The Pocket Dalai Lama

"The Pocket Dalai Lama" is compiled and edited by Mary Craig. This is an anthology of short excerpts from the teachings of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists. A note on the copyright page of this Shambhala Pocket Edition notes that this book is an abridged edition of "The Dalai Lama: In My Own Words," first published in the UK. The excerpts are grouped together in several sections which are titled as follows: "Looking for Happiness in a Secular Society"; "The Real Troublemakers"; "Religion, Religions, and No Religion At All"; "Wanted: A Spiritual Revolution"; "Ethics and the Good Society"; "Democracy and Human Rights"; "Oneness: Taking Responsibility for the World"; "Tibet and Non-Violence"; "Forgiving the Enemy"; "Suffering, Impermanence, and Death"; "World Peace"; and finally, "Invitation to Action." Also included are an introduction by Craig, a postscript about the Dalai Lama's life and exile, and a bibliography. Many of the passages are followed by a note showing the source of that particular passage. These sources are quite varied: a 1959 letter to U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold; a 1985 address at Westminster Abbey; a 1992 address to a summit in Rio de Janeiro; a 1993 article from the "Times of India"; a 2000 talk at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC; and much more. These sources give an indication of the Dalai Lama's global travels and diverse interests. In her introduction editor Craig describes the Dalai Lama as "the most human human being" she has ever met. The Dalai Lama offers a truly global vision that embraces all of the world's people. These passages indicate that he's not trying either to convert people to his faith or to create some new religion; rather, he invites practitioners of any religion (or of no religion) to focus on common values and engage in a meaningful dialogue. Although he speaks with pride and love of his own Tibetan people and culture, he also celebrates the essential "oneness of humanity." He champions the dignity and worth of each human life, and looks to the potential for joy, love, and compassion in our interrelationships. I recommend this inspiring and challenging book to all seekers of wisdom.