 풀어나가는 열쇠라는 것 또한 알게 될 것이다.

달팽이 2003-01-15 공감(0) 댓글(0)



종교가 없는 사람도 이해할 수 있는 달라이라마의 가르침 

이전에 <달라이라마의 행복론>을 읽으면서 느겼던 감동이 이책을 읽으면서 다시한번 느끼게 되었다. 달라이라마는 독자가 불교신자가 아니더라도, 충분히 이해할 수 있는 평이한 언어로 마음의 평화, 자비심, 인내, 사랑, 관용에 대해서 이야기한다. 단지, 도덕교과서 같은 이야기를 하는 것이 아니라, 논리와 감성을 골고루 섞어서 정확하게 이야기한다.

달라이라마의 글은 변죽을 울리지 않고, 바로 핵심으로 들어가 그의 글의 읽는 사람과 영적인 대화를 나누듯이 질문을 던지고, 더 깊은 생각을 하게 만들고, 더 따뜻하게 고민하게 만든다.

진정한 행복은 나자신에 대한 지나친 관심에서 벗어나, 다른 사람의 행복에 관심을 갖는 것, 자비심을 가지고, 관대한 마음을 갖는 것에서 시작하여, 진정한 마음의 평화를 가지는 것이라는 달라이라마의 가르침은 가슴깊이 다가온다.

목표지향적인 자본주의 사회에서 돈을 보는 목표외에 자비로운 마음을 가지는 것이 목표가 될 수 있고, 그런 영적인 수양이 필요함을 달라이라마는 논리적으로도 설명하고, 직접 자신의 체험을 바탕으로 이야기를 해주고 있다.

이 책을 읽으면서 나는 어떻게 살아가야겠다는 아주 중요한 지침을 얻은것 같아 기뻤다.

꼭 읽어보시라고 추천하고 싶습니다.

제이슨 2003-12-27 공감(0) 댓글(0)

===

#책장파먹기 

공부하는 중인 책을 수박 겉핥듯 

.

오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라 

#Ethics for the new millenium

/ #달라이_라마 / 도솔 옮김 / 나무심는사람

.

<뉴욕타임스> 선정 베스트셀러

1999 by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet

.

책머리에

열여섯 살에 나라를 잃고 스물넷의 나이에 망명객이 된 나는 살면서 많은 어려움을 겪었다. 

일반적으로 윤리에 따라 행동하는 사람들이 그렇지 않은 사람들보다 더욱 행복하고 만족스러운 삶을 살아간다고 나는 생각한다. 따라서 우리의 생각과 감정을 새롭게 바꾸고 그것에 따라 행동할 수 있다면 고통에 더욱 쉽게 대처할 수 있을 뿐 아니라 고통이 생기는 것을 처음부터 막을 수 있다. 

.

제1부 행복의 근원 / the foundation of ethics

.

1장 행복을 원하는 사람들 / modern society and the quest for human happiness

산업사회에서는 더러운 물이 아니라 스트레스 때문에 질병이 생긴다.

도시화와 함께 조화로운 삶도 사라졌다.

우리가 해야 할 일은 전통적인 <공동체의 조화와 평화>를 누리는 동시에 오늘날 우리들이 누리는 <물질적인 발전>을 충분히 받아들이는 방법을 찾는 것이다.  

.

2장 영적 혁명을 이루는 길 / no magic, no mystery

사람들이 종교를 믿든 믿지 않든 큰 문제가 안된다는 결론을 내렸다. 그보다 중요한 것은 사람들 각자가 좋은 인간이 되는 것이다. 

<Shen pen kyi sem: 다른 사람들을 도와주려는 생각> 영적인 수행은 타인의 행복에 관심을 가지고 행동하는 것이다. 또한 더욱 쉽게 타인을 위해 행동할 수 있도록 자기 자신을 변화시키는 것이다. 이것이 바로 영적인 수행의 의미이며, 더이상이 설명을 덧붙이는 것은 쓸데없는 짓이다.

<kun long : 깊은 곳으로부터>  쿤 롱은 우리의 행동을 일으키는 것, 우리가 직접 의도한 행동과 무의식적인 행동이 모두 포함된다. 그것은 개인의 전반적이 <마음의 상태>를 의미한다. 영적인 수행의 목적은 개인의 쿤 롱을 바꾸어 완전하게 만드는 것이다. 너그러움이 넘쳐나는 상태, 잃어도 고통스럽지 않은 상태로.

. 

3장 서로 의존하는 관계에 있다 / dependent origination(因緣)  and the nature of reality

<Ten del : 서로 의존하는 관계>

우리는 습관적으로 자아를 다른 사람들과 구별하지만 그것은 사실 과장된 생각이다. 

자신과 타인은 오직 관계의 관점에서만 이해할 수 있기 때문에 자아의 관심과 타인이 관심은 가까운 관계에 있다. 

.

4장 지속적인 행복을 얻는 방법 / refinding the goal

감각을 영원히 만족시킬 수는 없다. 내면의 고통은 대부분 충동적으로 행복을 추구하기 때문에 생긴다.

내가 말하는 마음의 평화는 다른 사람들에 대한 관심에 바탕을 두고 있으며 상당히 민감한 느낌을 갖고 있는 상태를 말한다. 

윤리적 행동은 다른 사람의 행복을 방해하지 않는 행동이고, 영적인 행동은 다른 사람의 행복에 대한 관심이 바탕에 깔려 있는 사랑, 자비심, 인내, 용서, 겸손, 관용 같은 마음을 갖는 것이다. 영적인 행동은 자신에게 이득이 되고 우리의 삶을 의미있게 만든다. 

.

5장 인간의 가장 소중한 감정 / the supreme emotion

<shen dug ngal wa la mi so pa : 다른 사람의 고통을 참고 볼 수 없다>

<nying je : 자비, 사랑, 애정, 친절, 다정함, 관대하고 따뜻한 마음, 연민, 친밀감 /= 겸손, 동정>

행복한 엄마는 행복한 아이를 낳는다. 우리는 다른 사람들의 감정을 고려해야 한다. 이런 자세를 바탕으로 인간은 감정이입compassion이라는 타고난 능력을 발휘할 수 있다.

. 

제2부 행복한 삶의 조건 / ethics and the individual

.

6장 자제력의 가치 / the ethic of restraint

훈련이 안 된 마음은 코끼리와 같다. 

<nyung mong : 내면으로부터 오는 고통, 고통을 주는 감정 affective emotion 煩惱, 貪瞋癡> 고통을 주는 감정은 우리에게 대담성과 힘을 주는 것처럼 가장하고 다가오지만 그것은 본질적으로 맹목적인 에너지다. 대체로 분노는 사람의 대담성보다는 나약함을 보여준다. 

우리가 평화로운 마음을 갖고 행복해지려면 부정적인 생각과 감정에 대해 이성적이고 냉철하게 생각할 뿐 아니라 그런 감정에 빠지려는 마음을 억제하는 습관을 길러야 한다. 마음의 평화는 행복한 사람의 중요한 특징이다. 이런 의미에서 나는 거친 코끼리처럼 훈련되지 않은 마음을 길들이라고 말하는 것이다. 

.

7장 공덕을 쌓는 법 / the ethic of virtue

<so pa : 인내, 결단, 부정적인 생각과 감정이 생길 때 신중하게 대응하는 것, 부정적인 충동에 굴복하지 않는 것> 로퐁 라는 감옥에서, 간수들에 대해 자비심을 잃을 것 같아 두려웠다고 말했다.  소 파는 침착하고 평화로운 마음을 균형있게 발전시키게 하고 사람들을 증오하는 일이 줄어들고 더욱 즐거운 마음으로 인간 관계를 맺게 한다. 그 결과 사람들이 호의적인 느낌을 갖고서 더욱 쉽게 자신에게 다가오게 된다. 

사람을 절망감에 빠뜨리는 것은 대부분 그가 직면한 실제 상황이 아니라 상황에 대한 그의 생각이다. 그런 감정에 대응하는 긍정적인 성격만이 우리의 마음을 보호할 수 있다.  

.

8장 고귀한 자비심 / the ethic of compassion

진정한 자비는 자신을 해치는 사람을 포함해서 모든 생명을 가진 존재에게 친밀감을 느끼는 것이다. 그들이 행복해지도록 도와주면 우리도 행복해질 수 있다.

.

9장 고통과 마주할 때 / ethics and suffering

고통은 본질적으로 피할 수 없으며 사실 모든 존재에게 일어나는 자연스러운 일들이다. 

고통은 <카르마 : 행동, 업보>의 결과다. 고통에 대해 어떤 자세를 갖느냐에 따라 우리는 고통을 매우 다르게 경험한다. 

문제를 무시하거나 술이나 마약에 빠지고 문제에서 도망치는 수단으로 명상이나 기도를 할 수 있다. 그렇게 행동한다면 잠시 마음의 안정을 얻을 수 있겠지만 문제는 그대로 남을 것이다. 

문제를 해결할 방법이 없음을 알게 된다면 그것 또한 걱정할 필요가 없다. 어떻게 해도 상황을 바꿀 수 없다면 걱정해도 소용없기 때문이다. (산티데바, 인도의 성자)

.

10장 올바른 분별력 / the need for discernment

행복에 대해 내가 주장하는 권리와 다른 사람이 주장하는 권리가 부딪칠 때 그것을 조정하는 수단이 윤리다. 

일반적으로 우리는 자신의 마음을 통제할 수 있기 때문에 마음(쿤 롱, 전체적인 마음의 상태)은 행동의 윤리성을 판단하는 데 가장 중요한 요소다. 핵심 원칙은 자비심(compassion)과 통찰력(insight)을 갖는 것이다. 윤리의 영역에서 분별력(critical faculties)을 갖는다는 것인 자신의 행동과 동기에 책임을 진다는 의미다. 

.

제3부 행복한 사회를 만들기 위하여 / ethics and society

.

11장 보편적 책임감이 깃들인 사회 / universal responsibility

<chi sem : 보편적인 의식, 보편적인 책임감, 타인의 행복에 대한 관심> 

행복을 바라는 다른 이들의 권리를 존중하는 방향으로 나의 행동을 바꾸지 않는다면 오래지 않아 부정적인 결과에 부딪힐 것이다. 

인간의 의식 곧 마음이 역동적으로 움직이며 다양한 역할을 한다.  

환경문제는 개인이나 한 나라의 힘으로 해결할 수 없기 때문에 서로 도와야 한다는 생각도 커지고 있다. 

