Here is a moral system based on universal rather than religious principles. Its ultimate goal is happiness for every individual regardless of religious belief. Though the Dalai Lama is himself a practicing Buddhist, his approach to life and the moral compass that guides him can lead each and every one of us-Muslim, Christian, Jew, or Atheist-to a happier, more fulfilling life.
In a modern society characterized by insensitivity to violence, ambivalence to the suffering of others, and a high-octane profit motive, is talk of ethics anything more than a temporary salve for our collective conscience? The Dalai Lama thinks so. In his Ethics for the New Millennium, the exiled leader of the Tibetan people shows how the basic concerns of all people--happiness based in contentment, appeasement of suffering, forging meaningful relationships--can act as the foundation for a universal ethics.
His medicine isn't always easy to swallow, however, for it demands of the reader more than memorizing precepts or positing hypothetical dilemmas. The Nobel Peace laureate invites us to recognize certain basic facts of existence, such as the interdependence of all things, and from these to recalibrate our hearts and minds, to approach all of our actions in their light. Nothing short of an inner revolution will do. Basic work is required in nurturing our innate tendencies to compassion, tolerance, and generosity. And at the same time, "we need to think, think, think ... like a scientist," reasoning out the best ways to act from a principle of universal responsibility. Like a merging of the care and compassion of Jesus, the cool rationality of the Stoics, the moral program of Ben Franklin, and the psychology of William James, Ethics for the New Millennium is a plea for basic goodness, a blueprint for world peace. --Brian Bruya
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
the Dalai Lama transcends factionalism, denominalism:
(sorry in advance) anyone who isn't moved by the kindness & compassion; the hopeful sayings of HH the Dalai Lama is either too cynical or not in touch with the needs of our complex/complicated 'society'.
His wisdom-compassion for all of humanity (and others), his lack of a vested interest, speaks for itself.
transcends all religions:
Though self-consciously idealistic and at times maddeningly general, this book is profoundly insightful. What makes this palatable is that the Dalai Lama concedes his Buddhist biases, and then offers a framework for approaching to the worlds' problems (all of them!) that is independent of religion. Noting the danger of religion reinforcing self-centered notions, he references the common ground found in all religions, "overcoming suffering through the practice of ethical discipline and cultivation of love... more info
Fell quite short of my expectations...:
Although I thoroughly enjoyed many parts of this book and would recommend it to many people, I would not recommend it to everyone. I have given it a 3 star rating because of two main reasons. 1) The Dalai Lama fails to provide convincing arguments to those who don't already have views similar to his (i.e. that selflessness and non-violence are essential values), which is why this book will not appeal to those who need his advice the most. Compared to the Dalai Lama, I found M.K. Gandhi could make much... more info
Good Book on Basic Ethics:
I went to his gathering in Portland where he shared the contents of this book verbally in a distilled form. Much of the talk was identical to passages in the book. He recommends that the religions have tolerance and respect for each other. He shares an ethic that is fairly modern and shows how much he has changed since his earlier times. The message is very basic, many liberal philosophers have advocated the same thing. It is good that the Dalai Lama has put his voice in support of such views. I do feel... more info
