Questions for the Dalai Lama is a book that gives answers directly from the Dalai Lama himself on topics such as happiness, compassion, love, and more. Compiled by Dede Cummings and Travis Hellstrom, Questions for the Dalai Lama is presented in a clear, elegant format and is easy to share with friends and loved ones. Here are five simple answers on happiness from the Dalai Lama:
What is the purpose of life? “I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.”
How do I achieve happiness? “Freedom is the real source of human happiness and creativity. From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.”
What role do material items play in happiness? “A very poor, underprivileged person might think that it would be wonderful to have a car or a television, and would feel very happy should he acquire them. Now if such happiness were something permanent, it would remain forever. But it does not; it goes.”
How are friendships important for happiness? “Of course, it is natural and right that we all want friends. I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, you should be very altruistic! You should take good care of others.”
What should I do, day to day, to develop happiness? “Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.”
Drawing on the enduring words of His Holiness, this inspirational book makes a wonderful gift for anyone seeking greater personal happiness and a life informed by compassion and wisdom. Organized into sections and built around a simple, informal question and answer format, Questions for the Dalai Lama is easy to understand and a pleasure to read.
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QUESTIONS FOR THE DALAI LAMA
Edited by Dede Cummings and Travis Hellstrom
978-1-57826-497-1, $12.50 hardcover
978-1-57826-498-8, $9.99 ebook
