Product Description
One of the worlds foremost spiritual leaders, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has traveled the globe to spread his undying message of compassion, love, peace, and kindness for close to a half-century. The Dalai Lama: His Essential Wisdom is a collection of hundreds of inspiring quotations from His Holiness. The selections are drawn largely from his writings, teachings, interviews, speeches, and other statements made during the course of his more than forty-eight years as the exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.In these excerpts, the Dalai Lama reflects with wisdom that is both profound and down to earth upon the need for compassion and kindness, the search for happiness, the way to peace, the meaning of pain and suffering, the role of religion, the power of meditation, and the challenges of life in the modern world. In other selections, His Holiness recalls his singular childhood and the turmoil surrounding the Communist takeover of Tibet.Brimming with warmth, humor, and practical advice, the selections gathered here powerfully illuminate why His Holiness the Dalai Lama is beloved the world over for his timeless wisdom for all humanity. I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life. Anger and hatred areour real enemies. They are the forces we most need to confront and defeat, not the temporary enemies who appear intermittently throughout our life. And unless we train our minds to reduce their negative force, they will continue to disturb us and disrupt our attempts to develop a calm mind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

My security blanket!
I picked this book up at a B&N for $7 and was instantly hooked. The book contains paragraphs of wisdom related to different topics: Pain/Suffering/Patience, Anger/Forgiveness, Karma, Happiness and many other subjects.

What I really love about the book is that it is so grounded and down to Earth. The way the wisdom is shared is as if he is having an intimate conversation with a good friend. His quirky personality shines through and makes it very easy to resonate with if you enjoy watching him or listening to him speak. His innocent and peaceful perspective is

I keep the book on my desk and refer to it randomly throughout the day. It is wonderful, heartwarming brain-food and I hope to enjoy this book for a really long time. ... Read more

Product Description
The Dalai Lama is the most beloved spiritual and political leader of our time. For believers and nonbelievers alike, this gentle monk embodies the spirit of compassion, love, and nonviolent resistance to tyranny. His Holiness the Dalai Lama draws upon interviews with more than fifty individuals to present readers with an uncommonly intimate portrait of His Holiness. These women and men to tell their stories, often sharing surprising insights into the Dalai Lama’s life and personality to evoke the true character of the Dalai Lama and the effect he has on all who meet him. Offering a uniquely comprehensive and balanced portrait of one of the most compelling public figures of our time, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is essential reading for Dalai Lama fans, Tibetan Buddhism devotees, and students of modern culture. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the world's spiritual leaders and a renowned wilderness photographer combine their visions of Tibet in this beautiful book. Essays by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama appear with Galen Rowell's dramatic images in a moving presentation of the splendors of Tibet's revered but threatened heritage. Color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Spectacular photos from world-renowned photographer Galen Rowell and essays by the Dalai Lama
This is two books in one. First, it's a coffee-table type book with spectacular photos from world-renowned photographer Galen Rowell. The photos include the mountains and valleys, nomads and pilgrims, animals and plants, and chapters on Amdo, Lhasa, and Mount Kailash.

Second, it features essays by the Dalai Lama that give insight to the photos. His topics include ecology, environment, spirituality, Lhasa and Mount Kailash.

A great book....
The photographs in this book are simply breathtaking. The daily life of the everyday Tibetan come across vividly. The commentary by the Dalai Lama gives insight to the photos. I don't know if I would want to ever move to Tibet, but this book made me realize that it's a beautiful country.

... wow ...
I received this book today ... and I'm stunned ... don't hesitate, just order it ... put together by 2 individuals, each enlightened in his own unique way ... a king in exile, a monk, a man ... the other, an image maker, who sees with his soul, and lives for his craft ... about a land on top of the world, with history and culture as old and deep as the Himalayas are high ... the results are magical ... the photography and text flow from page to page ...

