Customer Reviews

Live in a Better Way: Reflections on Truth, Love, and Happiness

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came into reading this book with very little knowledge of Buddhism. The book is not really about any religion at all. Its about learning how to deal with problems, anxiety, and becoming a better person. This book is small, but perfect in any way. It is one of the best and most important books that I've ever read.

Losang Gyatso reads the works of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in a clear and understandable series of talks that represent a decade's worth of public lectures. The themes are diverse, but are presented in a way that is thoughtful and inspiring. I have listened to these tapes now several times and do not tire of hearing them. They always present me with good thoughts on living fully and responsibly, and focus on non-violence and deep compassion. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book very much. I am not a student of the Dalai Lama but I did enjoy this work. I thought the lectures gave the novice a good idea about Budahist thought.

I would suggest this book to those of different faiths who are curious but do not want a deep thelogical work. This particular work is more like a set of sermons from a Christian preacher might be. While it does not give you the full picture it does give you enough to have a pretty good idea about what is going on in the faith.

I liked very much the discussions compassion. The idea that compassion not only leads to enlightenment but a happier existence here is something all of us no matter what faith we are could follow.

Somehow the fact that this was an audio rendition made the Dalai Lama's words even more powerful. Buddhism is about a clear mind, and the way the words drop like crystals, perfectly concise, logical, and profound, speaks to one's heart like nothing else. Worth reading/listening to by everyone, regardless of quest or faith!

I found this book to be highly motivational and inspirational. It halped me focus on the good and unburied me from the abyss of depression. It will make anyone want to meet the Dalai Lama in person. In fact, I have planned a trip to see him speak this year!

This is a suprisingly deceptive book,deceptive in its depth,breath and scholarship. HH the dalai lama has been recorded and transcribed profusely, yet much of what he says comes off as fresh,and worth repeating. This is a series of lectures thah hh dalai lama gave in new dehli over a period of a few years. there is an essential introduction given by lama thubten zopa rinpoche,that illuminates the historical context of the talks, and further explains the backround of Tibetan Buddhism. Then we get to the talks themselves,from Transforming the mind to how to live and die in a better way[my personal favorite of this group},all of which encompass learning and compassion. This is not as easy a read as ,say THE ART OF HAPPINESS, though in many ways the rewards are much deeper. The simplicity is not simplistic,which is a rather neat trick.Read it slowly, savor it, and I have found, as with any such text, the rewards are great.Life affirming and a profound blessing.

"Pay attention not only to the cultivation of knowledge but to the cultivation of qualities of the heart, so that at the end of education, not only will you be knowledgeable, but also you will be a warm-hearted and compassionate person."

That's merely a brief excerpt from this book filled with whimsical and charismatic anecdotes from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The book is in effect a decade's collection of teachings he has given throughout his life, condensed into a book for our benefit. This collection of talks he gave in the 90's plainly lays out his viewpoint about how to follow the pathway of one's inner self. This is one of those books that you know you won't be able to put into practice flawlessly, but there are things here you will discover that can help you feel better about how you are living and benefit others.

I listed to the book on tape, and it is the first book I have read by the Dalai Lama. He teaches very simply, and it is easy to understand his concepts. He gives a good overview of Buddhism, and the different types of Buddist teachings. On the Book on Tape I really didn't care for the person doing the reading, but that is a minor point. All in all, I got alot out of it.

Hey, read this book! All stuff from Enlightened beings of every religion, philosophy, social caste, skin colour, etc. such as Dalai Lama, Jesus Christ, Jahve, Osiris, Druids or maybe your silent and smiley neighbour are always a good reason to buy, read, listen, etc. their acts and activities!
And is always a pleasure to read/listen/whatever, so may they can infect us with their wonderfull enlightened and happyness virus!! I wanna be infected!

I haven't finished to read this book though, but I can say that it is simply a demonstration's of Dalai Lama's Wide Open Brain! Impermanence is the right word that resumes this book to me => What is eating meat, beans, grains, fruit, milk or vegetables but simply feed the food's need of anyone? Is that really important? Really? Who we are to judge anyone for doing this or that? When we, short of brain humans' may understand?

When are we going to start doing simpler stuff such as being happy and infect people around with this happyness, so everybody can only have to time for joy instead of violence in any of its forms?

Yeaps, I have read some "deeper" books, but hey, what is deepness?
Is "high intellectual" stuff better than having peace inside, and live in happyness with all our surroundng people/sentient beings/wanna-be-sentient beings/or things?

(: Smile :)
Life is short and we all have a lot of things to do!! Read this book and use it for your growing purposes!!

Luz Shiva Futten

I was very disappointed in this book. I had always been a big fan of the Dalai Lama...BUT this book was so vague and full of generalities and hypocrisy! I almost could not believe that although the Dalai Lama professes vegetarianism to be the only way to lead a compassionate life .... he feels that he "has" to eat meat to stay healthy. What??? Eating meat is against every basic principle of Buddism! And that is not where the hypocrisy ends...I shared this book with others who also found much fault in the Dalai Lama's latest book. He is steering away from true Buddism ... and becoming as "middle of the road" as the rest of societies apathetic leaders. Shame.