화해의 정신을 통해 비폭력적으로 분쟁을 해결해야 한다는 인식도 확산되고 있다. 

인간의 보편적인 권리를 인정하고, 인간의 다양성에 대해 보다 폭넓은 시각으로 바라볼 필요가 있다. 

.

12장 지혜로운 실천 / levels of commitment

보편적인 책임감을 키우는 것과 더불어 우리는 구체적인 일에서 책임감을 갖는 사람이 되어야 한다. 실천으로 옮기기 전에 원칙은 원칙으로 남아 있을 뿐이다. 일상생활 속에서 자비를 베풀려고 노력하라. '대단한 일이 아니라 자신이 할 수 있는 일을 하자.'

.

13장 건강한 사회 / ethics in society

진정으로 윤리적인 생활은 다른 사람의 소망을 먼저 생각하고 그들의 행복을 고려하는 것이다. 

부정적인 생각과 감정에 건설적으로 대처하여 평화로운 마음을 갖는다면 우리는 말 그대로 세상을 바꿀 수 있다. 

교육은 아이들이 다른 사람들의 삶과 권리에 눈을 뜨게 해주는 것이다.

궁극적으로 타인에 대한 관심은 말이 아니라 행동으로 배우는 것이므로 어른들의 모범이 되어야 한다. 

교육에 대한 제안. 

• 첫째, 청소년들에게 사회문제를 순전히 윤리적 또는 종교적 문제로 말하지 않는 것이 좋다. 그 문제가 우리의 생존을 위협하고 있다고 강조해야 한다. 
• 둘째, 학생들은 수업시간에 대화하는 법을 배워야 한다. 논쟁이 될 만한 주제를 주고 토론하게 하는 것은 문제를 비폭력적으로 해결할 수 있다는 생각을 심어주는 훌륭한 방법이다. 
• 셋째, 아이들의 교과서에서 다른 사람들을 부정적으로 묘사하는 내용을 반드시 빼야 한다. 

아이들이 자신의 문화에 뿌리를 두는 것은 중요하다. 그러나 편협한 민족주의나 자기 집단 중심주의, 종교적 배타성으로 발전한다면 위험한 일이다. 

자연은 우리의 집이다. 어린 아이 같은 인간이 무슨 짓을 해도 어머니 지구는 인간의 행동을 묵묵히 참아주었다. 이제 어머니 지구는 참는 데도 한계가 있다고 우리에게 경고하고 있다. 인간은 지구를 파괴할 힘을 가진 유일한 종이다. 인간이 지구를 파괴할 능력을 갖고 있다면 지구를 보호할 능력 또한 갖고 있을 것이다. 자연환경은 고칠 필요가 없다. 

고쳐야 하는 것은 자연에 대한 우리의 행동이다. 

그들은 하늘에서 떨어진 사람들이 아니다. 

어느 나라의 정치인들이 부패했다면 그것은 그 사회에 도덕성이 없고 사회 구성원들이 비윤리적으로 살고 있음을 보여준다. 

이런 경우 유권자가 정치인을 비난하는 것은 공정하지 않다. [?]

.

14장 비폭력은 결코 나약하지 않다 / peace and disarmament

폭력을 행사하면 반드시 고통이 따른다. 

오늘날 인간이 서로 의지하면서 살아간다는 것은 너무나 분명한 사실이다. 따라서 우리에게 의미가 있는 평화는 오로지 세계 평화이다. 

진정한 평화는 단지 전쟁이 없는 상태가 아니다. 진정한 평화는 서로에 대한 이해해서 생기는 <안정감>, 다른 사람의 입장에 서는 <관대함> 그리고 타인의 권리에 대한 <존중>에 토대를 두고 있다. 

진정한 평화는 서로를 적대하는 가운데 유지되는 위태로운 균형보다 

심오하며 궁극적으로는 <내면의 갈등을 어떻게 해결하는가>에 달려 있다. 

세계평화를 이루려면 군대를 폐지해야 한다. 

우리 모두가 내면으로부터 무장을 해제할 때, 즉 부정적인 생각을 물리치고 긍정적인 생각을 키울 때, 외부의 군비 축소를 위한 조건을 만들 수 있다. 

우리들 각자가 자신의 내면을 바꾸려고 노력할 때 지속적이고 진정한 세계평화가 가능할 것이다. 고통을 주는 감정은 분쟁을 일으키는 촉매제다. 

다른 사람들에게 깊은 관심을 갖고 그들이 자신과 마찬가지로 행복할 권리를 갖고 있음을 깨닫고 그들에게 고통을 주는 행동을 하지 말아야 한다. 

국제연합의 약점은, 국가들이 모이는 회담은 있지만 일반 시민들의 목소리, 다시 말해 자기 정부에 반대하는 사람들의 주장을 들을 수 있는 구조가 없다는 것이다. 윤리적 입장에서 이를 감시하는 단체로 <세계시민위원회, World Council of the People>를 제안한다. 그 협의 결과는 세계의 의식(the conscience of the world)을 나타내며 어떤 이데올로기도 신봉하지 않으므로 도덕적인 권위를 갖게 될 것이다. 

.

15장 현대 사회에서 종교의 역할 / the role of religion in modern society

철학이나 형이상학적인 이유로 어떤 종교가 다른 종교보다 낫다고 주장하는 것은 의미가 없다. 정말 중요한 것은 그 종교가 어떤 개인에게 적합한가 하는 것이다. 

개인의 경우에는 유일한 진리와 유일한 종교가 있을 수 있다. 

하지만 전체적인 인간 사회의 관점에서는 다양한 진리와 다양한 종교를 받아들여야 한다. 

스스로에게 이렇게 물어야 한다. 단순히 그 종교의 문화적 의식적인 면에 호감을 갖는 것은 아닐까? 아니면 근본적인 가르침에 끌리는 것일까? 

.

16장 오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라 / an appeal

당신 스스로를 여행자라고 상각하라. 우주 공간에서 지구를 본다고 생각해 보라. 지구는 아주 작고 하찮게 보이겠지만 너무나 아릅답다. 

우리가 지구에 머무는 동안 다른 사람을 해치면서 진정 무엇을 얻을 수 있겠는가? 

마치 이웃집을 방문한 것처럼 조용히 쉬면서 즐기는 것이 바람직하고 합리적이지 않는가? 

그러므로 지구에서 쉬는 동안 잠시 시간이 난다면 아무리 작은 일이라도 고난받는 사람들을 도우려고 노력하라. 

무덤에서는 당신도 그와 똑같은 모습일 것이다. 

.

Ethics for the New Millennium

** Ethics for the New Millennium by Dalai Lama XIV | Goodreads reviews

Ethics for the New Millennium by Dalai Lama XIV | Goodreads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mQ8-gAIsw8


Korean translation

알라딘: 오른손이 하는 일을 오른손도 모르게 하라

Japanese translation
幸福論 | ダライラマ14世テンジン・ギャッツォ, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA, 通緒, 塩原 

https://books.apple.com/us/book/ethics-for-the-new-millennium/id365508087

Ethics for the New Millennium

by Dalai Lama XIV,
Alexander Norman,
B.D. Wong (Narrator)
4.06 · Rating details · 4,425 ratings · 184 reviews

In a difficult, uncertain time, it takes a person of great courage, such as the Dalai Lama, to give us hope. Regardless of the violence and cynicism we see on television and read about in the news, there is an argument to be made for basic human goodness. The number of people who spend their lives engaged in violence and dishonesty is tiny compared to the vast majority who would wish others only well. 

• According to the Dalai Lama, our survival has depended and will continue to depend on our basic goodness. 
• Ethics for the New Millennium presents a moral system based on universal rather than religious principles. Its ultimate goal is happiness for every individual, irrespective of religious beliefs.

 Though he himself a practicing Buddhist, the Dalai Lama's teachings and the moral compass that guides him can lead each and every one of us—Muslim, Christian, Jew, Buddhist, or atheist—to a happier, more fulfilling life.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's newest book, The Wisdom of Compassion, is now available from Riverhead Books. (less)

Paperback, 237 pages
Published May 1st 2001 by Riverhead Books (first published January 1st 1999)
Original Title

· 4,425 ratings · 184 reviews


Write a review

Jul 23, 2011Ken Rideout rated it it was amazing
This was required reading for a course I am taking which only makes me that much more impressed that I found it so profound. The Dalai Lama has somehow managed to outdo Joseph Campbell in religious sophistication. He has written a book for all of us that is, dare I say it, post religious. Post religious in a deeply spiritual way, in a all-embracing way, and in a conversational non-academic style. Clearly, he is primarily motivated by Buddhist beliefs but he is speaking to as wide an audience as is possible while still maintaining membership in his own faith.

His message is simple. Compassion. That's it - if you become more compassionate through a specific religious tradition then that is the way to do it; if you are working on your compassion without religion then that is the way to do it for you.

You don't become a nicer person because someone tells you to or for rewards in an afterlife. You should be nice because it is the pathway to true happiness. You become compassionate by inhibiting your non compassionate emotions (jealousy, anger, hatred, fear) and encouraging your compassion by relating to other people as being fundamentally similar to you. It is not enough to read and think on these things. One should, like any other activity, practice being compassionate to become better at it. Start with small things and see where you can take it, he says.

I found the first half of the book to be the most moving and insightful, but there are gems in the latter half as well. The Dalai Lama, understandably, draws heavily on his own Buddhist background and I sometimes feared the book would become New-Agey preachy, but in the end I found the book to be an authentic voice from a specific individual who acknowledges his own limitations but is trying to speak to some of the most difficult issues in our times (war, the environment, religious strife, the disconnect of modern life).

I said post-religious, but maybe I should have said pan-religious for he clearly thinks we human beings are special and are meant to strive for greatness. Very inspiring for me since I tend to have a more pessimistic attitude which I have discovered, thanks to reading this book, is keeping me back from being a better person.

This book is a must-read! (less)
flag18 likes · Like · comment · see review



Mar 31, 2018robin friedman rated it it was amazing
A Call To Spiritual Awakening

This book, "Ethics for the New Millennium" was written at the time of the change from the 20th to the 21st Century. The Dalai Lama used the change to the new Millennium as a call to ethical and spiritual reflection and to an awakening to a new, informed inner life.

The book is eloquent and compelling. The Dalai Lama's command of English is somewhat limited, and the text undoubtedly underwent substantial editing. But the sincerity and power of the book shines through, as does the Dalai Lama's modesty. It is something of a rarity for a book to sound the call to spiritual renewal while refusing to proselytize or to promote a specific creed.