STUNNING!!!
My husband bought this book to use the images of buddhist monks for a tattoo. He was going to leave it with the tattoo artist as a gift but decided to bring it home instead. I am so very glad he did!!!! I havebecome very interested in Tibetan Buddhism as well as the nature of theTibetan land and people. Of all the information I have come across, thisbook is by far the most beautiful! The photography is stunning and theDalai Lama's text is very moving. I highly recommend this to anyone who hasan interest in Tibet or Buddhism. It is simply awe inspiring! ... Read more

Product Description
Clear, eloquent, simple and profound, His Holiness' teachings are easily accessible to beginning practitioners, yet richly nourishing to those more advancedin practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Introductory Teachings on Lamrim
This book is a translation, based on an oral teaching of H. H. the Dalai Lama, of the First Panchen Lama's (Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen) Lamrim (Stages of the Path) text entitled "Path to Bliss Leading to Omniscience."

Lamrim originates with Atisha, the Indian teacher who came to Tibet and brought together the "vast" and "profound" teachings of Maitreya and Manjushri (respectively) into what became the Kadampa school, which Lama Tsongkhapa later reformed into the Gelugpa school, to which H.H. the Dalai Lama belongs. Thus, Lamrim teachings are especially important to Gelugpas.

Lamrim -- which means 'stages of the path' -- is basically a gradualistic approach to enlightenment. One begins by examining one's current situation with meditations on death and impermanence, karma, rebirth in lower realms, etc. This leads one to wish to seek a positive rebirth. This is the initial capacity.

After realizing this, however, one then meditates on the defects of samsara (cyclic existence) in general. One comes to desire liberation from all suffering -- becoming an arhat or liberated being. This is the middle capacity.

However, then it is important to generate the mind of a bodhisattva -- the intention to help all beings be liberated from suffering. This is the greater capacity, and here on eneters the Mahayana path. Thus one engages in Tonglen meditation and other forms of Lojong (mind training) meditations in order to generate extremely powerful compassion and motivation. This propels one forward along the path to buddhahood and the ability to help all beings.

For those not very familiar with the basic points of Lamrim, this will be a very helpful text -- it includes all the points of the path as well as good explanations on Tonglen and the 7-limb cause and effect method for generating bodhicitta (altruistic intention of a bodhisattva). It is important that every Gelugpa practitioner understand these basics.

That being said, this text is most suitable to accompany teachings, since reading it on its own will not answer all your questions. It should be accompanied by a qualified teacher, who will guide you through the specific meditations. There is not enough material here to use for doing the meditations on your own, nor would this be very beneficial, in my opinion.

This is not, however, an introductory book to Tibetan Buddhism! Some background is required. For example, it presumes you are already doing guru yoga.

Good luck!

Another Great Snow Lion Publication
This book is derived from talks given by the Dalai Lama at theTibetan Buddhist temple in Dharamsala, India in 1998. The focal point is on the Lamrim (or meditative stages of the path to enlightenment) started in the 11th century by Atisha. His Holiness clarifies the introductory practices, like creating a favorable environment and training the mind, and then gives the primary meditations of the Lamrim on confidence in a spiritual trainer and appreciating human aptitude. He unravels the many layered practices for beginners of all sorts of capacity.

As stated by the Dalai Lama here, a gentle heart and compassion for all beings are the genuine foundations for peace and bliss. Working for all beings brings internal riches that are incalculable. In one of the more concise portions, he elucidates the Six Perfections and the Four Ripening Factors. What's communicated here are the psychological insights of Tibetan Buddhism's appreciation of morality and right action. These teachings on trainingthe mind and the path of selflessness are delicate and appealing. Many of the views expressed in this text are very esoteric and may take some preliminary understanding of Tibetan Buddhism in order to truly grasp. With that said, The Dalai Lama did a wonderful job of trying to explain these rough concepts to precisely that crowd of people (those unfamiliar with it all). So it's a good book for beginners and adepts alike. Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
One of the most accessible introductions to Tibetan Buddhism ever published. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A tough read
I worked my way through this book out of personal commitment to the Dalai Lama and his ideals. No doubt a profoundly insightful teaching, it was a bit too esoteric for me. If you already know a lot about Buddhism, you may be able to make your way through this book easier than I.

