Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World

First time reading a book from Dalai Lama, find it indeed interesting and illuminating not just from the perspective of religion; faith; His Holiness, but also seem to me applicable to everyone and everywhere. Seem to me like it should be taught to everyone nowadays irregardless of nationality, maybe in a Moral class or something.

I personally believe Religion has caused many to differentiate themselves and to not mingle with others of other faiths but when we look at it broadly, we're same, Human, Homo Sapiens. At least this is my thought.

Buy it and read.

And thanks Dalai Lama.

Thank you your Holiness, this is how all religions should act. Find the things we share in common that are for the good of humanity, not the things that divide us. We are only one humanity. Chaplain Dan Regan, OSB, NAVAC.

This is a brilliant book, suitable for everyone from those with limited knowledge and experience of religions and spirituality to the more experienced reader. It offers insights that are at the same time natural and obvious, and yet life-changing and challenging. Very wise man, is Tenzin Gyatso, and the more people who listen to him and heed his word, the better the world will be for us as individuals and for our society as a large picture. Highly (oh so highly) recommend this book.

The Dalai Lama goes deeper into the social issue of religion. He gently explains the need to be Ethical. Compassion and Kindness can come from secular groups as well as religious. Expand your mind and read Beyond Religion

Yes he has something here for the future, a world ethic that transcends religions. But sadly the point was made early and then the book drifted off for me especially as, obviously, he has little agreement with he divine nature of Christ and the relationship the Father invites us into. But I think he has a lot to offer the world ethic discussion for the future.

I always learn something from reading/listening to H.H. the Dalai Lama. It doesn't matter that I'm not Buddhist. It doesn't matter that when listening to him, sometimes I struggle a bit with his accent (perhaps this is good, as I listen more closely). I always learn--and go away with the resolve to be a bit kinder, a bit more compassionate.

This book is no exception. It was a book I could only read a few pages of...before needing to think and contemplate what I read. I suppose I could have read it all in one night, but then I wouldn't have gotten as much out of it. It reminded me a lot of Karen Armstrong's Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (Borzoi Books) Which I also highly recommend if you want to explore Compassion more.

The title, "Beyond Religion" may be off-putting to some--especially Americans who tend to love to identify their belief in God. Even though Western Europe may have more self-professed atheists/agnostics, the point is not that God is not necessary...but that there are certain values/ethics which do and should go beyond whatever religion one professes to believe. These are universal ethics...universal truths...such as compassion. If we, as a World, would look at the vast inequality which exists today and would operate out of a universal ethic of compassion--we'd have less inequality, less hunger, less wars, less problems.

In one part of the book, H.H. says he is sympathetic to Marxist/Socialism due to all of the inequality he sees--and I realize this might be off-putting for some. Please, go beyond it. Heck, re-read the Sermon on the Mount, or look at any great religious figure and you'll see that the Robin Hood principle is pretty universal. Christians are not supposed to live as billionaires while others starve. That is why it is so hard for a rich man to get into heaven. Do we need to switch to a socialist view point to achieve that? No, but we do need to be universally more compassionate to those in need. Think of what would happen if half of the money spent on influencing elections were actually spent on helping lift people out of poverty, or on education, or helping the hungry.

I admire Dalai Lama for his beliefs and his philosophy. I purchased his book to learn more and to understand him better. The book allowed me to do both, however, I found his writing style a bit slow and not at all engaging.
He is a bright man with a good and logical way to view our world but in my opinion, writing is not his forte.

,

Well I would like to tell you about how wonderful the book I ordered was, what wonderful condition it was in when I received it, how cordial and accommodating the shipper was! I really would like to tell you all how ecstatic I am about my purchase,I really would !!!
One thing stopping me , paid for it 6 weeks ago ! That's it ! Paid for it, where's it at? Guess I'll probably have to pay to get an answer to that question also?

Beyond Religion is a great book for people who would like to have a spiritual life or develop a spiritual path without participating in a religious tradition. The practice of religion is dwindling in the world, and the Dalia Lama, as always a visionary, believes it's time for the world to move beyond religion to a system of ethics and compassion. The great thing about Buddhism and the Dalia Lama is that they both are adept at teaching concrete physical, mental and verbal practices that help us transform our minds and behaviors. It's one thing to simply say that we must all be more compassionate and equanimous, but in Beyond Religion the Dalia Lama tells us what we can do to strengthen these qualities within us and why it is helpful to do so. One does not have to be a Buddhist to grasp these principals, but a strength of the Buddhist tradition is that it has developed many practical exercises over two millennia for training the mind and developing our spirit.