The Dalai Lama promises repeatedly that his book is concerned with ethics and spirituality rather than with Buddhist beliefs. There is nothing in this book, for example, that even suggests the reader take up a meditation practice. Although there is a substantial treatment of the difficult Buddhist teaching of Dependent Origination, the Dalai Lama makes good on his word. The book can be read and appreciated by people who are secular -- without a religious faith -- and by those who are committed to a faith tradition other than Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama's basic message here, I think, is that all people strive to be happy. In the West, we tend to equate the pursuit of happiness with materialistic success. This goes part of the way to happiness but has difficulties in terms of the anxiety, competitiveness, and insensitiveness to ourselves and others that it creates. The Dalai Lama's answer, in common with much religious and spiritual writing, is to look inward. What is important is how the Dalai Lama elaborates his teaching in this book.ㅠ 

The Dalai Lama insists that spiritual renewal requires a commitment to ethical behavior. There are two levels to this. The first, more basic level, is to act in a way that doesn't bring harm. This is a seemingly simple teaching, but one difficult to put in practice in specific situations. The second level is to aim to be other-directed rather than self-directed in one's actions. This means acting with patience, generosity, compassion, nonviolence, empathy, thought for the other person, rather than for oneself. For the Dalai Lama this second level underlies all spirituality and religious traditions and is more fundamental than any metaphysical or faith issues. People can disagree on the latter or not hold any religious position at all.

After developing the foundations of what he sees as ethical and spiritual behavior, the Dalai Lama offers suggestions for the individual's redirection of him or herself in terms of restraint, virtue, compassion, and the relief of suffering. Again, I was struck by the modesty of the teaching and by the Dalai Lama's claim that spiritual redirection can be independent of the individual's commitment or lack of commitment to a religious creed. The Dalai Lama emphasizes at one point that "we are not talking about Buddahood here" but rather about how any individual can aim for ethical and spiritual redirection.

A chapter in the final section of the book discusses "the role of religion in modern society." The Dalai Lama explains his own commitment to Tibetan Buddhism but insists again that such commitment is unnecessary for the individual to redirect energy to the ethical/spiritual life. In fact, in this book the Dalai Lama discourages religious conversion but urges the reader to remain in his or her own faith and work within it. He maintains that all religions teach the same basic ethical and spiritual precepts while their metaphysical or faith commitments differ. He offers a plea that people from different faith traditions learn that they can learn much from each other while maintaining their own belief system. He reiterates that people shouldn't force themselves to have a religion at all if they are committed to a secular worldview.

There is a great deal of wisdom and simplicity in this book. It may be valuable to those who want to consider redirecting or better understanding themselves.

Robin Friedman (less)
flag9 likes · Like · comment · see review



Jul 15, 2009Kitap rated it liked it
In Buddhist thought, the distinction between altruism and self-interest disappears like the distinction between samsara and nirvana in the Heart Sutra:

If the self had intrinsic identity, it would be possible to speak in terms of self-interest in isolation from that of others'. But because this is not so, because self and others can only be understood in terms of relationship, we see that self-interest and others' interest are closely interrelated. Indeed, within this picture of dependently originated reality, we see that there is no self-interest completely unrelated to others' interests. Due to the fundamental interconnectedness which lies at the heart of reality, your interest is also my interest. From this, it becomes clear that "my" interest and "your" interest are intimately connected. In a deep sense, they converge. (47)

Two important points about the voluntary and practical qualities of Buddhist self-discipline:

To say that we need to curb anger and our negative thoughts and emotions does not mean that we should deny our feelings. There is an important distinction to be made between denial and restraint. The latter constitutes a deliberate and voluntarily adopted discipline based on an appreciation of the benefits of doing so. (98)

[B]ecause, unlike our bodies which soon get sick, old, and worn out, the afflictive emotions never age, it is important to realize that dealing with them is a lifelong struggle. Nor should the reader suppose that what we are talking about here is the mere acquisition of knowledge. Is is not even a question of developing the conviction that may come from such knowledge. What we are talking about is gaining an experience of virtue through constant practice and familiarization so that it becomes spontaneous. (119)
Wonderfully concise explication of verse 6.10 of Śāntideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara :

Personally, I find enormously helpful the advice given about suffering by the great Indian scholar-saint, Shantideva. It is essential, he said, that when we face difficulties of whatever sort we do not let them paralyze us. If we do, we are in danger of being totally overwhelmed by them. Instead, using our critical faculties, we should examine the nature of the problem itself. If we find that there exists the possibility we could solve it by some means or other, there is no need for anxiety. The rational thing would then be to devote all one's energy to finding that means and acting on it., If, on the other hand, we find that the nature of the problem admits to no solution, there is no point worrying about it. If nothing can change the situation, worrying only makes it worse. Taken out of context of the philosophical text in which it appears as the culmination of a complex series of reflections, Shantideva's approach may sound somewhat simplistic. But its very beauty lies in this quality of simplicity. And no one could argue with its sheer common sense. (142–3)

A gentler version of Jesus' comments about "eyes," "beams," and "specks" from Matthew 7.3–5:

[I]t is far more useful to be aware of a single shortcoming in ourselves than it is to be aware of a thousand in someone else. For when the fault is our own, we are in a position to correct it. (153)(less)
flag5 likes · Like · see review



Jul 24, 2021William Schram rated it really liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, philosophy, self-help, religion, spiritual
The Dalai Lama talks about applying ethics to the new millennium in this book. He bases his ethical system on several Buddhist tenets, but it can apply to everyone.

The Dalai Lama notices that people of all creeds and walks of life want the same basic things; an avoidance of pain, happiness, and the same for their children. However, in more advanced societies, this isn't easily accomplished. Wealth doesn't ensure happiness or satisfaction in life.

In that vein, The Dalai Lama calls for compassion. If we can understand each other and see people as human beings with problems similar to ours, we can change the world.

The Dalai Lama is Tibetan, so the book has phrases in that language. English lacks the subtle differences required to express itself fully. (less)
flag4 likes · Like · comment · see review



Mar 18, 2015Theresa Leone Davidson rated it really liked it
Quick story: I recently had dinner with a friend who, for whatever reason, made the comment that NO ONE works unless they have to work (for the paycheck), period. This is someone with adequate intelligence who does not often make asinine comments but who is probably unhappy with her own chosen profession, so I did not argue, but it would have been simple to do so, by pointing out that not every physician or attorney or Wall Street honcho, or CEO, or business owner, quits after the first million, or the first five, or twenty. Bill Gates and Warren Buffet still work, and besides, what about all of those people who volunteer? Plenty of people - and I am so grateful to be among them - LOVE their jobs and cannot imagine NOT doing what they love to do. 

Anyway, the reason I bring up other people's stupidity is only because the Dalai Lama keeps pointing it out, albeit in probably a much nicer way than I do . He stresses throughout the book that it is the simple things (and not so simple things - like those we love) that make us happy, not money, not material objects, not in constantly comparing ourselves and what we have to others. Of course this sounds simplistic but if it really is so simple, why does my friend's apparent bitterness towards those who are financially better off get to her? Why do people buy lottery tickets, or put themselves in debt to buy stuff? I am fortunate, having experienced living single in New York City, in graduate school, with two jobs, and only enough money to buy Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup for dinner five nights a week, and the flip side, having enough that I am comfortable. I have not experienced real poverty nor have I experienced pro NBA types of wealth but I know that whether you are worrying about money or not, that's all that money changes, whether or not you need to worry about it: in either circumstances it's the people you surround yourself with, the memories you make, the kindnesses you show to others that bring real happiness. 

The book reinforces and strengthens that: he emphasizes that doing for others and enjoying the simple things in life, and always, always trying your best to do the right thing, the ethical thing, brings peace to one's life. 

Wouldn't the world be so much better if we all tried to live this way? He ends the book beautifully, too, with the best chapter, one he calls An Appeal, that asks us to follow easy instructions to do for others, to remember what is important, and to be more spiritual. The other striking thing about the book is his complete appreciation for every religion, the beauty he sees in all of the religions not his own, and even for the people who do not follow a particular religion but live their lives in an ethical, humble, and kind manner. This is my first book by the Dalai Lama but I will seek out others to read. Highly recommend! (less)
flag4 likes · Like · see review



Feb 27, 2013Ariadna73 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: philosophy, self-help
Check out my spanish review on my blog: http://bit.ly/XIX9sq

This is such an extraordinary book! Everyone should read it! Despite it was written more than a decade ago; the topic is clearly current and alive. I am so touched and moved for what I have just read; that I can only transcribe the last few paragraphs of this fantastic book:

Therefore; with my two hands joined; I appeal to you the reader to ensure that you make the rest of your life as meaningful as possible. Do this by engaging in spiritual practice if you can. As I hope I have made clear; there is nothing mysterious about this. It consists in nothing more than acting out of concern for others. And provided you undertake this practice sincerely and with persistence; little by little; step by step you will gradually be able to reorder your habits and attitudes so that you think less about your own narrow concerns and more of others'. In doing so; you will find that you enjoy peace and happiness yourself.

Relinquish your envy; let go your desire to triumph over others. Instead; try to benefit them. With kindness; with courage; and confident that in doing so you are sure to meet with success; welcome others with a smile. Be straightforward. And try to be impartial. Treat everyone as if they were a close friend. I say this neither as Dalai Lama nor as someone who has special powers of ability. Of these I have none. I speak as a human being: one who; like yourself; wishes to be happy and not to suffer.

If you cannot; for whatever reason; be of help to others; at least don't harm them. Consider yourself a tourist. Think of the world as it is seen from space; so small and insignificant yet so beautiful. Could there really be anything to be gained from harming others during our stay here? It is not preferable; and more reasonable; to relax and enjoy ourselves quietly; just as if we were visiting a different neighborhood? Therefore; if in the midst of your enjoyment of the world you have a moment; try to help in however small a way those who are the downtrodden and those who for whatever reason; cannot or do not help themselves. Try not to turn away from those whose appearance is disturbing; from the ragged and unwell. Try never to think of them as inferior to yourself. If you can; try not even to think of yourself as better than the humblest beggar. Your will look the same in your grave. (less)
flag3 likes · Like · comment · see review



Nov 21, 2011B.t. Newberg rated it really liked it
The Dalai Lama reaches past religious boundaries in this call for a new ethics practical for peoples of all beliefs, religious and secular. Although religions have provided ethical instruction in the past, they are losing their hold. Therefore we need an ethics which does not depend on religions, one which is at home in both religious and secular contexts. This he seeks to provide in Ethics for the New Millennium.

