Product Description

The Dalai Lama shows us how to transform difficult situations into opportunities for spiritual growth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #475983 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-15
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

Amazon.com
The mind is central to all human experience. Whether one is in harmony with the world or not depends upon one's relative emotional and spiritual health. For this reason, the core teachings of Buddhism have always emphasized various forms of mind training. In Transforming the Mind, based on an edited series of his lectures, the Dalai Lama provides a succinct overview of the basic techniques of spiritual development in Tibetan Buddhism. He introduces several aspects of mind training, combining the insights of traditional scholarship with his personal warmth and humanity.

The book begins with a lucid account of the basic teachings of Buddhism--the nature of the human predicament and how it can be overcome. Then two key aspects of mind training involving the development of altruism and insight are described. This is essential, since Buddhism teaches that true mental transformation requires a sense of responsibility for others, together with the attainment of insight into the dynamic working of the human psyche and the world. Included in the book is the short traditional text on mental transformation, which the Dalai Lama used to structure his illuminating presentation of Buddhist practice. As an added bonus, the book concludes with a message for the millennium, giving the Dalai Lama's views on the role of Buddhist-inspired ethics in this newly dawning era.

Though not aimed at complete beginners, this book will appeal to readers who are seriously committed to bringing about change in the world through developing their own spiritual capabilities, whether they are Buddhists or not. --Stephen Hodge, Amazon.co.uk

From Publishers Weekly
Based on a seminar the Dalai Lama gave in London in 1999, this slender volume offers His Holiness's reflections on The Eight Verses of Transforming the Mind, a short work by Langri Thangpa, an 11th-century Tibetan teacher. The book is distractingly disjointedALangri Thangpa's original words are hidden away in an index, and each chapter concludes with a Q&A in which the Dalai Lama offers comments that are not obviously connected to the preceding chapter. Furthermore, the reader who bears with the careless organization may be disappointed by the book's content. Many of the Dalai Lama's ruminations are familiar from his other recent bestsellers. For example, he suggests that in the new millennium, we need to work toward interfaith understanding by participating in interfaith dialogues and meetings and visiting sites that are sacred to practitioners of other religious traditions. When he turns his attention to meditation, His Holiness seems less inspired than usual: meditation is valuable, but he admits that it can be tough. Meditators tend to get distracted, drowsy, lax, and agitated. We need to take both physical and mental responses into account when trying to deal with these obstaclesAif we struggle with drowsiness, we must make sure we are getting enough sleep, and we should focus on "ideas which have a naturally sobering effect" if we are agitated. These teachings may be transformativeAbut they add little to the many teachings by the Dalai Lama already available in book form. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Another addition to the growing list of titles by the Dalai Lama, this book is a transcription of three days of teachings in May 1999 in London. The focus is on The Eight Verses on Transforming the Mind, an important 11th-century Tibetan work included in an appendix. Books such as these risk the excessive intrusion of the editor or interpreter, but this succinct and carefully accomplished text gives the impression that a real effort was made to convey the essence of the Dalai Lama's message as well as the characteristic warmth and humor of his delivery. He explores the development of compassion as it is understood in Buddhism and presents interesting distinctions among various schools of Buddhist thought with regard to ideas such as the concept of self and the nature of emptiness. The teachings are at times difficult, but ambiguity is minimized, and the interspersed question-and-answer exchanges help keep the reader engaged. A bonus is "Ethics for a New Millennium," a lecture given by the Dalai Lama during the same London visit, in which his message is simple, clear, and welcome. A good choice for most libraries.
-Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

One of my favorite books of this type...
The teachings in this book are timeless. The Dalai Lama has a wonderfully peaceful way of sharing this wisdom and reminding us how we can free ourselves from the suffering we create with our attachments. Whether you are Buddhist, or not, the information and wisdom teachings in this book transcend religion -- all humans with a mind would benefit from reading this book. I'm not a Buddhist; but I greatly admire and deeply appreciate the wisdom, compassion, and peace at the core of these teachings.

The examples and remedies provided in this book are applicable in most lives; and the advice for transforming your mind by transforming your thoughts is critical to any path of self-realization or self-actualization. It is always refreshing to hear wise words; and this is another one of those books you can open to any page for as much wisdom as you can stand...

This is a great book for anyone who wants to look inside the heart and mind of Tibetan Buddhism as it teaches compassion and release from suffering.

A Wise Teacher for Our Times
This book is based upon a series of lectures given by H.H. the Dali Lama in London in 1999. The theme of the book is the attainment of human happiness through self-understanding, introspection and, as the title states, "Trasnforming the Mind."

The theme of this book is similar to a book called "The Art of Happiness" that recounts an American psychiatrist's conversations with the Dali Lama. The analysis in this book, however, is deeper and more difficult. The Dali Lama discusses Buddhist beliefs amd doctrines as well as Tibetan texts. He presents a considerable treatment of a difficult, and fundamental Buddhist principle called "Dependent Origination." He discusses the nature of human selfhood and compares differences in various schools on this difficult topic.

The purpose of the book is humanistic and pragmatic at its core: it is to encourage the reader on a path to overcome suffering through self-understanding and reflection. He offers two broad, interlocked paths towards inner transformation: altruism, or the attempt to bring benefits and good to other people rather than thinking solely of oneself and insight into the nature of reality, to be gained by introspection.

The means by which the Dali Lama presents his teaching are at least as significant as the substance of his message. Difficult teachings are presented with the simplicity that comes only from knowledge. The Dali Lama is candid and self-effacing: he reiterates many times that he has himself no personal experience of the state of emptiness that that constitutes full realization of insight meditation. Again and again he points out that religious people of whatever denomination can find their way to peace through following their own traditions. Futher, those individuals with a secular outlook can also find peace by understanding themselves. One of the most interesting parts of the book is the question and answer sessions where the Dali Lama offers succinct and insightful answers to good questions.

I enjoyed learning about the different schools of thought within Mahayana Buddhism. The Dali Lama discusses early Buddhist thinkers of the Mahayana school, particularly Nagarjuna and Shantideva and I was pleased to learn something of what he had to say about specifically Buddhist thinkers. Also, the book includes a short Tibetan text called "Eight Verses on Transforming the Mind" and a commentary by the Dali Lama.

Some of this book is presented in a deceptively simple manner. The Dali Lama observes that "personal experience" (p.24) rather than mere book reading is required to understand the nature of consciousness and of awareness. He also encourages the reader to press on, not to become discouraged and to realize that the growth of wisdom takes lifetimes to develop, not minutes, hours, or months.

I found this book valuable both for its teachings on Buddhism and for its more general advice on attaining peace and happiness in one's life. There is much in the book of healing and hope, for secular people, for followers of non-Buddhist religions, and for people who are students of the Buddha.

Crystal clear and beautiful!
I absolutely love this book! There is also a little companion book called "The Book of Transformation," which breaks "Transforming the Mind" down to its most integral ideas. I keep the little one at work (it's a blessing there) and the other at home.

The Dalai Lama is so completely clear in his ideas here, it is impossible not to come away with something after reading this book. He talks about learning how to generate compassion, which he feels is absolutely necessary to leading a happy life. If only the entire world could see this wisdom and put it into action. What an amazing place this would be. HH does it again (and again, and again, and again...)