Kindness, Clarity, & Insight

In 1979, after substantial political effort, H.H. the Dalai Lama made his first visit to the United States. He travelled across the country and delivered a series of lectures. The Dalai Lama visited Canada in 1980 and returned to the United States in 1981 and many times thereafter. In 1981, the Dalai Lama and his editor and translator, Professor Jeffrey Hopkins, published a book of the Dalai Lama's early lectures in North America, "Kindness, Clarity, and Insight." It was the first of many books that have since been published based upon the Dalai Lama's lectures or upon meetings and discussions with him. Happily, the book was reissued in 2006 to celebrate the 25th year of its publication as well as the anniversary of Snow Lion Publications, an American publishing house devoted exclusively to books on Tibet. "Kindness, Clarity, and Insight" is among the best of the Dalai Lama's books in presenting his major themes and in showing the scope of his teachings, from the most fundamental and accessible to the difficult. The book consists of a series of 20 lectures delivered during the Dalai Lama's first three visits. The lectures are arranged in a progressing order of complexity, with the opening lectures giving an introduction to the Dalai Lama's thought that requires no special interest in Tibetan Buddhism while the latter lectures focus on complex, difficult matters that arise within the various Tibetan Buddhist schools. The book is fascinating to read as it moves forward. Throughout the book, the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of kindness and of developing a good heart through introspection and meditation rather than through pursuit of material gain and pleasure. He emphasizes the importance of altruism -- of showing concern for and working towards the well-being of others --- and he takes a broadly ecumenical approach towards religion. In his ecumenical approach, the Dalai Lama stresses that human beings everywhere are essentially alike, despite superficial differences in culture, religion, or race, and that everyone wishes to attain happiness and avoid suffering. He stresses that every religion -- and that secularism too for that matter -- shares these goals and that the differences in doctrine and philosophy among different creeds should not obscure recognition of their underlying unity of purpose. The Dalai Lama does not force his creed or any creed on anyone. Among the best of the earlier lectures in the book are the opening talk given at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. "Religious Values and Human Society", the lectures "Religious Harmony" and "Compassion in Global Politics" and "Buddhism East to West" which gives the Dalai Lama's early thoughts on the spread of Buddhism to the West. But in addition to these broadly-based talks, the book includes a series of lectures providing great detail on the nature of Tibetan Buddhism. Many readers will find these lectures difficult both because the subject matter and terminology

There was a time when I dismissed the Dalai Lama as the latest celebrity fad. But the more I read of him, the more I studied the man's books, the more I came to realize how wrong I was. The Dalai Lama is the real deal. He's a geniune man of compassion in a world often full of hate, anger, and violence. In short, his life story has become an inspiration to me. If one can let go of and rise above a past as fraught with injustice as his is, one can overcome any kind of past. In this book -- the 25th anniversary edition of his groundbreaking work -- the Dalai Lama radiates everything the title claims that he will within its pages. If you're new to the Dalai Lama's works, this would be a great place to start. Sure, some of his other books may be meatier. Some may even be easier to understand. But this book is solid and well worth your time.

The newly revised and updated twenty-fifth year anniversary edition of Kindness, Clarity, Insight by The Fourteenth Dalai Lama His Holiness Tenzino Gyatso, is expertly translated and co-edited by Jeffery Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper. Offering remarkably enduring insights into the wit and wisdom of the Dalai Lama., Kindness, Clarity, And Insight deftly covered many diverse subjects ranging from "Karma", to "Meditation", to "Eight Verses for Training the mind", to "The Path to Enlightenment", to "Tibetan Views on Dying", and so much more. An essential addition to any personal, academic, or community library Buddhist Studies reference collection and supplemental reading list, Kindness, Clarity, Insight offers a Buddhist perspective which is very strongly recommended for all students of the teachings of the Dalai Lama.

this book is a collection of talks. It gave me facts about Buddism and ideas about personal growth and non-traditional, non organized religioous spirituality. the Dali Lama is one guy who has it together, period.

This was the 1st book with the Dalai Lama that I read. The title says it all. This is the book that made me fall in love with the Dalai Lama. (Spiritually speaking) :)