So much to take in but worth the effort
Great book for those interested in Buddhism. I have just started getting involved in Buddhism and this book is a great asset. Do not think you will read or listen to it just once. You will continue to pour over this book and each time get more knowledge out if.

The Path to Enlightenment
For the last forty years, the Tibetan government has been exiled in India. In 1959 the new Communist Chinese government forced the non-violent Tibetan Buddhist government, lead by the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, to flee the land in preparation to overtake the Tibetan people. In his years in exile the Dalai Lama has written literature on the Tibetan Buddhist way of life, not only to attract the Buddhist population but the world's religions. This life is one of clarity, love, and good deeds. Path to Enlightenment, which is a commentary on the third Dalai Lama's Essence of Refined Gold, gives spiritual advice through the eyes of Buddhist over a span of many years, defining the life of a Tibetan Buddhist. The writing of Tenzin Gyatso and Sonam Gyatso together is showing us Buddha's principal on the path to enlightenment. ALong with defining the Lam Rim, which are the stages on the spiritual path. His holiness described the difficulty of attaining Nirvana(full Buddhahood), but urges determination. Path to Enlightenment makes one aware of the steps that must be taken in advance for the true inner peace., while giving up the expectation of a quick fix to a problem. The Dalai Lama explains how to cultivate a person's own meditative concentration, to give the mind a clear state. A person has to train their mind to discipline themselves, but enlightenment is feasible by any human being.

His Holiness
His Holiness is truly amazing, and his thoughts truly profound.Within the pages of this text you can explore the depths of your consciousness, and end up seeing the world and oneself in a totally new light. Trulyamazing ... Read more

Product Description
A little book for those in search of words to calm and inspire. In this gift book His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches us how to deal with suffering.The Dalai Lama's Book of Awakening contains His Holiness thoughts on The Four Noble Truths -- the very foundation of Buddhist teaching.The Four Noble Truths -- the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, the truth of the path leading to this cessation -- was the first sermon the Buddha gave after he was enlightened. In this little book, His Holiness presents a comprehensive explanation of the subject, helping us to gain a better understanding of the Four Noble Truths.'Whenever I have been given the opportunity to introduce Buddhism I always make it a point to explain Buddhism in terms of two principles. One is the development of a philosophical viewpoint based on the understanding of the interdependent nature of reality. And the second principle is that of non-violence which is the actual action of a Buddhist practitioner and which derives from that view of the interdependent nature of reality.' His Holiness the Dalai Lama ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thought Provoking
I bought this book in preparation for a 5-day seminar (entitled From the Big Bang to Consciousness) with the author Pier Luigi Luisi.Because I have no background or knowledge of biology, some scientific concepts presented in this book were difficult to understand. However, Luigi's writing style is pleasantly conversational and warm, which makes the content much more accessible.He captured the spirit of this conference which brought scientists from a number of disciplines andBuddhist scholars and religious leaders together. Thediscussions betweenthese two groups focussed on their beliefs about the origins and nature of life and how both the scientific and spiritual community had much to learn from each other.I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the intersection of science and spirituality. ... Read more

Product Description
This practical little gem will guide and inspire Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cliff Notes Version of "Transforming the Mind"
The book "Transforming the Mind" by His Holiness the Dalie Lama is an essential "how to" book on learning to foster wisdom and compassion in your daily life.This is the wonderful "Cliff Notes" version of the same.Small and easy to carry with you.I consider both vital tools for growth and peace of mind. Most highly recommended.

Huge wisdom from a little tiny book
A wonderful companion book to the Dalai Lama's "Transforming the Mind." I keep this little book (be prepared: it's only about 4" square!) on my computer at work and refer to it in times of stress (about every half hour).

"The Book of Transformation" has actually taken the most important concepts of "Transforming the Mind" and put them here. I think it's a great idea, especially if you are like me and enjoy going back and re-reading certain sections.

