In April 2006, the prominent cultural anthropologist Noriyuki Ueda sat down with the Dalai Lama for a two-day conversation. The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most is the result of that long and lively conversation in Dharamsala. In this little book, the Dalai Lama explores what matters most in this life--from compassion, to the right use of anger, to the creation of a just society--with uncharacteristic candor. The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most includes the Dalai Lama's thoughts on: embracing anger to precipitate social change the role of competition in spiritual life conditional versus unconditional love soulless materialism exercising self-restraint in his position of power This book offers a unique perspective on the Dalai Lama's political and spiritual views. One of the real pleasures of this book is His Holiness' uncharacteristic candor. "I'm not only a socialist, but also a bit of a leftist, a Communist." In addition, it guides the reader through the complex reality of what it means to practice compassion in the here and now. Noriyuki Ueda is a well-known Japanese author, lecturer, and cultural anthropologist. In 2006, he was a visiting research fellow at the Center for Buddhist Studies at Stanford University where he taught a 20-part series on "Buddhism Today: Responses to New Global Challenges." |