bfa0de98_of_56___sorted_by__date_added___title
[0] checkbox [#] position [cover] cover [author] author XIV, Dalai Lama [isbn] isbn 0547636350 [isbn13] isbn13 9780547636351 [asin] asin [num pages] num pages 208 pp [avg rating] avg rating 4.10 [num ratings] num ratings 2,105 [date pub] date pub 2011 [date pub (ed.)] date pub edition Dec 06, 2011 [rating] Elise's rating 5 of 5 stars [my rating] my rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars add to shelves [review] review "Happiness comes not from wealth but from setting limits on our desires and living within those limits with satisfaction...The only effective antidote "Happiness comes not from wealth but from setting limits on our desires and living within those limits with satisfaction...The only effective antidote to greed is moderation and contentment...In contrast, when it comes to acquiring mental riches, the potential is limitless. Here, where there is no natural limit, it is appropriate not to be contented with what you have, but to constantly strive for more. Unfortunately, most of us do the exact opposite: We are never quite satisfied with what we have materially, but we tend to be thoroughly complacent about our mental riches." One of the most impactful books I've ever read. This book initially appealed to me because of parenting interests - wanting to raise my three year olds with a secular base for their moral decisions in life. I've seen enough adults - even in their 30s, 40s and 50s - grow apart from their childhood religious upbringing and the ethical and moral foundation grounded there, only to become seemingly oblivious to common sense, diving off a deep end of selfish indulgence even to the extent of abandoning any sense of ethical behavior at all. It's distasteful and disheartening to watch. So, even though I am raising my own children with religion as their main base for ethical understanding, the idea of secular ethics is also very appealing and important to me just so that if they choose a nonreligious life as adults, they still have a strong basis for acting in ways that will bring them joy and contentment and a desire to better their world. I didn't suspect that the thoughts conveyed in this book would touch me so deeply. I perceived most of what the Dalai Lama expressed through a Christian lense even though the purpose to make an argument for ethics apart from religion. Religious or not, the arguments presented for intentionally developing compassion, forbearance, tolerance and self-discipline are inspiring and made me want to be a better person with stronger character. I'll refer back to this book often and I'm sure re-read it in its entirety as well. Two of my major weaknesses that make life hard are trouble with forgiveness and contentment so some of my favorite related quotes: "An important dimension of the practice of patience or forbearance is the cultivation of greater acceptance of suffering and difficulties, which are in fact unavoidable parts of our existence. This training in patience takes the form of developing a genuine attitude of acceptance of the reality that life involves hardship. To be in denial about suffering, or to expect life to be easy only causes a person additional misery. I do not mean to suggest that suffering is somehow good in itself, I simply mean that accepting it will make it easier to bear. Traveling the world, I have noticed that people in less developed countries, whose lives are hard in material terms, often seem more contented than those in more affluent countries who have relatively easy lives. Beneath the outward affluence and materially advanced society lies a good deal of inner-anxiety and dissatisfaction. While in poorer countries, I am often struck by the simple joy one often encounters. How to account for this, it seems that hardship, in forcing us to exercise greater forbearance and patience in life, actually makes us stronger and more robust. From the daily experience of hardship comes a greater capacity for accepting difficulties without losing an inner sense of calm.... ...I do not want to advocate hardship as a way of life, but merely to show that if you relate to hardship constructively by seeing its benefits, it can bring you inner-strength or fortitude. ...An absence of greed, or literally knowing what is enough, or knowing when to be contented - it means being able to find satisfaction without looking for more. So contentment, according to this view, is something like the virtue of moderation. It implies a certain modesty of ambition, or having limited desires. By living modestly and setting reasonable limits, we free ourselves from the sense of insecurity and insufficiency born of incessant craving. By practicing contentment, we allow ourselves to rest in an underlying state of satisfaction; confident in the knowledge that we are living in the ideals that we seek to uphold. By limiting our wants and desires, we avoid suffering dissatisfaction and frustration which greed generates. Happiness comes not from wealth but from setting limits on our desires and living within those limits with satisfaction." ...more [notes] notes Notes are private! [recommender] recommender none [comments] comments 0 [votes] votes 0 [read count] # times read 1 [date started] date started not set [date read] date read Sep 16, 2014 [date added] date added Sep 16, 2014 [date purchased] date purchased [owned] owned [purchase location] purchase location [condition] condition [format] format Hardcover [29] actions view (with text) [title] 
title Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World
Elise's bookshelf: religion (showing 1-30 of 56) (sorted by: date added)