I'd recommend reading "Transforming the Mind" first, then keeping this little book with you at all times! It will constantly remind you that generating compassion for all living beings is a wonderful way to bring true joy into your own life, as well as spreading joy everywhere you go. The world could learn a lot from this Nobel Peace Price recipient. ... Read more

Product Description
Born out of a decade of discussion between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and international management consultant Laurens van den Muyzenberg, The Leader’s Way is the unique meeting of two worlds: the global business landscape and Buddhism. At first sight, these seem to be an unlikely pairing. After a closer look, however, the best business practices and Buddhist principles in fact have much in common; both are concerned with making rational, holistic decisions and turning them into responsible, effective action. Indeed, the teachings of Buddhism have much to offer business leaders.

The world today faces many unique challenges: the worst global recession in over seventy-five years, with millions out of jobs and entire economies in a tailspin; billions of people living in abject poverty; the imminent threat of an environmental meltdown. Even prosperous businesses and leaders feel insecure about the future. A new kind of leadership is needed–one that sees events as they really are and understands the interconnectedness, impermanence, and interdependence of individuals, companies, and the global economic system.

Through fascinating insights and day-to-day examples, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers practical tools and advice on how to lead in our twenty-first-century world. Drawing on the wise teachings of Buddhism, he says, we can become better, more informed leaders as individuals, achieve more progressive leadership in our organizations, and help address some of the world’s most pressing problems. Moreover, we can improve the quality of life for all by promoting responsible, ethical, and profitable business practices. That is the leader’s way.

A rewarding, surprising view into the life and thoughts of one of the world’s most inspiring leaders, The Leader’s Way provides a powerful manifesto for leading change at every level–in our lives, our organizations, and the wider world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A hopeful message for leaders
This is a book that needs to be read slowly, and digested thoughtfully.It requires a shift in perspective - a mindful approach. And while the terms "right view" (taking a wise view) and "right conduct" (doing the right thing) may seem awkward to our Western ears, putting them into practice in organizations would improve the well-being of all of us involved in, and affected by, organizations.

Having taught in business schools for well over 30 years - but on the "people" side of management, rather than the "financial" side - I especially appreciated the discussion about profit-making not being the sole purpose of business.Necessary, yes, but the Dalai Lama makes a strong case for the more appropriate goal of business being to meet the needs of their customers while acting responsibly - thus, assuring a healthy profit.

It was also refreshing to see the call for leaders in both business and government to "take the initiative in addressing poverty, promoting environmental sustainability, protecting human rights and access to justice, making diversity a strength." (p. 191)This is an ongoing exhortation in the book and one that gives me great hope for a future of greater peace and prosperity across the world, even during these troubling times. Hopeful examples of companies making great strides in the areas of corporate responsibility, environmental sustainability, and the fight against poverty are described in detail.I can imagine this book being used very effectively in Business Ethics courses.

I liked the way they alternated between the voices of the two authors.Each adds their own unique perspective, which reinforces and extends that of the other.The messages are very consistent and convincing.

V. Jean Ramsey
Co-author of Reframing Change: How to Deal with Workplace Dynamics, Influence Others, and Bring People Together to Initiate Positive Change

business essential
The book seems relevant to students of business, regardless of one's experience.The Dalai Lama is interested in capitalism over socialism for its vitality and possibilities.He offers his insights into making choices based on "right thinking, right view."Life for many people in the business world could be much less stressful and much more meaningful if companies would adopt some of the Dalai Lama's suggestions.

The Leader's Way
Every CEO or business learder should read this book.The Dali Lama gently reminds us to get back to a point where compassion, purpose and brotherhood are the basic foundations of the free marketplace. This book can help lead the way.

Worth the time
I am the owner of a small manufacturing food business in Boulder Colorado. I am a Buddhist so this book was definitely in my wheel house. Having said that I would recommend this book to other business people who are looking for alternatives to the mind set that most American firms today have on profit and competition. The businesses culture today is so obsessed with maximizing profit that we are missing a broader picture of what we can accomplish in business and what businesses can do for society in general. This books addresses alternative ways of approaching business that accomplishes the goals of profit but also how your time spent in business can better yours and others everyday life, worthy goals.

