Customer Reviews

Beyond Dogma: Dialogues and Discourses

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Browsing through a bookshelf with only the most vague notion of what I was looking for, my eyes were caught by the simple and yet powerful title of this book. At the time, I had little idea of what Buddhism was, and yet the title itself conveyed to me everything that seemed wrong with the religon of my upbringing.

Beyond Dogma is an inciteful and well-written treatise. It is one of my favorites written by the Dalai Lama, and the translation provides great clarity to his words. The autobiographical background of the Dalai Lama and the last fifty years in Tibet is in excellent context with the nature of Tibetan Buddhism. An excellent and easy read that is light on the complex theory and heavy on warmth and understanding.

After reading two books by the Dalai Lama, I can honestly say I would rather meet this one person more than anyone else alive today. He is an incredible man who has gone through many hardships but continues to have a positive outlook on humanity and even the men who occupy his country to this day.

You do not have to be Buddhist or even religious at all to gain a lot of insight from Beyond Dogma. As the title of the book implies, he really is the prime example of tolerance. He suggests it might be better for some people not to get stuck up on ceremonies or tradition and focus on what is important instead. Most religions at the heart are found on kindness, generosity, and humility. In fact, he speaks of several priests who took Buddhist vows but remained Christians because in essence, these virtues do not conflict. So he reaches out to people of all backgrounds. Part of this tolerance is because much of Buddhism does not require the same leaps of faith as other religions. You can reason through most of his discussions; you do not have to immerse yourself in scripture to understand what he says. He describes Buddhism as the Middle Way - between faith-based religion and secular philosophy - making it accessible to everyone.

His most recent book, the Art of Happiness, was very popular for its life-changing aspects. In addition to his sagely advice, this work also deals with international relations amongst differing religions and governments. Not surprising since it was written shortly after the Dalai Lama won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize and consists of interviews while visiting France in addition to narratives. He embraces the idea of a 'New World Order' like few other modern leaders have had the bravery to do.

The Dalai Lama is not a religious icon hidden away from the world; he discusses real-life problems in a modern society that is far removed from the mystical city of Lhasa. Meanwhile, he can still apply a wealth of knowledge from a vast amount of information from many fields. If you are anxious to learn more about Buddhism, Tibet, the East, or the Dalai Lama himself, this is a great book to own yourself or to give to curious friends.

Cavemen at one time had no religion but mere observations about their world with which to determine how they would treat each other, their world, and the other animals on earth with them. They had no benefit of religious interpretation, from any sect, no corporate guidance, or training, and no organized government to determine the sense of justice, or how to increase it. Yet, they survived! We know they survived because we live today. If we cannot improve on the efforts cave men used to define their world, we would be more ignorant than we think they were. In fact, they may have been smarter, or lived in a less complex world, for now the complexity we have does not assure a good result, nor one humane for today's world. To prevent going backwards rather than forwards, it may be necessary to contain religious ritual and dogma in a place reserved for personal belief, which we go beyond religion, or transcend it, to deal with the many different groups that man up the world, some religious, some not. Only government can do that, based upon personal responsibility simpy by recognizing that man is alive and is a part of the entire human race alive during his life. Conscientious development is the only reality and logic that makes sense to be all inclusive. Choosing the humanity of life, rather than the scorekeeping of religious dogma is required to maintain both order and morality since morality is uniquely clannish arising as it does from whichever religious sect imposes it. The doctrine of fairness and recognition requires that we reach beyond the narrow confines of different religions to see the world that exits around it in a mission of world survival, undaunted by tribal concerns and secular groups that are the unique styles of those particular groups. Ignoring religion may be much more important than ignoring humanity.

I had picked this book up in a bookstore and it fell to a page which had a question regarding sexuality and the answer given by the Delhi Lama. I later bought this book thinking it had a certain degree of information regarding exoteric beliefs and practices of the Buddhists. It does contain some information to this end but not to the degree that I had anticipated. Anyways, this was the question that was asked:

"What are improper sexual attitudes? What do you think of homosexuality, for example?"

"Something may be considered improper in terms of organs, time and place-where sexual relations involve inappropriate parts of the body or when they occur at an unsuitable time or place. These are the terms Buddhists use to describe sexual misconduct. The inappropriate parts of the body are the mouth and the anus, and sexual intercourse involving those parts of the body, whether with a man or a woman, is considered sexual misconduct; masturbation as well. As for when sexual intercourse takes place, if it is during the day, it is also held to be a form of misconduct, as is having intercourse with a partner who professes to certain principles such a sexual abstinence or celibacy, even if those vows are only temporary. To force someone to have intercourse also comes under the category of improper time. Inappropriate locations include temples, places of devotion, or positions where one partner is uncomfortable. A sexual act is deemed proper when the couple uses the organs created for sexual intercourse and nothing else. To have sexual relations with a prostitute paid by you and not by a third person does not, on the other hand, constitute improper behaviour. All these examples define what is and what is not proper sexual behaviour according to Buddhist morality. Homosexuality, whether it is between men or between women, is not improper in itself. What is improper is the use of organs already defined as inappropriate for sexual contact. Is this clear?" Pg 46.