To begin, the Dalai Lama urges the need to ground all actions in positive mental states. These states are not unique to any one tradition, but are common to all religions and philosophies. Qualities like love, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and so on are common to all. Actions arising out of these positive states, he claims, are automatically ethical. In contrast, those arising from negative or "afflictive" states may be ethically questionable. So there is a pressing need to cultivate positive mental states and let actions flow from them.

This stance is grounded in "our basic sameness as human beings... we all desire to be happy and to avoid suffering" (p. 4). The Dalai Lama shows how we are all connected and interdependent, and concern for others is the best way to promote our own happiness. Ultimately, positive mental states and concern for others lead to the greatest happiness for both others and ourselves.

Because of this basic fact, the Dalai Lama calls for a "spiritual revolution." He distinguishes this against religion, which is concerned with faith claims and metaphysics. In contrast, spirituality is concerned with "those qualities of the human spirit--such as love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of harmony--which bring happiness to both self and others" (p. 22). Cultivating these qualities does not require recourse to any religious or metaphysical belief system. It only requires spiritual practice consisting of 

• "acting out of concern for others' well-being" on the one hand, and
•  "transforming ourselves so that we become more readily disposed to do so" on the other (p. 23). 

The revolution called for is thus one of character development.

To begin this development, the Dalai Lama appeals to our natural capacity for empathy, and urges its transformation into compassion. This alone is not enough, however. We also need discipline, in order to deal with negative states and emotions. These obstruct our aspirations to happiness. Just as concern for others ensures happiness for ourselves, so too does harming others harm ourselves. So, we need some level of discipline. While some may say this denies personal freedom, the Dalai Lama argues the opposite. He says that negative emotions like anger enslave us. True freedom lies in voluntary restraint.

In addition to compassion and discipline, we also need wise discernment and a number of other important qualities. The Dalai Lama explores these in turn. In the process he has frequent recourse to Tibetan terms and proverbs, which he explains clearly and without obtuseness. Far from being idiosyncratic, these serve to flesh out the Dalai Lama's personal perspective while inviting the reader to meet him halfway.

The Dalai Lama's discourse roves over many topics and looks at the problem from numerous angles. It acknowledges various limitations and avoids extremes. And yet there remains a nagging question: are good intentions really enough?

The book never quite surmounts this problem. The Dalai Lama addresses it in a disclaimer: "This is not to say that all we need to do is cultivate spiritual values and these problems will automatically disappear. On the contrary, each of them needs a specific solution. But we find that when this spiritual dimension is neglected, we have no hope of achieving a lasting solution" (p. 24). So it is clear that good intentions are not enough, but without them we have little chance. Ethics for the New Millennium provides one half of the solution. The other half awaits us.

Thus far the book reminds us of common truths, often overlooked yet vital to happiness. But important as they are, they are hardly controversial. The controversial part comes in the chapter entitled "Peace and Disarmament." 

This is where the Dalai Lama lays out his concrete vision for military disestablishment. Committed to non-violence, he believes world peace is an achievable goal. This is not peace not in the abstract, but in the concrete. War may seem justifiable by many and various arguments, but ultimate it comes down to suffering. "Although paradoxically the aim of most military campaigns is peace, in reality, war is like fire in the human community, one whose fuel is living people" (p. 203). So, we need to consider disarmament. Of course, we cannot simply lay down our weapons in a day. Yet somehow we must find a way to do so by gradual process. He proposes a number of ways forward, including "zones of peace," which are essentially demilitarized zones between nations. He believes the United Nations can play a role, but it has limitations. Nations are represented, but their people are not. Perhaps what we need is a "World Council of the People," which could represent people when their governments fail to serve them. Through such strategies, the Dalai Lama believes in time world peace is possible.

As for religions, the Dalai Lama is optimistic for their place in years to come. They can "play a leading role in encouraging people to develop a sense of responsibility toward others and of the need to be ethically disciplined" (p. 220). The biggest obstacle to religion's continued relevance is the tendency to devalue others' religions. The best solution is dialogue. There is no need to say all religions are essentially the same, or to create some new "super" or "world" religion. We only need to learn from each other, and set a good example by developing good relations with other faith traditions. In this way, religions can find an important place in the new millennium.

Overall, the book puts forward an inspiring vision. The writing style is less that of a precise philosopher than of a gentle grandparent. Some views seem naive, particularly the way other religions are portrayed as essentially concerned with the same positive values. While this may be true more or less, it obscures differences which lead to disagreement and conflict. Another naive view is the claim that actions arising from positive mental states are automatically ethical. Surely a great deal more is required before we can call an action "ethical" in any meaningful sense. The Dalai Lama begins to address this in the chapter on discernment, but does not fully develop the idea. Yet despite these faults, the book manages to inspire nonetheless. Ethics for the New Millennium offers plenty to contemplate.

The greatest strength of the book is its unerring faith in humanity. While suffering is granted as a matter of course, human goodness remains a real possibility. This, in spite of great conflict. This faith is demonstrated in the willingness of the author, himself a religious leader, to recognize and even advocate a place for the secular. Ultimately, peace does not lie in sectarian division, but in our common humanity.

"For whereas the fundamental questions of human existence, such as why we are here, where we are going, and whether the universe had a beginning, heave each elicited different responses in different philosophical traditions, 

it is self-evident that a generous heart and wholesome actions lead to greater peace." (p. 120-121) (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review



Mar 15, 2018Samantha rated it it was amazing
Shelves: on-the-bookshelf
Everyone should read this book. It should be required reading in school. He writes so eloquently and simply about the deepest subjects. He questions your motives and encourages you to become more self aware and better stewards of the earth. I highly recommend this book.
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review



Nov 08, 2008Scott Merkling rated it it was amazing
This is one of the best surveys of Buddhist thought available for westerners. In his lovable style and simple, straightforward prose, His Holiness provides people of all walks of life with what they have always wanted... the key to happiness.
Of all the books I have read by His Holiness the Dalai Lama this is the one that feels the most direct, not through an interpreter or narrator. Reading this is the next best thing to a conversation with the man himself.
Also of note is that the practice described in this work is decidedly non-religious. It provides an excelent opportunity for non-Buddhists to fing the kind of inner peace they have been looking for and experience the benifits of their individual worship in more powerful ways. (less)
flag2 likes · Like · comment · see review




Jul 09, 2009Scott Dinsmore rated it really liked it
Why I Read this Book: Who could pass up the opportunity to learn about ethics from the Dali Lama himself.

Review:

Ethics are an interesting concept. A set of rules or ways of life that guide us to live life in a positive way both for ourselves and for those around us. This is my definition and hopefully at this point in your journey towards success, you have developed your own definitions of ethics and values. The unfortunate fact of life is that there are too many people out there who do not have a firm understanding of their own ethics with regard to themselves and the people with which they come in contact. We see it every day in the malicious acts that go on throughout the world. Without a foundation from which to build, many people find themselves lost and insecure when it comes to ethics.

I had the pleasure of reading this book for the first time while traveling through Europe with my immediate family a few years back. I cannot encourage a better setting for new thinking and understanding than a foreign place out of your comfort zone. My mother had recently given me this book as a gift. The ironic thing for me was that ethics had been a top priority since day one growing up in my family, and my mother was the primary teacher (with my father of course). I was lucky enough to have had a solid foundation before picking this book so I can only imagine the impact it would have on someone who was a bit more misdirected in their younger days.

So much of success is about how one treats others and themselves in their journey through life. Terms such as core values, ethics and principles should be commonplace in anyone’s day to day quest for success. Look at the words of Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie and Richard Bolles in their books reviewed on this site. The very foundation of their teachings grows from the above terms just as the Dali Lama’s do here. The road to success and fulfillment becomes long and dark without a firm understanding of ethics and values to lead the way.

It is interesting to read a book by the Dali Lama. He is one of the most religious figures in the new world with his strict Buddhist faith and he is trying to write a book for the general public. You can see some potential biases here. This was what impressed me most. The Dali Lama has lived his life according toreligion every step of the way, yet in this book he puts no huge focus on any one faith or religion at all. By no means does he force his religious ideas or those of others. I believe his main point here is that ethics transcend religion. In fact ethics transcend every other school of thought. This was quite refreshing to me as I read through his words and tried to think of them with regards to my own life.

He starts out by spending a few chapters on general ethics to get the reader comfortable with the topic. Here he includes thoughts on globally universal topics such as material wealth and its effect on society, what’s morally good and bad, and happiness. He then moves on to discuss personal ethics. The heart of which is having compassion as the heart of all of one’s actions. This concept was especially powerful for me. If each person only did things for which they had true compassion, I think we would all be off to an ethically great start.

Something else that struck me as particularly powerful was the Dali Lamas description of the gap between perception and reality in our lives. This concept is not new to Reading For Your Success and for that reason it deserves some attention. So much of life comes down to perception. Whether good or bad, our life, our emotions, our feelings come down to our perception of reality. The root of unhappiness and unfulfilled goals and dreams is often due to an incorrect perception in one’s life. This is true even for our most cherished and fundamental goal. I say “our” because I can comfortably speak for everyone when I say that we all have one goal in common. That goal is to be happy.

It sounds so simple but take a minute right now to think of your goals. If you haven’t developed your goals yet (I encourage you to do so as soon as you can), try to think back on dreams or fantasies of your own. What is really driving your dream or goal to be thin, have your own business, help others or be financially wealthy? What is the real reason for striving for success as hard as so many of us do? It all comes back to happiness. It was not until getting through a number of the books on this site that I realized the true value of this. We all have one fundamental goal in common. In fact at the end of the day happiness is the only goal. That is why ethics can transcend through cultures, religions and generations and still be the root of all motivations in life. I encourage you to take some time to think about your understanding and view on ethics and develop your own set of values based on those ethics. They will be invaluable and fundamental in your quest for success.

-Reading for Your Success (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review



Apr 03, 2015Ellie Taylor rated it it was amazing
Shelves: generally-favorites, every-book-i-own-almost
If I could hand a copy of this book to each person of the world I sincerely believe we would have a more prosperous society.

It's taken me a few weeks to complete this, in part due to the gravity of the subject, and in part due to illness, but this is one a very short list of books which have come to profoundly move and change my perspectives of the world. Certainly in a book regarding ethics there are many levels of discussion taking place, some religious, some political, some internal or external, but the true messages of this book are meaningful to each and every reader.