A surprisingly practical guide, enthusiastically recommended for business owners and proprietors of all faiths
The Leader's Way: The Art of Making the Right Decisions in Our Careers, Our Companies, and the World at Large is the unabridged audiobook presentation of wisdom gleaned from a decade of exchange between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and international management consultant Laurens van den Muyzenberg. Revealing that ethical, financially sound business practices and Buddhist principles have much more in common than one might guess, The Leader's Way addresses issues crucial to the modern international business world - widespread poverty, the risk of destructive environmental practices leading to climate change or overpollution, the interconnectedness of the global economic system, and what the principle of impermanence means to business. A surprisingly practical guide, enthusiastically recommended for business owners and proprietors of all faiths. 5 CDs, 6 hours.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great man, timeless ideas, good book, difficult chapters
This is the 2nd book I've read by the Dalai Lama - the other is The Little Book of Inner Peace.Like other reviewers, I have very high degree of respect for this great man.There are words that come from the heart and if you're open to it, can touch yours.These ideas (e.g., we all seek happiness and to avoid suffering) are the timeless ideas that I mention in my title.There are many great verses and chapters packed with insightful words that could help you think about how you are and how you should lead your life.Thus it is a good book.As other reviewers point out, this book is really a collections of talks he held during a tour of the US in the late 1970's.The tour had a variety of audiences from Buddhist scholars to more mainstream interested civilians.Some of the chapters on the differences in approach of the various brances of Buddhism (Tibetan Budhism in particular) are very difficult and ultimately not very rewarding for the casual reader.Thus the point about "difficult" chapters.

There is enough quality thought and insight in this (and probably his other) books that deserves a very large audience.By culling the more esoteric discussions on the various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, I believe he could touch the hearts of many more people.It may sound like "Dalai Lama Buddhist Philosophy for Dummies," but I don't view it that way.The things required to make one a better person can still be hard choices with long, difficult paths but the presentation of the most relevant and interesting materials could probably be done in an even better fashion.I'm sure the current editors could do it, or they could help him find one that can.

Deep read
I found this to be another enlightening read. I give it four stars only because there are points in the book that require greater understanding of concepts that I have either not given much thought to or haven't yet looked in to. That is not to say they are not spot on but because I am unable to fully relate to them I cannot 5 star a review on them. In particular were the lectures on Tibetan Views on Dying, the Two Truths and Union of the Old and New Translation Schools.

Overall, this one was 4.5 stars. Everything I have read by the Dalai Lama enlightens me in some way and that stands with this book. His lectures on enlightnment, the Four Noble Truths and Religion are great. I definitely recommended this work to all seeking a greater understanding of who we are and how we should be.

NOBLE TRUTHS
I'm glad to see this deluxe 25th anniversary edition. This is a great and varied overview of The Dalai Lama's teachings (from his historic first visit to America), that I have considered a classic since it first came out (although probably not his best or easiest book to read).

I had the good fortune of attending his 1979 talk in Seattle, and his teaching on the "Four Noble Truths" was a pivotal moment in my life. I was a typically confused and searching college student who had wondered before if enlightenment was even possible, but his clear outline and explanation of the causes of suffering and path to liberation showed me, in His Holiness's clear example, that it is possible and accessible to anyone who pursues it. Jeffrey Hopkins lucid and practically simul-translation was equally impressive (I felt I was witnessing a mind-meld of the two).