One of the most interesting things the Dalia Lama says in this book is that almost all the world's problems can be traced back to a failure of individual morality. If we can all develop and strengthen our inner values then we truly can transform the world.

I would recommend Beyond Religion to people who were not very familiar with Buddhism, but were interested in developing a spiritual path-- especially outside of a religious tradition-- and in training their mind.

In ninth grade religious school, I attended a weekly class in ethics, a class oriented toward discussing, wrestling with and debating contemporary ethical issues. That experience had a lasting impact upon me, leading me to begin a lifelong process of defining and redefining my values, and attempting (too often unsuccessfully) to live in accordance with them. Inevitably then, I was drawn to read BEYOND RELIGION: ETHICS FOR A WHOLE WORLD.

BEYOND RELIGION by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, addresses the need for us today to commit "to developing and applying inner values in our daily lives." Due to the waning influence of religion in the western world, to a loosening of ethical standards in the media, and the lack of responsible values-oriented parenting in millions of families, many of us lack a moral center of gravity, and are easily swayed by external influences.

Even those who are religious may not have internalized their values. Such internalization is not gained through commandments directed at the superego and beginning "thou shalt" or "thou shalt not." Rather, it involves the embracing of one's values at a cellular level, so that they penetrate into our very core and become an inner foundation directing every action.

Ethics may be one facet of religion but we do not have to subscribe to a particular religion in order to cultivate a personal and social ethical orientation. The Dalai Lama - although he does present Buddhist precepts in regard to ethical action, levels of understanding and kinds of generosity - takes a nonsecular approach. Clearly, and with a rare blend of simplicity and profundity, he delineates attitudes and practices that can enable us to live more consciously, compassionately and ethically.

I, for one, never experienced firsthand his substantial wisdom before reading this book. What impresses me most, along with the importance of his message, is the clarity and precision with which he elucidates the inner process of becoming a more self-aware, contented, responsible, self-directed, loving and generous human being.

The cornerstone of his philosophy of ethical living is based upon "actively promoting the positive inner qualities of the human heart that arise from our core disposition toward compassion, and learning to combat our more destructive propensities." He also tells us, "Disarmament is compassion in practice. What is required, therefore, is both inner disarmament, at the level of our individual hatred, prejudice and intolerance, and outer disarmament, at the level of nations and states."

The English language and most other Western languages as well lack an adequate vocabulary for delineating internal states. Without being encouraged to attune to our inner process, without being able to find the words to articulate what is happening within - and as a result, without being able to transcend conflicts in feelings and thoughts - we may easily remain adrift, without a center of gravity or reliable source of inner guidance. For those of us seeking the right words to anchor us and insights substantial enough to propel us beyond confusion, the Dalai Lama's lucid language and subtlety of thought provide an oasis amidst the shifting sands of empty verbiage.

He distinguishes between wise selfishness and foolish selfishness, as well as between biological compassion and cultivated extended compassion. He defines the context in which even benign emotions can become destructive and in which purportedly negative emotions can serve us. He speaks of both education of the mind and education of the heart, of the relationships between compassion and discernment, between self-respect and consideration for others.

He introduces Tibetan words and concepts such as soepa (the willingness and ability to endure suffering), and drenpa (remembering our true selves and bringing presence of mind into every moment). Such concepts help us to expand our awareness as we navigate our inner realms.

For me, the most meaningful chapter of BEYOND RELIGION is "Dealing with Destructive Emotions," because of the enlightening guidance the Dalai Lama presents in regard to the process of taming our inner dragons. Almost as instructive are his chapters on mindfulness and meditation, in which he introduces practices to help us further self-awareness and self-mastery.

I hesitate to raise criticism of so rewarding and well-crafted a book - and indeed what follows is less criticism than it is an acknowledgement of dark and foreboding facets of our psyches that I wish the Dalai Lama would explore in more depth. He was raised to be a spiritual leader, to repeatedly cultivate his intention and capacity to live an ethical life and master the regressive and destructive facets of himself - in the face of unimaginable atrocities perpetrated upon his people and homeland. But for many of us who lacked such an upbringing, the energy of old and often unconscious habits and complexes may too frequently overpower our fragile intentions. The process of developing even the most rudimentary degree of mindfulness and self-mastery is painstakingly slow.