In an effort to cultivate compassion and love for all people, we have the opportunity to gradually alter our world and the lives of others for the better. Though this is a book of many grand ideals and ideas, it manages to maintain realism and a sense of understanding that we cannot, and as argued within, should not seek to completely overturn our lives. Change for all begins with meaningful small steps in our hearts, heads and practices.

I cannot adequately describe the pleasure, peace and hope I acquired through reading this volume, but I will say that I'll be purchasing my own copy as this was borrowed, and it's going to the top of my list for books to give as gifts.

If you've ever had any interest in improving your own life, your families, your community, in understanding humanity or becoming a happier, well-rounded individual, please pick this up. It will resonate most deeply.



reread 7/22/16 (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review



Jan 24, 2010Alice rated it it was amazing
What the Dalai Lama writes in this book really reflects a lot of my own personal philosophy. His main belief is that all humans want to find happiness and aviod suffering. The best way to do this is by living a life of love, compassion, patience, forgiveness, tolerance, and humility. He beleives that religious practice often cultivates these in our lives, but he argues that it is not NECESSARY to be an active participant in a religious practice to live an ethically grounded life.

 I find this very encouraging in a world which is quite secular. He also speaks about out how acceptance of other cultures and religions is so important in today's world. A main downfall that is implicit in most religions is the claim each has to being the one "true" religion. This is important to an individual practitioner... you must be committed to your beliefs for them to have meaning, but it often leads to people not respecting the paths of others. When we become so passionate about our own religion, that sometimes leads us to assume that others are choosing the "wrong" path, not recognizing that their true path might be quite different from our own. 

The Dalai Lama spends a lot of time talking about how the world can move toward world peace, and although his goals are quite lofty, I find them inspiring and refreshing. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review



Jun 27, 2007Samantha Newman rated it really liked it
Shelves: religionandthelike
I wanted to find a way to simply be more peaceful in my daily life, and it seems to me that real Buddhists are pretty peaceful people, so the Dalai Lama seemed to be a good place to go to for some ideas on peace.

I enjoyed reading the book and it does give some really good ideas and ways to think. I found myself identifying with the people he described that I wish I wasn't like! This gave me ideas on how to change, or simple ways to think differently to be happier and kinder and more peaceful in general.

The book also focuses on humanitarian feelings, too, from what I remember.

His ideas are wonderful, and if they could be applied in our world, it would definitely be an amazing place. Maybe I'm being a pessimist, or something, or a "realist," or a party pooper, I don't know. But unfortunately I think many of his ideas are so Utopian - which isn't a bad thing - it's just that I don't think they can or will be realistically applied in our life, in this world. But if they could, and would be, the world really would be amazing. (less)
flag1 like · Like · 1 comment · see review



Jul 26, 2014Molly Montgomery rated it really liked it
I thought this book provided insightful guidelines for ethics, and I like how the Dalai Lama specifically directed his advice towards non-religious people and was very open to the possibility that one can lead an ethical life without religion. If you're looking for specific suggestions on how to act like a better person, you probably need to consult more specific philosophers or religious texts because this book does not give you them. The Dalai Lama appeals to the universal human desire to find happiness and avoid suffering, and uses that to make a compelling argument for universal responsibility towards other humans and life in general. However, his advice really is only enough to get you started thinking about how you can be more ethically responsible, and beyond that it's up to you to do the rest of work. A good read, and definitely relevant to everyone, no matter your background or religion. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review



Jun 03, 2008Tommy rated it liked it
The most impressive thing about this book is that it came out in early 2001 - months before our nation underwent an unprecedented tragedy - and the Dalai Lama's message of a roadmap for peaceful coexistence in our world resonates just as powerfully today as it did in what Americans would consider more 'peaceful' days.

I re-read this after 9/11 and felt like it was a handbook for the world's leaders to follow. I don't think any did - ours sure didn't - but the book also talks about our own personal responsibility as humans to one another and, most poignantly, in this age of climate change, economic struggles, and derision of anyone who doesn't share our views, the Dalai Lama reminds us that we are all connected, and everything we do has the potential to effect others in ways unimagined.

Makes ya think. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review




Jan 23, 2009Will rated it liked it
Shelves: philosophy
As a brief and necessarily general work, this book isn't exactly revelatory, but its simplicity is soothing and its message always welcome, however familiar. After all, there's a difference between being familiar with and remaining aware of ethical principles, not to mention the difference between remaining aware of and acting on them. For the duration of the book, I was at least aware.

Ultimately, I'd prefer a more specific discussion of how the Dalai Lama's experience and belief are relevant to a modern global society, particularly a discussion with more pointed comparisons and anecdotes, but for an introduction to universal ethics addressed to a broad audience, this is an admirable place to start. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review



Sep 24, 2011Laura K rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites
Excellent and thought-provoking, this book presents "a moral system based on universal, rather than religious principles." Love, compassion, patience, tolerance, humility , forgiveness. 

I especially appreciated the fact that he discusses what's right with the world (hope based on a greater awareness of ecology, cooperation, awareness, ect.), and not just what is troubling. 

He deals with difficult issues (how can different religions co-exist, how can different religious practitioners still stay true to their own faith while appreciating others, how much responsibilty do we each bear for other suffering humans and animals, and so on). This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read! (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review




Sep 17, 2007Jamie rated it really liked it
Shelves: soulfood
If you think there's no religious leaders out there with a rational perspective, Tenzin Gyatso is the exception to the rule.

this guy always makes me smile. Of course, he has his ethical background in Tibetan Buddhism, but he clearly distinguishes between the ethical, the spiritual, and the religious, in common terms, and in a way that relates the "Buddhist" to the "Human", without imposing dogma.

H.H. provides a practical metaphysical ground for a realistic platform of compassion as the standard "principle", but in a pragmatic way, and without any serious trappings of relativism.
-dig (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review


Oct 31, 2008Sherry (sethurner) rated it really liked it
Shelves: mind-and-spirit, nonfiction, in-sickness-and-health
I was really interested in what the Dalai Lama had to say about what and ethical life is, and why people would want to lead an ethical life. Simplfying it greatly, his answer is that if people live according to the notion that possessions, money and self interest are the most important thing, they will not find happiness. His compelling argument is that people will only be happy if they strive to have good relationships and ease the suffering of others. I found his writing to be compelling and accessible. (less)
flag1 like · Like · comment · see review


=======

About the Author
Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people. His tireless efforts on behalf of human rights and world peace have brought him international recognition. He is the recipient of the Wallenberg Award (conferred by the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Foundation), the Albert Schweitzer Award, and the Nobel Peace Prize.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Riverhead Books; Reissue edition (1 May 2001)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

** [The Meaning of Life: Garfield: L34-35, 36 Dalai Lama

LECTURE 34

HH Dalai Lama XIV—A Modern Buddhist View ..............................120

LECTURE 35

HH Dalai Lama XIV—Discernment and Happiness........................124

===

HH Dalai Lama XIV—A Modern Buddhist View

Lecture 34




[The Dalai Lama] has argued repeatedly that as far as he is concerned, it’s the deliverances of science that tell us about the fundamental nature of reality, not classical religious scriptures, and he has repeatedly said that where Buddhism or when any religion conÀ icts with science, we should go with science, not with the deliverances of religion.

T

he Dalai Lama’s view of the meaning of life is, of course, deeply inÀ ected and motivated by Buddhism, but he articulates it primarily as a modern secular vision, a vision with roots in ideas of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, democratic theory, and the importance of science. He follows Aristotle in seeing the universal goal of human life to be happiness, but that happiness can only be attained in the context of social interdependence. Like any Buddhist, the Dalai Lama sees the problem of life as constituted by suffering, whose modern sources he ¿ nds in consumer capitalism and industrialism. He sees the sources of happiness in purposive action in a human context.

The Dalai Lama agrees with Aristotle that happiness, À ourishing, meets the criteria for the highest good in life: ¿ nality and self-suf¿ ciency. The components of happiness in a modern life include food, shelter, physical security, peace, education, access to health care, the opportunity for free expression of ideas, a certain amount of leisure, and possibility for personal development. The fact that people around the world are willing to ¿ ght to achieve these goals must mean that they are universal.

Because the Dalai Lama’s is a Buddhist account of the nature of reality, it is rooted in the doctrine of dependent origination, in which all things are interdependent in three senses. The ¿ rst is causal dependence; everything occurs as a consequence of innumerable causes and conditions, and every event produces innumerable effects. The second form of interdependence is part-whole dependence; parts depend upon the whole for their nature and functioning, and wholes depend upon parts in order to exist. The third form of interdependence is dependence on conceptual imputation, that is, dependence of things for their identity and function on the way in which we think about them.

The Dalai Lama argues that interdependence provides us with the deepest analysis of the fundamental nature of reality. Everything around us, in particular, our own lives and the lives of the communities in which we participate, is characterized by this threefold interdependence. Moreover, the Dalai Lama emphasizes that this is completely consistent with the deliverance of modern science. Physics, for example, demonstrates that everything is part of a uniform, causal whole and interdependent in all these ways. He



argues that if our lives are to be meaningful, they must be grounded in reality, and given that interdependence is the fundamental nature of reality, a meaningful life is one that responds to and reÀ ects an appreciation of interdependence.

For the Dalai Lama, human interdependence deserves special emphasis. Social reality develops for us distinctive kinds of partwhole interdependence because so much of our lives and our identities are determined by the wholes of which we’re parts. Conceptual imputation in the construction of identity and roles is also salient in human affairs in ways that it’s not in physical affairs. Our decisions that a particular person is a



Interconnection also constitutes our happiness because so much of our happiness is social. We become happy when our actions actually match the goals and values we endorse. That’s often only possible socially because so many of our goals and so many of our values are collective social values.



criminal versus an upright citizen, a colleague versus a competitor, and so on determine the nature of our relations, the nature of our lives, and the nature of our happiness.

Each of the dimensions of interdependence is implicated in the arising of suffering and the production of happiness. All these forms of interdependence give us the possibility of having complex effects in our actions. Everything we do ripples through societies instantly and in countless ways and in ways that we can’t always control but that demand our reÀ ection. And because our actions have so many effects, we have obligations to make sure that

those effects are bene¿ cial, and we have responsibilities to those who can be affected by our actions.

