Living Ethically

by Sangharakshita

In Knowing How to Live, Sangharakshita delves into Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland text and extracts the gems of wisdom relevant to the Buddhist practitioner of today, from the beginner to one who is more experienced. The text, originally written for King Satavahana, a spiritual disciple of Nagarjuna’s, is a layman’s guide to Enlightenment. Though originally intended to be studied by a leader of men, in this democratic era Buddhists of all walks of life can learn from the insights of this enlightened teacher of the past.

Principally, readers will learn that the path to true joy can be discovered through helping others. This is true not only for private individuals but for governments, corporations, and institutions as well. What is true for oneself and one’s personal ethics proves to be equally true in the realm of social ethics—that actions, for good or ill, will have consequences and the practice of ethics is the key to a happy, human life.

O King, it would be right for you
Each day to think about this advice
So that you and others may achieve
Complete and perfect Enlightenment.
—Nagarjuna

After reading the Diamond Sutra, an ancient Buddhist text, at the age of sixteen, Sangharakshita realized that he was a Buddhist. He served in the British Army in Southeast Asia during World War II and remained there, but after spending twenty years in India, Sangharakshita returned to England and established the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (1967) and Western Buddhist Order (1968). Sangharakshita is considered one of the foremost expositors of the Buddha’s teachings to the modern West.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

Sangharakshita was born Dennis Lingwood in South London, in 1925. Largely self-educated, he developed an interest in the cultures and philosophies of the East early on, and realized that he was a Buddhist at the age of sixteen.

The Second World War took him, as a conscript, to India, where he stayed on to become the Buddhist monk Sangharakshita. After studying for some years under leading teachers from the major Buddhist traditions, he went on to teach and write extensively. He also played a key part in the revival of Buddhism in India, particularly through his work among followers of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

After twenty years in the East, he returned to England to establish the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in 1967, and the Western Buddhist Order in 1968 (now known as the Triratna Buddhist Community and the Triratna Buddhist Order respectively).

Sangharakshita has always particularly emphasized the decisive significance of commitment in the spiritual life, the paramount value of spiritual friendship and community, the link between religion and art, and the need for a ‘new society’ supportive of spiritual aspirations and ideas.

In recent years Sangharakshita has been handing on most of his responsibilities to his senior disciples in the Order. Based at the Adhisthana retreat centre in Herefordshire UK, he is now focusing on personal contact with people. For more, go to www.sangharakshita.org.

A collection of 27 volumes will represent the definitive edition of his life’s work as a Buddhist writer and teacher. Find out more about The Complete Works of Sangharakshita

A series of talks by Sangharakshita: ‘Launch of The Essential Sangharakshita and Living Ethically’.

Reviews

[Alex Boon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not entirely terrible but just too much white male privilege. Couldn't continue much further after the criticisms of women having abortions. It wasn't so much the criticism itself as the "They don't think like me. They should think like me" that came across. I thought Buddhism was about quashing such attitudes and reserving judgement. Anyway, there's better books on Buddhist ethics out there with better reasoned debate. That said, there was some great commentary on here on the text itself.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful commentary on Nagajuna's Precious Garland. Very thought-provoking, I shall have to read it again to fully explore my understanding.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some great teaching in this short book. It is probably of interest mostly to people within the Triratna movement.