Product Description

In Becoming Enlightened, His Holiness the Dalai Lama powerfully explores the foundation of Buddhism, laying out an accessible and practical approach to age-old questions: How can we live free from suffering? How can we achieve lasting happiness and peace?

Drawing from traditional Buddhist meditative practices as well as penetrating examples from today's troubled planet, he presents step-by-step exercises designed to expand the reader's capacity for spiritual growth, along with clear milestones to mark the reader's progress. By following the spiritual practices outlined in Becoming Enlightened, we can learn how to replace troublesome feelings with positive attitudes and embark on a path to achieving an exalted state -- within ourselves and within the larger world.

Full of personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama's experiences as a lifelong student, thinker, political leader, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Becoming Enlightened gives readers all the wisdom, support, guidance, and inspiration they need to become successful and fulfilled in their spiritual lives.

This is a remarkable and empowering book that can be read and enjoyed by seekers of all faiths. Readers at every stage of their spiritual development will be captivated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama's loving and direct teaching style.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65610 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781416565833
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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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.

Jeffrey Hopkins, Ph.D., served for a decade as the interpreter for the Dalai Lama. A Buddhist scholar and the author of more than thirty-five books and translations, he is emeritus professor of Tibetan and Buddhist studies at the University of Virginia, where he founded the largest academic program of Tibetan Buddhist studies in the West.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

We have arrived in the twenty-first century, a time of considerable material progress largely based on technological advances spurred on by a flurry of scientific discoveries. Nevertheless, the twentieth century was beset by a huge amount of violence, more than ever before, and at the start of the twenty-first century, murderous violence seems to be taking new forms, of ever-increasing power. This mess has been caused not by insufficient technical knowledge, nor by insufficient materials, but by an unruly mind.

While many in this world are enjoying increasing prosperity, many also remain in extreme poverty. In most countries there is a great disparity between social classes. Lacking wealth, the poor are terribly vulnerable. Consider, too, how many animals are being grown for slaughter, a number so great that the environment is being damaged.

These sad facts are due to insufficient loving care. If humanity's sense of caring for others increased, not only would people in the world be happier but the countless animals whose lives we directly affect would also have a better life. To increase our altruism we must motivate ourselves to take into consideration the effects of our actions on both the present and the future.

If unwanted suffering can be removed and happiness achieved merely through material advancement and wealth, then rich people should be free from suffering, but obviously this is not the case. In fact, once people obtain a good bit of money, comfort, and power, they tend to become excessively proud and jealous, particularly covetous, more focused on harm, and increasingly apprehensive. Those living in a moderate way are by no means impervious to the three poisons of lust, hatred, and ignorance, but for the most part they are bothered considerably less by additional problems.

What makes us unhappy? Our minds have fallen so far under the influence of self-destructive emotions that these attitudes, far from being viewed as harmful, are welcomed and promoted. That is what makes us squirm in discomfort.

If people could enjoy both external prosperity and inner qualities of goodness, outer and inner wealth, that indeed would provide a comfortable human life. Happiness does not come just from external circumstances; it mainly derives from inner attitudes. Nowadays those countries that have achieved great material progress are beginning to see that physical health and sickness, as well as the condition of society, are closely related to our mental processes.

Analytical investigation of the ways we think and feel are very important. Over the last three thousand years the most penetrating analysis of internal mental processes has occurred in India, so it is those insights that I draw on in this book to present in an easily accessible way the full range of practices leading to the enlightenment of Buddhahood.

Some 2,550 years ago, Buddha set forth a new religion in India. Some aspects of his ideas had already appeared there earlier, but no one had delineated these perspectives and techniques as conclusively as he would. What is at their core? Selflessness. Long before him, many had sought to analyze the status of the self, but not only did they teach that the self exists, they held that it exists independent of the mind and the body. However, Buddha concluded that when we assert that the self exists independently, our innate sense of self-centeredness increases and solidifies. As a result, the lust, anger, pride, jealousy, and doubt that stem from being selfcentered grow stronger and more ingrained.

Seeing that defective states of mind such as lust and hatred are rooted in egotism, Buddha taught something that had not been explained before him, the view of selflessness. This was exceptional, and indeed for the more than 2,500 years that have passed since his time, no one outside of his tradition has taught this view.

As the Tibetan scholar Jamyang Shepa wrote near the end of the seventeenth century, "Non-Buddhist and Buddhist views derive from proving or refuting what is conceived by a view of self." In setting forth the view of selflessness, Buddha taught that a permanent unchangeable self, separate from mind and body, does not exist. Non-Buddhist schools not only accept such a self but seek to prove its independent existence through various approaches, whereas Buddhist systems seek to refute it.

It is not that the self is totally nonexistent; it is obvious that a self that desires happiness and does not want suffering does indeed exist. But Buddha taught that the self is set up in dependence upon the mind and body. In this way Buddha established the view known as dependent-arising, which emphasizes the interrelatedness of all things. Despite appearances to the contrary, nothing exists autonomously, or truly in isolation. All things have interconnections. The view of dependent-arising is Buddha's focal teaching.