According to the Dalai Lama, modern capitalism has brought Everything we do ripples through societies instantly and in countless ways and in ways that we can’t always control but that demand our reÀ ection.

the original source of suffering— primal confusion that results in attraction and aversion—to new heights. Advertising, for example, creates both need and fear, attraction and aversion, and it isolates us in a marketplace with a given commodity, forcing a decision on whether or not we need something. The Dalai Lama thinks that commodi¿ cation has also infected politics because it creates politicians and ideas as commodities, then generates attraction or aversion. The mass media and mass culture are, thus, sources of confusion and suffering.

Oddly, the sources of happiness in the modern world are similar to the sources of unhappiness. One such source is our interconnection with others, which enables us to produce both the material and the collective social goods we want and allows us to discover truth in learning from one another. This interconnection also brings us happiness in the form of social interactions and activities with friends and families. It offers us the opportunity to work out the kinds of social values and ideals we endorse and lead a life of integrity and authenticity. Ŷ

Name to Know

His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, Tenzin Gyatso (b. 1935): The Dalai Lama lineage in Tibet is regarded by Tibetans as a reincarnate lineage: Each successive Dalai Lama is recognized as a rebirth of his predecessor, and all are regarded by Tibetans as emanations of AvalalokiteĞvara, the Buddhist celestial bodhisattva of compassion.




Suggested Reading

• Dalai Lama XIV, Ethics for a New Millennium.
• ———, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality. https://www.scribd.com/document/577455896/The-Universe-in-a-Single-Atom-the-Convergence-of-Science-and-Spirituality-PDFDrive

• Prebish and Baumann, eds., Westward Dharma.

Study Questions

1. In what sense is the Dalai Lama’s diagnosis of modern life Buddhist? In what sense is it modern?

2. What is the difference between the analysis of modernity presented by Gandhi and that presented by the Dalai Lama?

===

HH Dalai Lama XIV—Discernment and Happiness

Lecture 35

The union of compassion and discernment is a union of moral perceptual skills—where, when we see a situation, we see the sources of suffering, we see the possibilities for happiness—and the interpersonal skills that allow us to see what kinds of interventions will be most useful and commit us to those kinds of interventions.

A

s we saw in the last lecture, dependent origination grounds the possibility of both suffering and happiness. For the Dalai Lama, the source of suffering in the modern world is the ideology of commodity fetishism, and the only solution to suffering is to develop a deep kind of compassion, an attitude that respects interdependence and commits us to the creation of happiness.

The Dalai Lama notes that unhappiness doesn’t derive directly from external circumstances but from our emotional reactions to adversity. Such emotional reactions arise from both attachment and aversion and can be either individual or collective. The Dalai Lama thinks of emotions that cause suffering as pathologies; examples include greed, lust, hate, and so on. In some cases, such as when we speak of righteous anger, we mistake pathology for virtue, but as we’ve seen, anger never results in positive outcomes. If we’re going to understand the nature of suffering and happiness, we must be able to distinguish between bene¿ cial and pathological emotions.

According to the Dalai Lama, pathological emotions are grounded in confusion, a misperception of reality. We see something else as the source of our unhappiness instead of ourselves; we see some object as necessary instead of simply an option. To cultivate positive emotions, we need a clear, accurate understanding of reality and not just on a theoretical or abstract level. We must seek instinctive, spontaneous responses to the world as causally dependent, part-whole dependent, and dependent on imputation. This instinctive cognitive habit is dif¿ cult to accomplish, and that’s why the notion of karunƗ—compassion—is so important. KarunƗ gives us commitment, that altruistic aspiration to act, impelling us to develop spontaneous ways of interacting with the world in place of our ordinary approaches. The use of moral imagination is important here because we need to be able to understand that the interests of others are, in a deep sense, just like our interests and that their pain is just like our pain.

The Dalai Lama argues that the cultivation of compassion comes in two parts: the cultivation of restraint and the cultivation of virtue. By restraint, he means the holding back of instinctive negative reactions, actions of anger, greed, carelessness, and so forth. By virtue, he means developing a positive commitment to bene¿ t others. Restraint cuts off the roots

To cultivate positive emotions, we need a clear, accurate understanding of reality and not just on a theoretical or abstract level. of suffering by prompting us to reÀ ect on the causes of pathological emotions, thus subverting primal confusion and ignorance. ReÀ ection also highlights the impermanence of the world, including the

impermanence of the things that cause us to experience suffering and

our own emotional reactions. Through reÀ ecting on selÀ essness, we’re able to suspend the ordinary cognitive habit of thinking of ourselves as subjects and everything else in the world as objects. That way of thinking reÀ ects the nature of reality as determined by a polar coordinate system with oneself at the center and everything else arrayed in terms of its relationship to the center. This conception gives rise to conÀ ict, but by reÀ ecting on selÀ essness, we come to take our own importance less seriously.

Restraint keeps us from doing bad things, but it doesn’t by itself motivate us to do the things that are necessary for own happiness or the happiness of others. To do that, we need to cultivate generosity, the willingness to detach ourselves from our possessions. As ĝƗntideva reminded us, virtue also requires patience, not only with others but with ourselves. The moral development that we come to demand of ourselves when we adopt this understanding of the nature of our lives isn’t acquired in a moment.

The concept of virtue that the Dalai Lama emphasizes requires attentive concern, mindfulness, discernment, and compassion. The dimension of attentiveness commits us to truly understanding the nature of the problem and the solutions that would rectify it. The dimension of concern is a commitment to take action. Mindfulness of our own emotional states enables us to focus on virtuous rather than nonvirtuous emotions. Discernment is necessary to allow us to understand the details of any particular situation: What are the causes, conditions, and effects? Finally, we need compassion in the sense of karunƗ, an altruistic commitment to act. For compassion to be genuine and ef¿ cacious, it must rest on discernment, a deep analytical understanding of suffering.

The Dalai Lama emphasizes that this kind of compassion entails a Gandhian universal responsibility, a responsibility for the welfare of all, because there are no limitations on compassion. Any limitations could originate only in pathological distinctions between ourselves and others. Compassion must be rooted in the de-centering of the individual, which will make such distinctions impossible. What we’re seeing here is a modern version of the bodhisattva path: the altruistic resolution to act for the bene¿ t of all sentient beings. Ŷ




Suggested Reading

• Dalai Lama XIV, Ethics for a New Millennium.
• Queen, Engaged Buddhism in the West. https://www.scribd.com/book/265261204/Engaged-Buddhism-in-the-West

Study Questions

1. In what sense is the Dalai Lama’s recommendation for a meaningful life different from those of Gandhi and Lame Deer? In what respects is it similar?

2. Why is compassion, as opposed to a sense of duty, the foundation for a meaningful life in the modern world, according to the Dalai Lama?










So, What Is the Meaning of Life?

Lecture 36



Often, one is led to ¿ nd super¿ cial similarities and to overemphasize those and, therefore, to lose a lot of the texture and detail that’s bequeathed to us by the textual traditions that we’ve been examining.

W

e’ve encountered a great deal of diversity in this course, but we can still point to certain recurrent themes. For example, almost every position we’ve considered has emphasized the importance of a

connection between our own lives and some larger context, of temporality, of some ideal of human perfection, and of spontaneity. In conjunction with spontaneity, we’ve seen an emphasis on freedom. We’ve also seen the need to understand the nature of the world we live in and the nature of our own lives in order to live an authentic life. In this lecture, we examine each of these themes to see what general conclusions we might draw.

The larger context required for a meaningful life has sometimes been conceived as a universal, divine, or cosmic context, as in the BhagavadGƯtƗ, the book of Job, and the Stoics. For the Daoists, this larger context is similar but more impersonal; it’s the context of the dao, the way of things. Sometimes, this context is a bit more narrow—a global context or a natural one. Lame Deer, for instance, emphasized that the context of our lives that matters most is that of nature, and the Dalai Lama, along with Aristotle, Confucius, and others, emphasizes a social context. In each case, the key to ¿ nding meaning in our lives is to ¿ rst identify the larger context in which our small lives make sense, then to understand how we can make our lives meaningful by connecting them to that context.

With regard to temporality, the Stoics emphasized the eternality of the universe and the fact that the period of our existence is brief and bounded by in¿ nite gulfs of our absence. Buddhism also emphasizes a constant awareness of impermanence, the beauty of impermanence, and the urgency that impermanence gives to our lives. Tolstoy, Lame Deer, and Nietzsche pick up on the theme of mindfulness of death: At each moment in our lives, we need to be aware of our own mortality and ¿ nitude.

In the texts we’ve examined, we’ve often seen the question of the meaning of life addressed in terms of an account of human perfection. Aristotle offered us an ideal of the perfect human life in the concept of eudaimonea, À ourishing, and tells us that this ideal can be achieved through a life of activity in accordance with virtue, through moral strength and

practical wisdom, and through friendship. The Daoists and Zen Buddhists give us the sage as the ideal of perfection, one who pays attention to the empty spaces This spontaneity is motivated by the idea that our actions and values don’t need to be brought together arti¿ cially.

and who lives spontaneously, effortlessly. ĝƗntideva and the

Dalai Lama extend this account of perfection to encompass the cultivation of a certain kind of compassion, a commitment to altruistic action on behalf of others. For Kant and Mill, human life is focused on reason, discourse, and participation in liberal democratic societies. That ideal was challenged by Nietzsche, who emphasized that what makes our lives beautiful is our artistry and spontaneity, our ability to re-evaluate the values we’re taught and lead our lives in harmony with values we ourselves create.

Many of the philosophers and theologians we’ve examined have urged us to cultivate spontaneity in our lives. This spontaneity is motivated by the idea that our actions and values don’t need to be brought together arti¿ cially. For Aristotle and Confucius, the model here is that of the artist, one who practices endlessly to achieve a second nature. For Daoism and Zen, the emphasis is on the need to pare away the arti¿ cial second nature and return to naturalness. Ultimately, Lame Deer tells us that we need to understand that we are fundamentally part of the biological world, a world of circles rather than squares.

For the thinkers we’ve explored, a meaningful life necessarily entails freedom. The GƯtƗ emphasized the fact that freedom emerges from discipline, while the Daoists urged us to free ourselves from social standards. Hume and Kant emphasized the need to attain freedom from authority, an idea that Mill extended to an insistence on absolute freedom of thought. Nietzsche was concerned with freedom from philosophical ideas and from an intellectual tradition that makes creativity impossible. Gandhi emphasized selfmastery similar to that in the GƯtƗ, the kind of discipline that frees us from consumerism and other external constraints.