But we cannot expect him to map out every step of the way. What Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, does present in BEYOND RELIGION is rich in value and capable of catalyzing our own motivation to take the next step. He encourages us to develop patience, a long-term perspective, and the willingness to endure suffering. Along the way, he introduces us to the Tibetan concept of chogshe - "knowing what is enough... knowing when to be contented, being able to find satisfaction without looking for more." That may well be my next lesson. Read BEYOND RELIGION if you wish to clarify yours.

Read BEYOND RELIGION if you wish to more fully define your own values, to commit more fervently to live by them, and to help develop and promote a universal ethics that humanity needs to embrace if we are to survive.

I admire Dalai Lama for his beliefs and his philosophy. I purchased his book to learn more and to understand him better. The book allowed me to do both, however, I found his writing style a bit slow and not at all engaging.
He is a bright man with a good and logical way to view our world but in my opinion, writing is not his forte.

,

Well I would like to tell you about how wonderful the book I ordered was, what wonderful condition it was in when I received it, how cordial and accommodating the shipper was! I really would like to tell you all how ecstatic I am about my purchase,I really would !!!
One thing stopping me , paid for it 6 weeks ago ! That's it ! Paid for it, where's it at? Guess I'll probably have to pay to get an answer to that question also?

Beyond Religion is a great book for people who would like to have a spiritual life or develop a spiritual path without participating in a religious tradition. The practice of religion is dwindling in the world, and the Dalia Lama, as always a visionary, believes it's time for the world to move beyond religion to a system of ethics and compassion. The great thing about Buddhism and the Dalia Lama is that they both are adept at teaching concrete physical, mental and verbal practices that help us transform our minds and behaviors. It's one thing to simply say that we must all be more compassionate and equanimous, but in Beyond Religion the Dalia Lama tells us what we can do to strengthen these qualities within us and why it is helpful to do so. One does not have to be a Buddhist to grasp these principals, but a strength of the Buddhist tradition is that it has developed many practical exercises over two millennia for training the mind and developing our spirit.

One of the most interesting things the Dalia Lama says in this book is that almost all the world's problems can be traced back to a failure of individual morality. If we can all develop and strengthen our inner values then we truly can transform the world.

I would recommend Beyond Religion to people who were not very familiar with Buddhism, but were interested in developing a spiritual path-- especially outside of a religious tradition-- and in training their mind.

In ninth grade religious school, I attended a weekly class in ethics, a class oriented toward discussing, wrestling with and debating contemporary ethical issues. That experience had a lasting impact upon me, leading me to begin a lifelong process of defining and redefining my values, and attempting (too often unsuccessfully) to live in accordance with them. Inevitably then, I was drawn to read BEYOND RELIGION: ETHICS FOR A WHOLE WORLD.

BEYOND RELIGION by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, addresses the need for us today to commit "to developing and applying inner values in our daily lives." Due to the waning influence of religion in the western world, to a loosening of ethical standards in the media, and the lack of responsible values-oriented parenting in millions of families, many of us lack a moral center of gravity, and are easily swayed by external influences.

Even those who are religious may not have internalized their values. Such internalization is not gained through commandments directed at the superego and beginning "thou shalt" or "thou shalt not." Rather, it involves the embracing of one's values at a cellular level, so that they penetrate into our very core and become an inner foundation directing every action.

Ethics may be one facet of religion but we do not have to subscribe to a particular religion in order to cultivate a personal and social ethical orientation. The Dalai Lama - although he does present Buddhist precepts in regard to ethical action, levels of understanding and kinds of generosity - takes a nonsecular approach. Clearly, and with a rare blend of simplicity and profundity, he delineates attitudes and practices that can enable us to live more consciously, compassionately and ethically.

I, for one, never experienced firsthand his substantial wisdom before reading this book. What impresses me most, along with the importance of his message, is the clarity and precision with which he elucidates the inner process of becoming a more self-aware, contented, responsible, self-directed, loving and generous human being.