Dependent-arising means that all phenomena -- whether physical, mental, or otherwise -- come into being based on certain causes and conditions. The happiness that the self seeks out and the suffering that the self seeks to remove do not arise independently but are produced by their own specific, temporary, appropriate causes. According to Buddhism they do not arise from permanent causes such as a permanent self-arisen Creator, or a permanent Nature, as was a popular belief in India. Buddha taught that phenomena arise only in dependence upon their respective causes and conditions. Everything is always in flux.

I am frequently asked what the Buddhist outlook is, and I respond by saying its view is dependent-arising, and its prescribed behavior is nonviolence. Nonviolence means to be motivated by compassion, which calls for helping others and, if that is not possible, then at least doing no harm. Dependent-arising and compassion are the essence of the Buddhist religion and the keys to its highest state: enlightenment.

Copyright © 2009 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama

From AudioFile
His Holiness The Dalai Lama delineates the foundations of Buddhism in this comprehensive text. Although the subject matter is broad, BECOMING ENLIGHTENED includes practical instructions and numbered techniques. Narrator Jeffrey Hopkins is a renowned Buddhist scholar and former translator for the Dalai Lama. Hopkins is intimate with the Dalai Lama's own speech patterns, as evidenced in his measured pace and calm, kind vocal tones. Like the Dalai Lama himself, Hopkins manages to sound matter-of-fact and accessible even while elucidating the complexities of Buddhist philosophy. Hopkins thoroughly conveys the Dalai Lama's patience and wisdom. BECOMING ENLIGHTENED is as practical as it is profound, and is not to be missed by anyone interested in the fundamentals of Buddhism. J.T. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Awesome book for Buddhists and Non-Buddhists alike
Becoming Enlightened was written by the Dalai Lama, translated into English by Jeffrey Hopkins. If there was ever an "expert" on becoming enlightened, the Dalai Lama would be it! It is pretty amazing in this modern world that the entire world can easily get access to and read a book by a head of a giant religious group like this - and that the book is enjoyable!

I usually take notes when I read books, and I took a TON of notes while reading Becoming Enlightened. This is definitely a helpful book for all people to read, not just Buddhists. First, it's always good to understand what people of a certain group believe in, no matter what that group is. Second, most of the tips are simply about living a content, stress-free life. That is something that all of us are striving towards!

Interestingly, the book explicitly says that ALL religions are valid and each is suited well for a different group of people. It says Buddhists should never go around trying to "convert" others. Buddhism is not "better" than other religions. Each religion is a path, each one promotes peace, compassion and charity.

The book goes step by step through a number of ideas to improve your life. You should make sure you are spending time on *important* things. Time is precious, don't waste it by hurrying to do thing you really don't have in your priority list. Cherish others, strive not to harm anyone or any sentient creature.

You should try to bring under control your lust for objects and people. Our modern society hypes us to want more and more. Instead, learn to be content with what you have, to appreciate what you already own. Try to calm your angry feelings about things and people you find unpleasant. Instead, find ways to accept the way they are, to tolerate them. Always strive to learn, to grow your horizons.

The book suggests you try to meditate daily, to give yourself some calm, quiet time. Focus on appreciating yourself and others. People pray all the time for more money, for a nicer body - but rarely do they simply focus on being content NOW. In fact, if people relaxed and were content with they had now, they would be healthier and happier now.

I really found this quote powerful - "appreciate how rare and full of potential your situation is in this world, take joy in it, and use it to your best advantage." Half of the world lives in abject poverty and barely has enough food to survive the day. If you have access to a computer and running water, you are way ahead of the game!

To help you focus, the book lays out, in order of severity, the list of activities to wean yourself off of. These start with killing, then go into stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive talk, harsh speech, senseless chatter, covetousness, harmful intent, and finally wrong views.

The book provides great summaries at the end of every chapter to help you review what was said. I liked one of the meditation exercises. You start by focusing on yourself - sending yourself love, acceptance and joy. Do that for a few sessions. Then at the next session you think about your best friend - send her those waves of love. After a few more sessions move on to other best friends. Slowly work your way outwards until you are sending love to the whole world, and relaxing in the quiet sensation. It really will affect how you relate to others!

Highly recommended.

A Magnificent Text
There are many books on Buddhism these days. Of these, many sacrifice accuracy for clarity. Many more ignore the full power of Buddhism by watering down core beliefs for an audience looking for simple answers. This book rises far above these shortcomings.

'Becoming Enlightened' successfully describes the complete breadth of the Buddhist approach. Most importantly, the book bridges cultural and historical difficulties that readers often encounter by reading source texts. 'Becoming Enlightened' speaks clearly, but not simplistically, on what you need to do to truly be a Buddhist on the path. Even more comprehensive than Hopkin's `How to' series, I find this book to be a remarkable text for the modern reader.

There is great value if you truly reflect on this text.

I would also recommend Guy Newland's book 'Introduction to Emptiness.' In a similar manner, difficult concepts are explained within our cultural and historical context.