The answer to our original question is deeply complex and conÀ icted; it requires us to cultivate an awareness of reality in all its complexity and adversity, to understand that our lives are ¿ nite, and to develop a commitment to achieving individual excellence and to creating meaning in the lives of others. Perhaps the ¿ rst step in ¿ nding meaning is to ask the question, then to engage, as we have done in this course, with the wide diversity of answers that have been given throughout history and around the world. Ŷ




Study Questions

1. What are the major dimensions along which accounts of the meaning of life differ from one another? How would one go about choosing one approach over another?

2. What common insights survive these differences? Why do these ideas transcend the different approaches? Are they consistent with one another?






====

Glossary




ahimsa: Nonviolence, or refraining from harming others.

Analects, The: The collection of sayings and dialogues attributed to Kongfuzi (Confucius). It relies on a set of key philosophical ideas, including:

x ren: Humanity, warm-heartedness x li: Ritual propriety, etiquette x de: Virtue, integrity, moral rectitude

x xiao: Filial piety; respect for, and obedience to, one’s parents, elders, and superiors x tian: Heaven, or the order of the universe

x wu-wei: Inaction or spontaneous, effortless activity in contrast to studied, deliberate action aretƝ: Virtue or excellence.

awarƝ: In Japanese Buddhist aesthetics, the particular beauty that derives from the impermanence of things, the beauty things have just before they fade.

being-time: The intimate union of existence and temporality; the fact that to exist is to be impermanent yet to have a past and a future to which one is essentially connected and the fact that human existence is always experienced in relation to past, present, and future.

bodhisattva: In Buddhism, one who has formed the altruistic aspiration to attain awakening for the bene¿ t of all sentient beings.

Chaldeans (Book of Job): An ancient Near Eastern people who lived in Mesopotamia.

depersonalization: Abstraction from one’s own personal interests or place in the world; taking a disinterested view of things.

dharma: A word with many meanings the root of which means “to hold.” Meanings include duty, virtue, doctrine, entity, and reality, depending on context.

Epicurean: A school of Greek and Roman philosophy following the teachings of Epicurus (4th3rd century B.C.E.). Central doctrines of the school were atomism, materialism, and an emphasis on the attainment of peace of mind through moderation and control of the emotions.

ƝthikƝ/ethos: Behavior or conduct.

eudaimonea: Human À ourishing, a good life, often translated as “happiness.”

foundationalism: The doctrine that knowledge must rest on a basis. Examples of foundations of knowledge are perception and reason.

Jainism: An Indian religion in which nonviolence is the central value.

karunƗ: Compassion, the commitment to act to relieve the suffering of others.

kratƝ: Moral strength, the ability to stick to one’s resolve in the face of temptation or fear.

Krishna: An Indian manifestation of divinity.

libertarianism: The belief that individuals should have the maximum personal liberty consistent with the liberty of others; resistance of the intrusion of the law into the private sphere. metaphysics: The study of the fundamental nature of reality.

neo-VedƗnta: A late 19th- and early 20th-century philosophical movement in India grounded in a revival and reinterpretation of the ancient Indian texts collectively called the Vedas. Prominent neo-VedƗnta philosophers included Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo.

phenomenology: Inner experience, or the theory of inner experience.

phronesis: Practical wisdom, the ability to deliberate wisely about how to accomplish one’s goals.

postmodernity: An ideological outlook that rejects the fundamental tenets of European modernism—the unity of the subject, the fact that knowledge constitutes a uni¿ ed system that rests on sure foundations, the conviction that civilization is progressive—in favor of a conviction that subjectivity is variable and often fragmented, a suspicion of uni¿ ed systems and a conviction that knowledge is socially constructed and À uid, and a suspicion of a single narrative of human progress. The term also refers to the social conditions that reÀ ect this view, namely, conditions in which fundamental claims are contested, societies are pluralistic, and values do not sustain a uni¿ ed view of knowledge or progress.

Sabeans (Book of Job): An ancient Near Eastern tribe that lived near present-day Yemen.

Samaj movements: The Arya and Brahmo Samajs (Samaj means “society”); two prominent modernist religious reform movements that swept India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Both emphasized a return to classical Indian texts and ideas but also the abandonment of ritual, the rejection of caste, and an embrace of modernity and Indian nationalism.

Sanskrit: The language of classical Indian scholarship, as opposed to Prakrits, classical vernacular languages.

Sapere Aude!: Kant’s motto of enlightenment: “Dare to know!”

satyƗgraha: A Gandhian term: holding on to, or insisting on, the truth. A refusal to act in accordance with any principle one does not endorse and a commitment to principled action and honesty.

Sheol (Book of Job): The underworld, the place where the dead reside in the ancient Hebrew tradition.

Ğramana: A wandering ascetic of ancient India.

svadharma: One’s own particular duty or role in life, often in India tied to caste.

swadeshi: Literally, one’s own country. Commitment to the value and practices of one’s own country or culture, to self-reliance, and to consuming only what is produced locally.

swaraj: Self-rule. This can mean individual self-mastery or the selfgovernment of a people or nation. For Gandhi, these two senses were deeply connected. theophany: Revelation of the deity.

Transcendentalists: A group of American philosophers, poets, and writers who looked to Asia for inspiration and who were oriented toward mystical values and concerns that transcend the mundane world. Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman were prominent Transcendentalists.

Utilitarianism: A moral theory according to which actions are right to the degree to which they promote happiness or pleasure and wrong to the degree that they promote unhappiness or pain.

yoga: Discipline or spiritual practice. The Bhagavad-GƯtƗ enumerates three kinds of discipline, representing three aspects of life:

x karma yoga: The discipline of action, the pursuit of divinity through action

x jñƗna yoga: The discipline of knowledge, the pursuit of divinity through knowledge

x bhakti yoga: The discipline of devotion, the pursuit of divinity through devotional practice

 

===============




Biographical Notes



Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.): Aristotle was born in Stageira and moved to Athens in his youth, where he was a prominent aristocrat. He studied under Plato at the Academy. After Plato’s death, he traveled in present-day Turkey, conducting scienti¿ c research. In 343 B.C.E., he was appointed tutor to Alexander the Great. In 335 B.C.E., he returned to Athens and established the Lyceum, where he taught for 12 years, probably his most philosophically creative period. He left Athens to avoid prosecution for impiety and died at age 62 in Chalcis. Aristotle, like Plato, wrote philosophical dialogues, but none of his original works survives; what we have instead are lecture notes from his students. He wrote and taught on virtually every academic subject, including the natural sciences, rhetoric, poetry, metaphysics, logic, ethics, and political philosophy. Aristotle was enormously inÀ uential in the development of Islamic philosophy and medieval European philosophy.

Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) (perhaps c. 370–c. 300 B.C.E.): There is no consensus regarding the existence of Chuang Tzu, who may have been created as a ¿ ctional author of the text that bears his name. This text, however, may be the work of multiple authors over several centuries. It is said that he left a minor government position for a life as a hermit philosopher and that he once turned down a prime ministership.

Confucius (Kongfuzi) (c. 551–479 B.C.E.): Confucius was born in the Chinese state of Lu (the present-day Shandong province of China) to a military family near the end of the Spring-Autumn period of Chinese history, a period that saw a great deal of warfare between small Chinese states. His father apparently died when Confucius was young, leaving the young boy and his concubine mother in poverty. Confucius clearly studied the Chinese classics with great success and spent most of his life as a low-level civil servant. He became famous as a teacher and spent much of his life traveling from state to state, teaching philosophy and politics. The texts by means of which we know Confucius’s thought are records of his conversations and teachings preserved by his disciples.



His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, Tenzin Gyatso (b. 1935): The Dalai Lama lineage in Tibet is regarded by Tibetans as a reincarnate lineage: Each successive Dalai Lama is recognized as a rebirth of his predecessor, and all are regarded by Tibetans as emanations of AvalalokiteĞvara, the Buddhist celestial bodhisattva of compassion. Dalai Lamas are, hence, regarded by Tibetans as physical manifestations of compassion in the world. The Dalai Lama has traditionally been both the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. The present Dalai Lama was born in a small village in Amdo, in far northeastern Tibet. When he was 3 years old, he was recognized by a search party as the rebirth of the 13th Dalai Lama and brought to Lhasa for enthronement and education. In 1949, the Army of the People’s Republic of China entered Tibet, and despite his youth, the Dalai Lama assumed, at the age of 14, political leadership of Tibet. Shortly after this, he completed his monastic education and earned the highest academic degree conferred in Tibet, the geshe lharampa (a Ph.D. with highest honors). For 10 years, the Dalai Lama attempted to cooperate with the Chinese government in order to allow Chinese authority and modernization while preserving Tibetan cultural identity. But as Chinese repression grew more severe, Tibetan resistance increased. In 1959, the Tibetans rose up against Chinese occupation, and the Dalai Lama was forced to À ee into exile in India, followed by several hundred thousand Tibetan refugees. In India, the Dalai Lama has led a government-in-exile and overseen the establishment of Tibetan schools, orphanages, hospitals, social services, monastic institutions, universities, and ¿ nally, a democratic Tibetan government, stepping aside as head of government. He has opened a long-running dialogue with scientists and has published dozens of books, ranging from highly technical books on Buddhist philosophy to popular guides to happiness. The Dalai Lama has taught or spoken in countries around the world, always promoting nonviolent conÀ ict resolution, interfaith harmony, and a humanitarian social identity. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Dǀgen (1200–1253): Dǀgen was the illegitimate son of a high-ranking Japanese courtier, who died when her son was 7 years old. Early in his life, Dǀgen joined the great Tendai monastery at Mt. Hiei. But he was dissatis¿ ed with Tendai philosophy, bothered by the problem of the need to seek awakening if all sentient beings are primordially awakened. He moved to a Zen temple in Japan, studying under the great Zen master Eisai until the latter’s death. In 1223, Dǀgen traveled to China to search for teachings that would resolve his remaining concerns. After visiting several monasteries, he encountered the Zen teacher Rujing, under whom he had his awakening experience. In 1228, Dǀgen returned to Japan with the Sǀtǀ Zen lineage inherited from Ruing; he taught at several important temples and wrote hundreds of essays, laying the philosophical foundations of Sǀtǀ Zen in Japan. He settled near the end of his life at Eiheji, which became the headquarters of the Sǀtǀ Zen lineage in Japan.