The cornerstone of his philosophy of ethical living is based upon "actively promoting the positive inner qualities of the human heart that arise from our core disposition toward compassion, and learning to combat our more destructive propensities." He also tells us, "Disarmament is compassion in practice. What is required, therefore, is both inner disarmament, at the level of our individual hatred, prejudice and intolerance, and outer disarmament, at the level of nations and states."

The English language and most other Western languages as well lack an adequate vocabulary for delineating internal states. Without being encouraged to attune to our inner process, without being able to find the words to articulate what is happening within - and as a result, without being able to transcend conflicts in feelings and thoughts - we may easily remain adrift, without a center of gravity or reliable source of inner guidance. For those of us seeking the right words to anchor us and insights substantial enough to propel us beyond confusion, the Dalai Lama's lucid language and subtlety of thought provide an oasis amidst the shifting sands of empty verbiage.

He distinguishes between wise selfishness and foolish selfishness, as well as between biological compassion and cultivated extended compassion. He defines the context in which even benign emotions can become destructive and in which purportedly negative emotions can serve us. He speaks of both education of the mind and education of the heart, of the relationships between compassion and discernment, between self-respect and consideration for others.

He introduces Tibetan words and concepts such as soepa (the willingness and ability to endure suffering), and drenpa (remembering our true selves and bringing presence of mind into every moment). Such concepts help us to expand our awareness as we navigate our inner realms.

For me, the most meaningful chapter of BEYOND RELIGION is "Dealing with Destructive Emotions," because of the enlightening guidance the Dalai Lama presents in regard to the process of taming our inner dragons. Almost as instructive are his chapters on mindfulness and meditation, in which he introduces practices to help us further self-awareness and self-mastery.

I hesitate to raise criticism of so rewarding and well-crafted a book - and indeed what follows is less criticism than it is an acknowledgement of dark and foreboding facets of our psyches that I wish the Dalai Lama would explore in more depth. He was raised to be a spiritual leader, to repeatedly cultivate his intention and capacity to live an ethical life and master the regressive and destructive facets of himself - in the face of unimaginable atrocities perpetrated upon his people and homeland. But for many of us who lacked such an upbringing, the energy of old and often unconscious habits and complexes may too frequently overpower our fragile intentions. The process of developing even the most rudimentary degree of mindfulness and self-mastery is painstakingly slow.

But we cannot expect him to map out every step of the way. What Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, does present in BEYOND RELIGION is rich in value and capable of catalyzing our own motivation to take the next step. He encourages us to develop patience, a long-term perspective, and the willingness to endure suffering. Along the way, he introduces us to the Tibetan concept of chogshe - "knowing what is enough... knowing when to be contented, being able to find satisfaction without looking for more." That may well be my next lesson. Read BEYOND RELIGION if you wish to clarify yours.

Read BEYOND RELIGION if you wish to more fully define your own values, to commit more fervently to live by them, and to help develop and promote a universal ethics that humanity needs to embrace if we are to survive.

Three books published in the last few years should be on every peacemaker's bookshelf: Steven Pinker's "The Better Angels of Our Nature", Michael Shermer's "The Moral Arc", and the Dalai Lama's "Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World". These three volumes begin with the premise that global violence on an historical timeline is not getting worse and that humanity is generally good. Turn the nightly news on today, or scan the latest headlines on your iPhone, and it would seem that the world grows uglier each day. Pinker's book successfully argues that the past was a much more brutal time. Shermer argues that because of the Enlightenment, thinkers consciously applied the methods of science to morally solve social struggles and that again, on an historical timeline, humanity is in the most moral period in history. The Dalai Lama makes it clear in "Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World" that an individual does not have to be religious to be ethical. Love and compassion are necessities for living. Compassion expresses deep sensitivity to the sufferings of others and a fierce drive to help alleviate those sufferings. Compassion is also the realization that we - human beings, animals, and the earth itself - are all interconnected.

The main traditional religions are declining as fundamentalists of all religions become more vocal, it is more obvious than ever that in no area of the world will one faith suffice for everyone, and agnosticism and atheism are on the rise. But this does not mean, as many fear, that the world is no longer a moral one. One can be a secularist and still have a moral center and live ethically. In this book the Dalai Lama strives to create a secular framework of ethics for all people to live by. This framework is centered on compassion, as it is the basis of all faiths, and includes kindness, patience, justice, forgiveness, generosity, and living sustainably and with personal integrity. The Dalai Lama uses common human experiences and new scientific and psychological studies to ground his ideas. His ideas are not groundbreaking, but for a major religious leader to call for a secular ethical center is not something that should be ignored. I look forward to reading more of his books.