Perhaps most powerful was the context of this talk. The lecture hall at the U of W was packed and intimate. I had a great seat right in the middle. Only a few minutes into H.H's introductory talk on world peace (which he gave in English), he was interrupted by several RED BOOK waving Maoists, yelling, "Death to the Dalai Lama!" As one woman stood up in the front row and berated him, H.H came to the edge of the stage and listened with concern. The hall was stunned into silence. I found myself crying from the shock of it, and then a fellow stood up from the seat in front of me and yelled, "Sit down and shut up, you f_ckin' Commie!", and the spell was broken and we all chuckled and relaxed. After the protesters were carried out, H.H. said something like, "This is why we need to be discussing world peace." He then finished his intro and brought out Hopkins to translate his more technical Buddhist teaching on the path to enlightenment. My mind was open and ripe for the Dharma. The kindness, clarity and insight of the moment was magical. Within a year I had become a Buddhist myself...

The East in the West - from a living source
Well, one need only open to the first address in Constitution Hall and read the words of Congressman Charles G. Rose, "This is a holy instant for all Americans." to get the feeling we are in for something special.Then when we open at Claremont College with the Dalai Lama's own words, "It is necessary for us to familiarize with and get used to good attitudes, but our habituation to bad emotions such as hatred makes a huge obstacle.Thus, we need to identify the various forms of bad afflictive emotions and combat them right on the spot.If you gradually become accustomed to controlling bad attitudes, over a period of years it is possible even for someone who often used to get very angry to become calm."Well, if you can identify with that or if you want to be able to achieve that, then keep at it and buy this book to further your progress.

TRULY HARD TO UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF THIS BOOK I FIND SPECTACULAR. I MEAN THAT HAVE ALTERED MY LIFE BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT IS SO INCREDIBLY HARD TO FOLLOW. I HAD TO READ SOME PARAGRAPHS 3 TIMES AND STILL DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT AND I'M AN EDUCATOR!!! THE TERMINOLOGY IS DIFFICULT AND THERE ARE WORDS IN THERE THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. THE MEANING BEHIND THE BOOK IS WONDERFUL AND I SIMPLY WISH I COULD COMPREHEND IT ALL :-(. ... Read more

Product Description
This work presents the Dalai Lama's prescription for the spiritual expansion of humankind. Addressing what he sees as the spiritual void in modern society, the Dalai Lama calls for the necessity of virtue and greater compassion. Besides discussing ways in which we may care for the environment, he gives guidance in the techniques of contemplation. Written as a form of spiritual handbook, this work is also a complement to "Freedom in Exile", the Dalai Lama's autobiography. ... Read more

Product Description
From His Holiness the Dalai Lama comes a practical, uplifting answer to an age-old question: how do we become enlightened? ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (14)

visionary
I thoroughly enjoyed the book.I love the perspective that the Dali Lama brings to the history of Asia.It really is a complete history of Tibet and the influence of its neighbors. Very well written and interesting. A must read for anyone interested in Buddhism.

To Understand Tibet-China Debate, Read this
"Conversations with the Dalai Lama" covers 9 years of in-depth meetings that the author had with the present Dalai Lama of Tibet about the history of that country. I found it so engrossing and wanted to share so much of it with you that I littered the pages with pieces of paper and finally resorted to dog-earing this poor copy in my hands. What a great project for one man of greatness and a sound background in history and life in Asia to undertake. He had the total confidence of the Dalai Lama and his insights and comments about how the Dalai Lama lives now is extremely interesting and helpful in understanding the man. I found this to be more helpful than anything I have read so far and recommend it without reservation to everyone reading this now!

A Case for A Free Tibet
This is a remarkable and valuable work which combines in one volume an entire bookshelf of concepts.First, it presents to the Western reader an overview of the history of Tibet from ancient times to the present.Secondly, it examines the sources of the People's Republic claim to the territory and people of Tibet and mounts a countervailing challenge.Thirdly and most uniquely, it records a series of interviews the author had with the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, obtaining his view and commentary on the history of his native land.

In the final part of the book, history, challenge and commentary all come together in a unique exploration of the geopolitical issues concerning Tibet and China. One can see why this is such a thorny issue for the Chinese and why they desperately protest anything to do with the Dalai Lama and his visits to other nations.