Epictetus (55–135 C.E.): Little is known of the life of Epictetus, who was born a slave. He lived the ¿ rst part of his life in Rome but was exiled to Greece. He studied Stoic philosophy in his youth and, at some point, gained his freedom. He was a popular teacher and widely respected both as a Stoic philosopher and an orator. None of his writings, if ever there were any, survives. The fragments that constitute his corpus are, in fact, lecture notes.

Gandhi, Mohandas K. (1869–1948): Gandhi was born in Porbandar, then a small princely state, in the modern state of Gujarat. His father was diwan of that state. Gandhi’s parents were both devout Hindus, but much of the surrounding community was Jain; hence, he grew up in a context of great piety and commitment to nonviolence. He was married at age 13. At age 18, he left India for London, where he studied law. While in England, he was active in the Vegetarian Society and came into contact with theosophists; thus, he developed a broader interest in world religions. Gandhi also studied liberal political theory and read Tolstoy and the American Transcendentalists. He returned to India in 1891 and, after some desultory practice, accepted a position in South Africa in 1893. In South Africa, Gandhi encountered ¿ rsthand the racial discrimination that pervaded the British Empire. Most famously, he was thrown off a train at Pietermaritzburg when he refused to vacate the ¿ rst-class compartment for which he had a ticket. This event and others led Gandhi to lead massive nonviolent protests against discriminatory laws. In this context, he formulated his principle of satyƗgraha—insistence on the truth and principled nonviolence as the only ways to challenge overwhelming repression. Gandhi returned to India in 1915, joined the Indian National Congress, and became active, ¿ rst, in the congress’s efforts to resist unjust laws and policies, then in the independence movement. Gandhi led this movement to Indian independence through careful cultivation of nonviolent resistance and refusal to comply with British imperial rule. He led numerous public protests and was jailed regularly but maintained his paci¿ sm and tolerance. Gandhi was deeply opposed to the partition of India and deeply saddened by that eventuality and the violence that came in its wake. He was assassinated by a Hindu fundamentalist terrorist as he walked to prayers in 1948. Gandhi has been a major inÀ uence on such subsequent advocates of nonviolence and insistence on truth as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and HH the Dalai Lama XIV.

Hume, David (1711–1776): David Hume was a philosophical prodigy and a central ¿ gure of the Scottish Enlightenment. He entered the University of Edinburgh when he was 12 years old, rejecting the study of law for philosophy. After a brief career in business, he traveled to La Flèche, where in conversation with Jesuit philosophers and with access to an excellent library, he wrote his Treatise of Human Nature, published when he was 26 years of age. The Treatise is today recognized as one of the great masterpieces of Western philosophy but was ridiculed by critics at the time of its publication. Hume was undaunted and continued to publish philosophical essays, many of which were well-received, and his monumental History of England, a text that remained a standard history for more than a century after his death. He aspired to a chair in philosophy at Glasgow but was rejected as an atheist. Hume was widely admired as a humanist and as a scholar. He died in Edinburgh a very happy man.

Kant, Immanuel (1724–1804): Immanuel Kant is almost universally regarded as the greatest of all European philosophers. He was born and spent his entire life in Königsberg (present-day Kalningrad) in Prussia. Indeed, he never ventured more than 100 miles from that city. Kant studied at the University of Königsberg, then spent his entire career teaching there. He was a proli¿ c writer, but most of the books of his early years are no longer inÀ uential. In 1781, however, he produced his masterpiece, The Critique of Pure Reason, one of the most profound philosophical investigations undertaken in the Western tradition. This was followed by both The Critique of Practical Reason and The Critique of Judgment, extending Kant’s philosophical system from epistemology and metaphysics to ethics, then to aesthetics and a number of smaller but important texts. It is fair to say that Kant completely transformed the face of European philosophy. He was the ¿ rst professor of philosophy to be an important philosopher in his own right; he developed the ¿ rst comprehensive European philosophical system since the Enlightenment; and he demonstrated that philosophy can take natural science seriously yet remain an autonomous domain of thought. Today, nobody can become a serious philosopher without ¿ rst studying the work of Kant.

Lame Deer, John (1900–1976): John Lame Deer was a Lakota Sioux medicine man born on the Rosebud Reservation and educated in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. In early adult life, he was a rodeo rider and led the rough life of that trade. After meeting the keeper of the medicine pipe of the Lakota people, he became a medicine man. The second half of his life was devoted to educating Lakota and other Americans about Lakota culture, to the revival of Lakota culture, and to the recovery of traditional Lakota land in the Black Hills.

Lao Tzu (perhaps 6th, 5th, or even 4th century B.C.E.): There is no consensus about whether Lao Tzu (Laozi) ever existed. Many scholars regard him as a mythical ¿ gure constructed as the author of the Daodejing, which may well have developed under the hands of multiple authors over several centuries. Putative biographies locate his birth in Chu (Henan province) and state that he spent much of his adult life in Zhou, near present-day Luoyang, working in a library. He is said to have left the court and disappeared into the West.

Marcus Aurelius (121–160 C.E.): Marcus Aurelius was the son of a wealthy, noble Roman family living in present-day Spain. Marcus was educated by eminent tutors and adopted, in 138, by the emperor Aurelius Antoninus (Pius), under whom he served as consul for some time. While in public service, Marcus continued to pursue his education, studying Greek, literature, philosophy, and rhetoric with some of the most prominent teachers in Rome. He also studied law, a subject for which he appears to have had little appetite. In 161, on the death of Antoninus Pius, Marcus assumed the throne as emperor of Rome along with his adopted brother Lucius, who died soon thereafter, leaving Marcus as sole emperor. His reign was marked by many border wars, all of which concluded satisfactorily for Rome. He was noted as a skilled legislator and judge and was apparently much occupied with administration. Marcus continued to pursue philosophy throughout his life and, on a visit to Athens, proclaimed himself “Protector of Philosophy.” He died while on tour in what is now Vienna.

Mill, John Stuart (1806–1873): John Stuart Mill was the son of the historian James Mill, a close follower of the Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Bentham and Mill developed a rigorous system of upbringing and education for the young John Stuart, who was isolated from other children and taught Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and algebra from age 3. By the time he was 10, he could read Plato in Greek and composed poetry in classical Greek. In his teens, Mill studied logic, rhetoric, history, and economics, but by age 20, he suffered a psychological collapse. Mill married Harriet Taylor, a brilliant young woman, and with her was a forceful advocate for the rights of women, for political liberty, and for a social policy aimed at the bene¿ t of the masses of ordinary people. Mill’s essays on political philosophy were widely read in his own time and are still inÀ uential today.

Nietzsche, Friedrich (1844–1900): Nietzsche grew up in a middle-class Prussian family. He excelled in his studies, particularly in music and literature, and pursued theology and philology at the University of Bonn. Despite his parents’ piety, he dropped theology and devoted himself to classical philology. Under the inÀ uence of Arthur Schopenhauer, he also developed an intense interest in philosophy and science. In 1869, Nietzsche was appointed, at age 24, professor of philology at Basle. Nobody before or since has held such a chair at such a young age. Nietzsche held the chair for 10 years, before his health declined, and during that period, he began his philosophical work. He was a close friend of the composer Richard Wagner during his early days at Basle but became estranged from Wagner later, breaking with him over political and cultural issues. In 1879, Nietzsche resigned his chair because of ill health, and for the next 10 years, he traveled Europe and wrote almost all of his most inÀ uential philosophical books. By 1889, however, Nietzsche descended into madness. From that time, his sister and mother cared for him, and he was frequently hospitalized. He died in 1900.

ĝƗntideva (8th century C.E.): We know almost nothing of the life of ĝƗntideva. All biographical sources agree that he was born a Brahmin, converted to Buddhism, and studied at Nalanda University in present-day Bihar state in India. He composed two principal works, Siksasamuccaya

(“Collection of Teachings”) and BodhicƗryƗvatƗra (“How to Lead an Awakened Life”).

Seneca (c. 4-65 CE): We know little of Seneca’s early life, although his was an inÀ uential family. One of his brothers was a proconsul, and Seneca himself became tutor to the emperor Nero. He studied Stoic philosophy with eminent teachers but seems to have been at odds with the court, nearly executed by Caligula and exiled by Claudius. Nonetheless, he returned to Rome to serve as Nero’s tutor and counselor. Once again, however, he fell into political disrepute and retired to write. Seneca was later accused of participating in a conspiracy to assassinate Nero and was ordered to commit suicide, which he did. He was a remarkable writer, and his letters and essays have been widely read and have inÀ uenced many subsequent ethicists and moral psychologists.

Siddhartha Gautama (c. 500 B.C.E.–c. 420 B.C.E.): Siddhartha Gautama, more commonly known as ĝakyamuni Buddha or just the Buddha, was born in Lumbini to the royal family in the small state of Kapilavastu, in presentday Nepal. The precise dates of his life are uncertain, and he may have lived as much as 50 years earlier or later than the dates indicated here. What we know of his life derives from the record of his teachings and from frankly hagiographic biographies. He was raised in the royal palace as crown prince, but in his early 30s, he abandoned the palace for the life of a wandering ascetic. He studied for several years under a series of teachers and ¿ nally set off on a solitary quest for understanding, culminating in his experience of awakening at Bodh Gaya, in present-day Bihar state in India. Following that experience, he taught for about 50 years, wandering through what is now northern India and Nepal, attracting numerous disciples and the patronage of several powerful kings, and establishing a monastic community. He died at the age of 80 in Kushinagar in what is now Uttar Pradesh state.

Tolstoy, Lev (Leo) (1828–1910): Count Leo Tolstoy was born into one of the most distinguished Russian noble families, but his own youth was undistinguished. He did poorly in school, dropped out of university, ran up huge gambling debts, and joined the army. Between 1857 and 1861, Tolstoy traveled extensively in Europe. During this time, he met eminent European writers and political thinkers, experienced the difference between liberal European states and the repressive Russian regime, and was exposed to new ideas about education. He returned to Russia an anarchist and a paci¿ st and with a passionate interest in the elevation of the serfs through education. He founded schools for his own serfs’ children and began to write the magni¿ cent novels for which he is so famous, novels critical of war, of the state, and of middle-class society. Tolstoy became a devout Christian and fused his Christianity with his commitment to nonviolence. He communicated with Gandhi and was inÀ uential in Gandhi’s own fusion of religious fervor, nonviolence, and criticisms of modernity and the state. At the end of his life, at age 82, Tolstoy renounced his wealth and left home to become a wandering ascetic, but he died of pneumonia shortly after setting out.