Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians [Paperback]

The Dalai Lama (Author), Donald Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998

In the words of the Dalai Lama, the purpose of religion is not to build churches and elaborate temples, but to cultivate positive human qualities such as tolerance, generosity and love. This text contains the four talks given by the Dalai Lama when he attended a meeting of Buddhist and Christian monks at Gethsemani Abbey, Kentucky. The Dalai Lama shares his understanding of four major themes explored in the meeting: the practice of prayer and meditation in the spiritual life; the stages in the process of spiritual development; the role of the teacher and the community in the spiritual life; and the spiritual goals of personal and and societal transformation. In each talk the Dalai Lama expresses the basic principles of Tibetan Buddhism and shows how they are applicable to daily practice for all spiritual seekers, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers who think of the Dalai Lama as that beloved, avuncular, cosmopolitan, orange-robed monk with the kindly eyes and charismatic manner are in for a surprise, if not a downright shock, with this small but powerful collection of spiritual essays. Like the weather on the slopes of the Himalayas, these words burn down with the brightest sun one minute, and then, without warning, they blow right through you with the feel of an icy breeze. The preface describes how these talks were given in July 1996 by the Dalai Lama to a joint retreat of 25 Buddhist and 25 Christian monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani, the one-time home of Thomas Merton, a close and beloved friend of the Dalai Lama. Each homily is directed with deadly accuracy at the hearts, souls and minds of his listeners. They start, as any climb up the Himalayas does, with an easygoing amble up slopes that most of us can follow with ease. But as the Dalai gets into his stride, the spiritual atmosphere becomes thinner, the slopes steeper and the amount of specialized knowledge and experience required to follow in his footsteps becomes increasingly demanding. From time to time, the Dalai Lama does refer to the faith and spiritual practices of the Catholic monks, but his major intention is to give an elegant and sometimes esoteric commentary on the spiritual path taken by his Tibetan monks.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In 1996, Buddhist and Christian spiritual leaders from around the world met at Gethsemani Abbey, inspired by the memory of the late Thomas Merton, to discuss prayer, meditation, and spiritual transformation. This small volume holds the talks given by the Dalai Lama on that occasion. In a genuine spirit of interfaith dialog, he encourages Buddhists and Christians to remember the spiritual goals they share, even when their methods differ. This clear, accessible sampling of the Dalai Lama's thinking offers an inspiring example of Buddhist wisdom. The broader context of these talks may be found in The Gethsemani Encounter (Continuum, 1997).
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826410766
• ISBN-13: 978-0826410764
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,741,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born in 1935 to a peasant family in northeastern Tibet and was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. The world's foremost Buddhist leader, he travels extensively, speaking eloquently in favor of ecumenical understanding, kindness and compassion, respect for the environment, and, above all, world peace.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SOUND ADVICE, July 14, 2000

By 

Bonita L. Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians (Paperback)

Dialogue is key in fostering mutual understanding with those of different religious faith groups. Such an encounter occured during the 1996 Gethsemani Encounter where Buddhist and Christian monks engaged one another on topics regarding the spiritual life.

Out of that context came this book which contains talks that His Holiness the Dalai Lama made concerning Tibetan Buddhist spirituality. The depth and breadth of his talk applied to both groups. Although his talks were of course grounded in Buddhism the advice given transcends mere sectarian concerns.

His Holiness is concerned about the daily practice of all spiritual seekers and gives pointers as to how one can be effective in one's practice through meditation, fostering a solid teacher-student relationship, the role of community in the spiritual life and the stages of spiritual growth.

I would highly recommend this gem to those who are interested in fostering an inter-religious dialogue with non-Christian groups and for those who desire to strengthen their own spiritual journey. Spirituality know no sectarian boundaries.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Continuing dialogue started by Thomas Merton., September 13, 2001

By 

Gary Sprandel (Frankfort, Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians (Paperback)

Continuing a dialogue started over 30 years ago between Thomas Merton and the Dalai Lama, these talks at the Abbey of Gethsemani discuss 1) Practice of prayer and meditation 2). stages of growth, 3) the role of teacher, and 4) the goals of spiritual and social transformation.

The Dalai Lama sees the role of religion in alleviating human suffering, and the question for him is not which religion is right, but which is right for a particular person. I thought the chapter on achieving Calm Abiding was most practical, with antidotes to "the five faults", for example "The third fault is laxity and excitement. Its antidote is introspection". Discussing spiritual life, he discusses the six perfections, and sees similarity between the Christian and Buddhist monastic traditions of morality, simplicity, and contentment. Finally he discusses Nirvana, and the Christian goal of union with God. By sharing ideas between these traditions there is hope that tolerance, generosity, and love will be cultivated.