Beyond Religion

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an internationally renowned advocate of religious harmony, has come up with a unique perspective on the importance of secular ethics: a way to live a peaceful and happy life that is not necessarily tied to religious beliefs. His Holiness is known worldwide for his advocacy of human rights. He sees our world as encompassing people of diverse backgrounds and views. People need to be able to discuss differences openly without resorting to anger or intolerance. Rewritten in a tone from an expert on religion: Ten years ago, in Ethics for a New Millennium, the Dalai Lama offered a system of ethics based on nonreligious principles. He supported this view by offering examples from multiple faith traditions that emphasized what he calls our shared ethical precepts. Based on these precepts, he argued that we can establish guidelines for how we live together peacefully and happily in our overlapping societies. In Beyond Religion, he expounds on his views and goes beyond theories by linking practical methods with universal values. He proposes individual mental training (meditation) to expand one's capacity for compassion, empathy, and patience while simultaneously dealing with difficult circumstances like suffering and death.