As you read on into this book, you discover that there are those Buddhist monks of the same sex who would have sexual contact involving copulation between the thighs of the partner; a sexual action that avoided committing an expellable offence, since it did not involve penetration of the mouth or anus of the partner. It is however mentioned that this practice is shunned ultimately within the monasteries. Having sex with a person of the same sex utilising their thighs, still falls into the same basket of homosexual masturbation as far as I'm concerned. Hey, the Delhi Lama said it, not me. The comments above by the Delhi Lama apparently created quite a storm with the homosexual community in the USA. Interesting how the above comments by the Delhi Lama are formulated, sounds like condoning to me. Still sometimes with masters (?) they will teach one thing to the masses and another to those who have gone deeper. Yeah this is a bit of a stretch, but if you want a spiritual philosophy that says it's okay to pay for hookers, you've come to the right place. I'm not knocking Buddhism in total; I use it for a greater understanding regarding meditation. I'm not one for chucking the baby out with the bath water; what the Delhi Lama has said above is just tickling me at the present moment.

A lot of this book goes into the plight of the Tibetan people. Some the things that the Delhi Lama mentions regarding the atrocities inflicted upon the Tibetan people via the Chinese made me quite nauseous. This book was originally published in French in 1994. Back then the Delhi Lama gave Tibet 15 years maximum before irreparable damage would be achieved, you do the maths. This book also looked at the connection with Buddhism and science, `what the bleep' stuff. Some highly intellectual questions put to the Delhi Lama with equally good responses in return.

For those of you with any Gnostic understanding, this next stuff is wonderfully profound:

"Albert Einstein, the father of relativity, once remarked "I determine the authentic worth of a man according to one rule alone: to what degree the and with what purpose a man has freed himself from his ego" pg 181
"we must reflect and meditate on the non-self of the individual, on the fact that all phenomena are empty, devoid of independent existence. The false apprehension of self grows weaker as the mind gradually becomes used to the view of the non-self of the individual.

All the ancient Eastern philosophies devote an important place to the analysis of the agent-self. According to ancient non-Buddhist Indian philosophies, there exists a self called atman which is separate and different from the aggregates. According to Buddhist texts, on the other hand, there is no self that is different from the aggregates or sperate to them. That is why we speak of the non-self, anatman. The existence of a permanent, single, independent self, different from the aggregates, is refuted. However, the existence of an agent-self is not refuted. The ego which exists, the conventional self, is designated on the basis of the aggregates. All systems of Buddhist philosophy agree in recognizing the existence of the ego in relation to the aggregates, but not all interpret the nature of the ego in the same manner.

First of all, one Buddhist philosophical school affirms the each of the five aggregates which make up a sentient being is the self. Another school posits that the ego is the aggregate of consciousness. A third affirms that the ego is what we call the innermost consciousness, or "Storehouse consciousness" (Sanskrit: alayavijnana). According to one of the views of the Madhyamika-Pasangika school, the ego surely exists in relation to the aggregates, but we would not be able to find it among them. It is affirmed that the ego exists simply as a label or simple designation on the basis of the five aggregates which make up the individual. When we use the expression "simple designation," this does not mean that the ego simply does not exist, but eliminates the notion that the ego exists by virtue of its own nature. There exists, nonetheless, an imputed self which is dependant.

And here we meet up with what Einstein said: according to Buddhist tradition, great importance is given to the absence of an absolute existence of the ego, for it is indeed thanks to the understanding of the non-self that we can weaken the various and very powerful mental factors, such as pride and jealousy, with which we are afflicted. In Buddhism not only does the individual entity exist, it progresses from the ordinary state of being into Buddhahood. Does this reply correspond to what you expected?

Yes, it does.

If you do not understand my answer to a question, I can go on until it is clearer. And if that it is still not clear, I will persevere to make it even clearer!" pg 182

You can see in how the Delhi Lama ends this question, there is something profound here. Assuming that this conversation was not edited, the person asking the questions just went onto another topic and never grasped the depth of what the Delhi Lama had spoken, neither did he consider that the Delhi Lama had a great deal more to teach on this topic, inclusive of an eagerness to do so `for those with ears to hear'.

There are 4 Buddhist schools, of these the best, according to this book, is the school of Madhyamika. According to the Delhi Lama this includes 2 sub-schools of which the higher is Prasangika.

This book has given me a lot more to think about and created new avenues to continue my personal studies with. On the whole I'm glad I read this book.