Hollywood has made Tibet into Shangri-La, a mystic mountain land of wonders.Laird's portrait of this ancient land shows that the facts can be even more amazing.However, his overview of early history is uphill work for the reader.In sharp contrast, when he interviews the Dalai Lama, Laird adopts a more journalistic style and these interviews are real gems.The Dalai Lama is an authentic personality with a clear if unique perspective and the pages sparkle when he is talking, brimming with sadness, determination, optimism and humor.

The author has attempted to blend a conventional history with the commentary of an unconventional (by Western standards) man.That these things mix no better than oil and water is not the author's fault.The Dalai Lama's insistence that there is the common history that all can see plus an uncommon history working beyond the surface is an illuminating aspect to the ongoing drama between China and Tibet.

Western history meets Eastern commentary
Subtitled if boldly "Conversations with the Dalai Lama," this combines interviews and commentary about Tenzin Gyatso's homeland with Laird, who offers a popular history of the embattled nation. I stress "nation": this collaborative work stresses the claims that Tibet's entitled to its own independence, as it was taken over somewhat as a client state by the Mongols and then the Manchu rulers in tandem with China, not as a vassal of China itself, but around the same time, if in different contexts, from the larger subservient entity around present-day (if greater) Mongolia. This may smack of nitpicking, but in fact it distinguishes Tibetan rights to be recognized as its own sovereign state, rather than the dubious PRC (following the Kuomintang Nationalist government) argument that China should incorporate Tibet "back" into its empire.

If you have little interest in such a treatment, you'd best go elsewhere for more romantic or more propagandistic fare. This book, written for a wide audience, nonetheless devotes considerable space to debunking not only the illusion (held by some New Age admirers today) that a strife-free, non-martial Shambhala materialized in medieval times, but the common leftist riposte that it was a corrupt realm of cruel monks, feudal savagery, or serf-perpetuated ignorance. It's not always a grippingly narrated tale, especially in long stretches of tedious medieval and early modern sections, but the novelty of hearing Tibetan history echoed and elaborated by the Dalai Lama via Laird's own knowledge, interpretations, and comparisons to Western models makes this an inherently valuable document.

Laird's careful to assert his own Western understanding of how politics can infiltrate into the purportedly religious condition into which the Dalai Lamas have been born. He serves often as a skeptical foil for the Fourteenth Dalai Lama's hesitant disclaimers and introverted aversions to his leadership role when-- as a youth of sixteen-- he found himself set up by Mao to be manipulated, perhaps, into the Communist's potential dupe as their prize convert to collectivist purity and Marxist fervor. This poignant story of the current Dalai Lama's predicament's terribly deepened. You learn what's far too little taught: about 20-40 million whom Mao and his regime killed of their own people, and the 500,000-1.2 million Tibetans murdered since the triumph of Marxism. We in the West prefer often to ignore these facts, but such data have been compiled.

From Tibet, as Laird notes, we can predict how China may treat other minorities and neighbors, and how determinedly the PRC manipulates spokespeople from East and West whom it favors or monitors to tell its sanitized story in our media. This spin-doctoring proves relevant. It tells us if we care to hear beyond the commercials and the glitz many serious lessons amidst our global post-Olympic awe at China's supposed human rights "progress." The Dalai Lama's eloquent at times and then bitter when he summarizes the idealism of the early cadres, his own admiration for what he was promised would accompany Marxist reforms, and his own disillusionment at the spiritual and physical distortions that befall those Chinese who warped after young optimism for a cause curdled into deceit, invasion, and thuggery.

The brief accounts of torture, slaughter, and destruction inflicted on Tibet by China here humble you, and one must ask if China's advances economically and socially rest indeed on a legacy of rapine and plunder no less savage than that done by imperialists elsewhere. The Tibetans-- facing capitulation or extermination-- have been left with little choice. Despite the claims that many modern nations admire non-violent resistance more than revolution against tyranny, which countries stand by Tibet today? Out of all the United Nations in 1950, only El Salvador sponsored, as Laird shows years ago, a resolution in the UN condemning China's invasion, and such protests mattered in the long run about as much as may a few banner-waving activists in the Olympic Stadium a few days ago, I suppose, vs. the clout that 1.3 billion people hold over the silence of 6 million natives of Tibet. I hope I am disproved in the future.