A question that repeatedly crept into my thoughts as I was reading Beyond Religion by His Holiness the Dalai Lama was, "Where do I sign up?" I thought, Gee, there's really something to this Buddhist stuff as told by this truly remarkable Buddhist monk. How is it possible NOT to be blown away by a holy man with the humility to declare that his own religion falls short because, like all religions, it tends to set down divisive tribal markers instead of joining us all together in a universal family of man? How is it possible NOT to be in awe of a religion that not only acknowledges the tenets of modern science - from the Big Bang to evolution - but actually embraces these advancements in our understanding of the universe? Wow, here's the leader of one of the world's major religions extending a hand to secularists and tapping into their sense of compassion for guidance on ethics. Who in their right mind isn't going to want to jump straight into the deep end of this pool of enlightenment with both feet?

Then I thought, well, me. I can buy a lot of what His Holiness has to offer, maybe even most of it, but as always when it comes to spiritual matters there's something that holds me back. A twinkle of skepticism perhaps, or maybe it's something more akin to conceit or pride that keeps me from bowing down to just about anything or anyone that seeks my supplication, even if only indirectly as is the case with this book. My deepest instincts are to resist religious Kool Ade of any flavor.

Call me a Confirmed Unaffiliated Spiritual Sojourner - or, if you prefer shorthand, call me a cranky old "CUSS".

Now that we've settled that, let's turn to this highly thought provoking little book. In its first half His Holiness establishes his basic premise, and that is, you don't need to believe in God or to be part of any organized religion to be a deeply compassionate and highly ethical human being. You just need to be a good human being. His Holiness makes the case that we are by nature compassionate, cooperative and peace loving and that achieving universal accord is ultimately a matter of each individual finding and acting upon his or her pure humanness. He points out that this is the foundational precept of all the world's religions, those that are based on a belief in God such as Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, and those that are non-theistic such as Buddhism and Jainism. He goes on to say that compassion is also the foundation of secular humanism, and that even modern science confirms the idea that we humans are indeed one big happy One. The second half of the book is like a Cliff Notes version of Buddhist doctrine, that is, it tells you what you need to do to educate your heart and train your mind to become a decent chap and on the road to Nirvana.

I give this book a rating of 5 stars out of 5 not because it is an earth shattering treatise with all the answers to our troubled world (which it isn't), but because it triggered so many questions and really got me thinking. It kept me awake long into the night for several nights in a row, writing down ideas, testing my beliefs, wondering about life, contemplating my navel. It allowed me to better define the dots of my own personal philosophy and then helped me to connect them.

My guess is that it could do the same for you.

Over the next couple of weeks I will blog about some of those "dots" that were inspired by Beyond Religion - ideas that ruined my sleep but advanced the journey. Call them the further reflections of a cranky old CUSS, which are actually just a couple of personal anecdotes and stories that at least for now I have titled:
"MMM - MMM Good"
"Primal Screams"
"Talking Rocks"
"Mysteries and Miracles"

Recognizing the inability of any single religion or religious tradition to speak to or for all people in the current age of globalization, religious pluralism, and multiculturalism, the Dalai Lama proposes a secular basis for universal ethics. This new perspective is built upon two pillars: (1) "recognition of our shared humanity and our shared aspiration to happiness and the avoidance of suffering" and (2) "the understanding of interdependence as a key feature of human reality" (p. 19). With considerable attention to advances in the scientific understanding of what it means to be human and the social nature of humanity, he constructs a new vision of mutuality that focuses on compassion. This way forward is the same for all, but must be lived into as individuals. As such, those who are religious can find helpful guidance from within their respective traditions for ethical living within the underlying secular framework. To ensure readers do not perceive his construct as theoretical, the Dalai Lama leverages the second half of the book to share helpful tools for those interested in adopting this perspective. While drawing heavily from his own Buddhist tradition, he carefully articulates universal applicability.

Here the Dalai Lama talks about how all religions around the world teaches us about kindness, honesty, patience, and forgiveness (inner values) that are for the good of all life on this planet. He also talks about how these same religions are at war with each other despite these teachings. Why can’t we be at peace on the religious front?

