Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians

by Dalai Lama XIV

In the words of the Dalai Lama, the purpose of religion is not to build churches and elaborate temples, but to cultivate positive human qualities such as tolerance, generosity and love. This text contains the four talks given by the Dalai Lama when he attended a meeting of Buddhist and Christian monks at Gethsemani Abbey, Kentucky. The Dalai Lama shares his understanding of four major themes explored in the meeting: the practice of prayer and meditation in the spiritual life; the stages in the process of spiritual development; the role of the teacher and the community in the spiritual life; and the spiritual goals of personal and and societal transformation. In each talk the Dalai Lama expresses the basic principles of Tibetan Buddhism and shows how they are applicable to daily practice for all spiritual seekers, regardless of their religious affiliation.

Genres: Buddhism

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

About the author

Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.

Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.

On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.

After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.

Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning a little about Buddhism from the Dalai Lama himself. It was very interesting. I appreciated his humility, his conversational tone, and his insights on Buddhism, especially Buddhist monks. I am trying to learn more about world religions, and this helped.

Throughout the book, the Dalai Lama seems to be looking for commonalities between Christianity and Buddhism. But I kept noticing huge differences in the 2 religions.

Particularly, Christianity and Buddhism both have answers to these questions:

1. Where does suffering come from?
2. How do we get rid of suffering?

Buddhism's answer to "Where Does Suffering Come From":

According to the Dalai Lama, "Desire, or attachment, is one of the key factors which bind a person in the cyclic existence of suffering."

Buddhism's answer to "How Do We Get Rid of Suffering":

Buddhism's solution to overcome desire and end suffering is found in Nirvana. I don't completely understand what is meant by Nirvana. But the Dalai Lama explains that at least part of Nirvana is that we will no longer have any "afflictive emotions." Nirvana is achieved through great human effort, including meditation and certain virtues, or "perfections."

Christianity's answer to "Where Does Suffering Come From":

The Bible teaches that suffering (and death) stems from sin, not desire. Sin is what separates us from God. (Sin is when we rebel against God's authority because we want to live life our way, not His way.) Since we were created to love God and have a close relationship with Him, being separated from Him is agonizing. We cannot live out our true purpose away from God.

Christianity's answer to "How Do We Get Rid of Suffering":

Christianity's solution to sin and suffering is not achieved through human effort, as in Buddhism. Because of our sins, we can't "fix" ourselves.

INSTEAD, the Bible tells us to trust completely in God and to accept His free gift of forgiveness for our sins. Then, God will give us His righteousness and we can have a good, loving relationship with Him again (Romans 4 and 5).

With the help of God, we become more and more loving and good in this life, and we will be perfectly sinless in the next life (2 Peter 1, Philippians 3). After we die, in eternal life, we will be closer to God than ever before.

In the next life, "The dwelling place of God [will be] with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people...He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away...'Behold, I am making all things new.'" (Revelation 21:4-5)

If you're interested in learning more about Christianity, I would recommend 1) reading the Bible and 2) the website gotquestions.org. God bless you. God loves you.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finishing Living Buddha, Living Christ, I decided I needed more comparative, compassionate religion in my life. While Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians, I didn't find the writing style particularly accessible.

Needlessly dense with an overreliance on big words, Spiritual Advice for Buddhists and Christians has some nice sections but reads too much like a dry textbook. Not recommended.

[Asia Spann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some parts went completely over my head.
Most of it was essential for continuous spiritual growth

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first chapter was GREAT. After that, meh. It was so circular as to not be very engaging or enlightening.

[Kristina]

Succinct and clearly expressed. Very helpful advice.

[Devashish Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the chapters are amazing and some can be skipped.
Go for it if you need some meditation techniques as well.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was simply too short, TOO concise. Otherwise it would get five stars because the message was wonderful.

It was the product of a Christian and Buddhist conference held at the Abbey of Gesthemani in 1996. The Dalai Lama was presiding over this meeting of Buddhist and Christians monastists and lay persons as a result of his friendship in with the Benedictine monk Thomas Merton. The book, though too short, proceeds at the comfortable, instructive, clear pace of the Dalai Lama's teachings.

"All faiths, despite teir contradictory philosophies, possess the ability to produce fine warmhearted beings. Therefore there is every reason to appreciate and respect all forms of spiritual practice that make better human beings and help create a happier, more peaceful world."

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spiritual goal for all humankind is to cultivate "the positive human qualities of tolerance, generosity and love." Amen is what I have to say.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Incontri dell'anima per cristiani e buddisti"

[เนติวิทย์ โชติภัทร์ไพศาล · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's basic for everyone, who interested in spiritual path.