- Title
- Ethics for the New Millennium: His Holiness the Dalai Lama
- Author
- Lama, Dalai; Bstan-'Dzin-Rgy
- Publisher
- Riverhead Books
- Year
- 2001
- ISBN
- 1573228834
physical KP library, N/A if not
- Library
- N/A
Curriculum and Classification
- Subject
- Perspective and Eyeopeners
- MainCurriculum
- Business Design
- SubCurriculum
- Society 1 - Ethics and Sustainability
- Semester
- Semester 2
Abstract
Amazon.co.uk User review
A reader from Brighton, England Having read with great interest a lot of the Dalai Lama's other books, I found this one easily the most compelling. The language is simple and direct which has the effect of making some very complex ideas easy to understand. The Dalai Lama emerges as someone with a thorogoing understanding of human nature. But whereas his image is generally of someone who is limitlessly patient and benign, in this book he clearly shows that he has both depth and edge.
The Dalai Lama makes a very clear connection between human happiness and what he calls inner discipline. He also makes clear that it is not really meaningful to speak of compassion except in the context of self-restraint. This shows that Buddhism is much more than the feel-good religion it is sometimes taken for in the west. It also shows that Buddhist ethical thinking is much closer to traditional Judeao-Christian and even Catholic social teaching than one might suppose. In fact when this is taken on board it becomes much easier to understand the Dalai Lama's near insistence that people stick to the religious tradition of their own culture.
One of the most remarkable things about this book is his assertion that each of the major faith traditions are effective means of attaining human happiness. Stranger still for a major religious leader is his statement that, although religion is helpful, it is not actually essential if we are to be happy. What is essential is that we develop what he calls our basic human qualities. The first of these are love and compassion, but he also talks a lot about patience, tolerance, generosity and humility - each of which presuppose a degree of self discipline.
It is tempting to write the Dalai Lama off as an oddity - especially given the way he seems all too ready to cosy up to celebrities. But reading this book, you begin to get the feeling that there really is something going on inside his head. In none of his other books have I been able to detect the intelligence, the cogence and the incisiveness that is so obvious even through the sometimes mangled translations when you see him in the flesh.
As a would-be Catholic I can also say that the Dalai Lama's spiritual teachings are as relevant as any from within my own tradition. Is there any way the Pope could make him a Cardinal!? --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Reviews
Kaospilots reviews of the book. Please describe the book, why is it good or why is it bad (strength/weakness), what did the book do for you, and why do you recommend it. Plus of cause - you contact information so other people can discuss this with you and get more info if needed.
Emil Tin - emil@kaospilot.dk
About etichs and its background in all humanbeings whis for luck and happiness. An important book for all valuebased Kaospilots