If for a moment we stopped and actually applied what was in our religious doctrines or holy books then we’d be at peace tomorrow. Why aren’t we? Because war is money and money makes the world go round.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written many books. I believe that this is his second book on ethics. While he has either trained in or led a Buddhist Tibetan order for decades, he quite pointedly from the outset states that his objective is to enhance our understanding of secular ethics. I am not an ethicist, nor is he. But, he writes in a manner that comes across thorough, falling between the completely practical and the scholarly. He argues at times throughout for the need for a better understanding of ethical foundations as studied by science! That's refreshing to see! Although certainly not something unusual to hear from him. Throughout the 180-ish page book, he takes the most common Buddhist principles (that is, things that also are characteristics understood by us such as attachment, suffering, greed, happiness, compassion, dealing with destructive emotions, meditation - things that, honestly, are found throughout most every major religious tradition, and he applies them to stages in ethical decision making. It is superb! I enjoyed this book, it is, as is true of all of his books, well written. I find the sentences in his books to be extremely logical and well crafted. Very few errors, although, again, I'm neither an ethicist or the Dalai Lama, so I can not attest completely to content. This was less than a one night's read for me, although it is something that I will reference periodically. I think that this ought to be purchased for every politician (ha ha!), health care worker, many houses of worship, scholars interested in ethics or applications of Buddhistic thought, and public / university / school libraries in which consumers may have an interest in ethics, the Dalai Lama, or Buddhism. I give everything a grade, and this book I give a grade of "A-".

The spine of this slender book seems deeply ironic: Beyond Religion [by] His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Yet I think it captures the book's central message that we can hold religious beliefs while applying universal, secular ethics towards everyone, including those who don't share our religion. In short, it's about how we can finally learn how to get along on an increasingly crowded planet.

At just under 200 pages, Beyond Religion is a brief but powerful statement. The Dalai Lama starts by re-positioning secularism as complementary rather than antagonistic to religion, and argues for a universal approach to ethics that everyone can adopt. Subsequent chapters place the basis for secular ethics in our shared humanity and interdependence and explore our innate empathy. It's not all sunshine and lollipops: the Dalai Lama also looks at how compassion and justice would mesh in a world run on secular ethics.

The first half of the book is a wise, compassionate, and surprisingly down-to-earth approach to ethics. The second half, which is more instructive in nature, lost me a little. Although it's practical (dealing with destructive emotions, practicing mindfulness, cultivating virtues like patience and self-discipline), I wasn't really expecting advice on setting up a meditation practice. I see why it could be a good idea, but I have yet to get over my association of meditation with new age hipsters.

Not being spiritual or religious, I have never read anything else by the Dalai Lama and was pleasantly surprised by this book's generosity, humility, and universality. I think all thoughtful people, religious or not, will find something of value in it. That said, while the language and tone are not difficult, it took me a while to get through the book. My usual non-fiction is heavily fact-oriented, and Beyond Religion is mostly philosophy, with big, broad-ranging ideas.

I have no doubt that a world that lived by the principles outlined in Beyond Religion would be a more thoughtful, peaceful, and tolerant one. I hope the Dalai Lama turns out to be right in his optimistic view of human nature and our future.

To some, this may be a surprising book and proposition coming from the modern 'father' of an ancient faith.* Not that Buddhism (in my experience and practice), must be faith-driven. Still, many may be surprised to hear a religious leader advocate and articulate universal morality and ethics free from faith-based or doctrinal foundations.

The book is short, practical, well-reasoned, easy to follow, and includes positive prescriptions that can be carried out in the everyday lives of even busy secularists. (I was deeply affected by Hitchens' 'God is Not Great', which did not dislodge philosophical Buddhism's appeal to me, and this book reaffirms my comfort with that affection.)

More than a few readers may be surprised by just how well-read the Dalai Lama is in contemporary neurology and recent science about the brain. Indeed, I look forward to contrasting his opinions here with those of a moral atheist like Sam Harris or a behaviorist like Steven Pinker. If you read more by His Holiness, I think you will be struck by how vigorous and stimulating his intellectual life is.

And since he has such a distinct voice in writing and in speech, it must be hard for a narrator to find the 'voice' of the Dalai Lama in a short treatise like this. While Mr Sheen does a fine job, I found it a distracting listen at times perhaps because he is so well-known. A less high-profile reader may have been called for here.

