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Summary: Effect on the Reader
Review: The spiritual integrity and thoroughgoing goodness of the author shine through this book, with the astonishing result that the reader feels more compassionate after reading it and therefore(!) happier.
Rating:
Summary: Shows a great deal of study and thought on human nature.
Review: Reading this book is like sitting with a friend who shares the benefits of a great deal of his insight. It is a little lengthy, and could be easier to read, but its contents overshadow any drawbacks.It is obvious that the Dalai Lama has spent a long time studying human nature and philosophy, and this book gives everyone the opportunity to share in that knowledge. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on happiness; that some activities bring pleasure only because they are transitory. And the example that the pleasure one derives from the finest meal lasts only until the next time they are hungry. An excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent message, but...
Review: Wrong medium. If the intent of His Holiness is to spread the word, why didn't he publish it on the web, and make translations into several languages available? People could download it and contribute however much they wished to the Tibetan cause.
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Summary: Moving from the "me" back to the "we" way of thinking.
Review: The best. Why has it taken a lifetime of search to find someone who speaks to my mind and heart in such a way as to finally say to myself that finally this is "truth" about who I am and who we as humans are. Listen to this. Have your kids, grandkids, and parents listen to this. Give it to your best friend and worst enemy. There are no confusing parables here, just core truth.
Rating: 
Summary: Does no harm, maybe some good, fails on a critical point
Review: You can read the gushing praise in other reviews, so I'll only mention the major failing. He advises staying with the dominant religious beliefs of your culture. That means accepting the idea of free will, which is critical to the justification for the prevalence of violence and torture under Judeo-Christian(JCM) rule. (Buddhism too has faults, although this one may be less significant; Communism we all know; of others I know nothing.) Free will means that anyone who does bad things must be a tool of the devil, and should therefore be punished severely as a lesson for others to obey those more esteemed in the hierarchy of their religion. Conversely, those who do good should be rewarded by their Supreme Being and revered by us. Thus we can have in the US a "compassionate conservative" who, without hypocrisy, can advocate ever harsher punishments (even for victimless "crimes"), more deaths, more guns, tax benefits for the rich, a "Christian Nation", etc. The doctrine may destroy civilization, but it is a mere article of faith without a shred of evidence or any viable proposed mechanism. The cycle of repression, war, and genocide will never be broken so long as the doctrine of free will reigns supreme. BTW, "His Holiness", however fine a person he may be, is no holier than you or I. Few more obvious beneficiaries of good fortune can be found anywhere.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful book that touches your spirit
Review: This is truly a beautiful book. Speaking as a healer and an author, I am the world's first Post-Op Transsexual Two-Spirit Shaman and Chi Gung Master and I found that this book has truly helped me. The healing art that I practice is called The Way of Beauty and with it I have helped cases of everything from migraines and insomnia to infertility, strokes, and ovarian cancer but the art that the Dalai Lama practices could be called the way of happiness and it works on our spirits and our hearts. He is an incredible man with a beautiful perspective on life. Read this book, it can change your life as it gently shows you ways to improve. The neat thing is, by improving yourself, you can then help others and that's when you can make a difference in the world. -Lily of the Valley Carnie, author of Chi Gung: Chinese Healing, Energy, and Natural Magick
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Insight
Review: In his straight-forward, easy-to-read manner, the Dali Lama reminds us that ethics is about what we do, not about what we say or intend. For another interesting book on the subject, try "The Lone Ranger's Code of the West -- an adventure in values and ethics."
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Summary: Ethics without dogma
Review: His Holiness answers one of the pressing questions of modern times: Is it possible to be spiritually fulfilled and yet not religious. The answer, in His Holiness' mind at least, is a resounding "yes" and in this book he articulates a clear philosophy which cuts across lines of religion, class and creed and provides a guidepost to improvement of both self and society. Indeed, the thesis of the book is that the two are inextricable. Although the words are clear, His Holiness is not selling spiritual fulfilment in 12 easy steps. But the words are important and should be heeded. I would recommend this for anyone interested in His Holiness or His message, or anyone who asks the question "how can I be a better person?"
Rating:
Summary: Ethics for everyone...
Review: The Dalai Lama provides a basis for a universal set of ethics, transcending specific religions. His views are insightful and valuable as the US and the world struggle with morality in a multicultural and multi-religious environment. I recommend this book for anyone interested in ethics and morality.
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Summary: His Holiness' most powerful, cogent and compelling work yet
Review: 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!?
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