The text for this book was taken from a series of public lectures given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in London during May of 1993. In the first selection titled "Contentment, Joy, and Living Well," he affirms the spiritual qualities we are born with: human affection, a sense of involvement, honesty, discipline, and human intelligence properly guided by good motivation. Of course, there is always room for self-improvement. Buddhists believe that individuals can transform themselves by expanding good qualities and reducing negative ones. He concludes with a salute to contentment which he sees as a key factor in attaining happiness.
Tibetan Buddhists do not try to run away from death like many in the West do. They have plenty of spiritual practices to help them deal with death and impermanence. They have also had to deal with feelings of anger and hated of the Chinese who occupy Tibet and have made a concerted effort to wipe out their religious tradition. His Holiness the Dalai Lama covers both of these topics along with the dynamics of giving and receiving, interdependence, and the challenges of humanity that ought to be taken on by the world's religions.
This little volume ends with a question-and-answer period covering subjects such as pollution, bigotry, retribution, genetic engineering, human emotions, meditation, euthanasia and much more. It is impossible to imagine any other spiritual leader responding in such an intelligent and sensitive way to a comparable set of questions.