*NOTE - This review refers to the audio version of this book from Audible.

As His Holiness points out, ethics is not simply a matter of knowing, but doing. This secular book addresses the importance of worldwide compassion and inner values, although each chapter is liberally sprinkled with religious examples to help readers better understand and define human spirituality in this scientific age. I am not religious, and found Beyond Religion refreshing, easy to read and useful as a spiritual guide. Sentences are deceptively simple, yet I found myself frequently re-reading passages in order to grasp their full meanings. The book is divided into two sections. The first half addresses the benefits of cultivating compassionate, yet discerning inner values on a global scale; ones that transcend religious, cultural and racial differences by appealing to all people at a fundamental human level. The second section offers thoughts on how to actively educate the heart. Some included topics--combatting destructive emotional tendencies, restraining negative behavior, and developing a calm, disciplined mind through mental training. The Dalai Lama readily admits his take on humanity's future might be idealistic. Does he think it's unrealistic? Absolutely not, and neither should we. Beyond Religion is a good starting point in learning how to ground inner values, and then taking it one step further through practice and perseverance.

A thought provoking book that is worth reading and deep thought. Most of all, I hope those who read it will feel moveto act upon it. As a person with PTSD, I have found mediation and compassion my greatest comfort and peace. If it can help a troubled mind, I believe it can help a troubled world.

I highly recommend this book for its academic consideration of a broader ethical paradigm than is generally held by any single religious or philosophical tradition and also for its guidance in helping readers to apply the concepts within their lives.

Since I recently started a whole slew of religion courses for my degree program, I thought that this book would be a good supplement to read. After all, the Dalai Lama is a very well spoken man and I've read other things by him that I've liked. This book follows right along with those other writings in that I was hypnotized by this book.

I wasn't even 10-20 pages into the book before it became very clear that this book is destined to become a recommended book for various religion and philosophy classes. Everything is pretty laid out and while (like another reviewer has noted) the book would be more easily read by religious students (either in college or self-taught), it's laid out to where the average person could pick the book up and be able to follow along.

The book will definitely make you think about religion, ethics, your place in the world, and how you can affect things. The book is not for people wanting a light or easy read, nor for people who just want something they can read and then throw it to the side guilt-free. You will question your way of life after reading this book, even if just a little. I know I ended up questioning my own sense of compassion and charity after reading this book.

If you're a fan of the Dalai Lama, get this book. If you're a student of philosophy or religion in any context, get this book. If you want something to make you think, get this book. (In other words, get this book.)

I like this book because it clarifies the structure of mental poisons. It is extremely important for Buddist students.
This book also completes the understanding of the master piece written by HH the Dalai Lama titled 'How to Practice'.
Using simple language, HH the Dalai Lama presents an ethical model for Buddists and non Buddists.

The Dalai Lama has truly created a work of philosophy and secular thinking for the ages. If only we as a race could evolve and shed our belief that religion has a monopoly on morality, the World would be a place of far less suffering.

I have the audio version, and have now listened to it two times in a row. after listening once, i immediately started again. This book is an excellent one and i believe it has a vital message to everyone. The book is easy to understand, the message is clear. On the other hand, it is not a simple book, the issues tackled are quite complicated in our human world. In fact, all of us have been trying, more or less, to find answers since the very beginning. This approach, by this truly remarkable man, devoted to Buddhism all his live, to move beyond religion, is very wise. As he says, a religion based ethics will always stop on religion because we humans have all kind of different religions. But to transfer the focus simply onto each one of us, as human beings. in that way the messages is applicable to all of us. We all are the same fundamentally, as the Dalai Lama says, human beings seeking happiness and avoiding suffering. As mentioned before, I honestly think everyone can benefit from reading/listening to this text. But you have to do it, at least twice in order to grasp the message. Another way is to read it slowly, pausing every now and then and reflect a little while on what has been said.

Ethic is mor important than religion ! This are the words from a religious leader, his Holyness the Dalai Lama. This is very sovereign and showas us an important message. More ethics less religion ? The ethic must not sufferung because of religion !

I bought the audio version of this book on audible and I couldn't get past the preface. For some strange reason Martin Sheen was the narrator. He reads to fast and I can't take his reading of the Dalai Lama seriously. The extra star is only because it was written by the Dalai Lama. I wish I could get my credit back because I most certainly will not be listening to the audio version of this book.