One intriguing aspect of this story of overwhelming force vs. principled resistance emerges in how the Dalai Lama had to survive with next to nothing of worldliness or a knowledge of realpolitik let alone the outside world when he had to deal with being a prize captive-- or hostage so to speak-- of Mao and his minions in the early 1950s. Laird prods the Dalai Lama to reveal more of his own reactions to this dangerous diplomatic situation in which he suddenly found himself. Eager manipulations and nimble retellings of history by the PRC belie their frequent mendacity regarding the status of Tibet today and historically. What the Dalai Lama articulates historically-- in talks with Laird-- as a patron-priest relationship of Tibetan rulers with their Chinese contacts and Mongol emissaries, akin to popes and emperors in medieval Europe, becomes more the predecessor for the Mongol-Tibetan and then Chinese-Tibetan power-sharing rather than the hegemony willed by China, past and present.

Regarding critiques by other reviewers, I found that Laird never strikes a worshipful tone or a credulous stance towards what the Dalai Lama explains or what Tibet's defenders counter. Laird gives as good as he gets, and he holds his own ground against what he regards now and then as the naivete or intransigence of his formidable interlocutor, one of the very few people alive who, as Laird comments, has dealt with every president from FDR on. The Dalai Lama and Laird talked at length over a period of years, but they never become over-familiar. It's a meeting of two smart people, rather than inspirational claptrap, conversational blather, or pat platitudes. It's a study in how the world works, vs. how some of us less wordly would like it to work.

The appeal of Buddhism also permeates parts of the Dalai Lama's exchanges with Laird, a skeptic at best. Even he is moved by the compassion the Dalai Lama embodies. He sees what we cannot: a double vision of the common and the uncommon. This fits not only with Buddhism acceptance of transience and impermanence, but with, as Laird cleverly shows, many Westerners in their acceptance of the Resurrection despite its clashing with "facts." If billions can believe in the rising of one from the dead despite our everyday knowledge that what's dead stays dead, then, looking at Tibet through the Dalai Lama's eyes, we can better perceive the multiple perspective appreciated by him and other Buddhist adepts.

Such similarities and contrasts with our own culture and mindsets make this one of the book's strongest appeals for readers curious, unfamiliar, or mystified by the continuing appeal of Tibet in the judgment and dreams of so much of the world today. Tibet's not a mystical playground, but it has amassed a cultural patrimony and spiritual legacy worth preserving, and its defense should -- in an idealistic world again-- remain our priority even in our debased condition! You don't have to be Buddhist to learn many lessons here.

Impressive Work on Tibet
This book is a fabulous source for any one interested in Tibet, it's history, culture, as well as the situation today.The scope is so broad that it reflects on the history of all of Asia. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive introduction to Buddhism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book to increase you understanding of Human nature
This book teaches us to have compassion, forgiveness and love for mankindand the it teaches very practical ways to diminish or abolosh jealousy:(pag 175) : admiring one's own and others'virtues serves as an antidote tojealousy, and he also teaches the virtues and wisdom of the golden mean=the middle way school, which means that not everything is black and white ,that sometimes it is better to choose the middle path or that sometimesboth parties have some truth to what they are saying , so it is bette toincorporate some of those truths into the final compromise to live a moresuccessful life. The Dalai lama also explains (pag. 196) that to be morerealistic we need to be more: open and FLEXIBLE in our mental attitudes ,thinking and habits, then with these teaching in mind we can become moreprepare to be able to overcome the un-real ILLUSIONS that we have aboutorselves and to overcome the distorted ideas that we have about others andalso with these teachings and explanations we can also increase ourEmotional Intelligence . Sincerely ; ING.EMILIO CRISTANCHO GUEVARA ;e-mail = edfasa@hotmail.com ... Read more