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Ethics for the New Millennium

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 1,686 ratings · 102 reviews

In a difficult, uncertain time, it takes a person of great courage, such as the Dalai Lama, to give us hope. Regardless of the violence and cynicism we see on television and read about in the news, there is an argument to be made for basic human goodness. The number of people who spend their lives engaged in violence and dishonesty is tiny compared to the vast majority who...more

Paperback, 237 pages

Published May 1st 2001 by Riverhead Trade (first published January 1st 1999)

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Feb 27, 2013 Ariadna73 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophy, self-help

Check out my spanish review on my blog: http://bit.ly/XIX9sq
This is such an extraordinary book! Everyone should read it! Despite it was written more than a decade ago; the topic is clearly current and alive. I am so touched and moved for what I have just read; that I can only transcribe the last few paragraphs of this fantastic book:

Therefore; with my two hands joined; I appeal to you the reader to ensure that you make the rest of your life as meaningful as possible. Do this by engaging in spiri...more Check out my spanish review on my blog: http://bit.ly/XIX9sq
This is such an extraordinary book! Everyone should read it! Despite it was written more than a decade ago; the topic is clearly current and alive. I am so touched and moved for what I have just read; that I can only transcribe the last few paragraphs of this fantastic book:

Therefore; with my two hands joined; I appeal to you the reader to ensure that you make the rest of your life as meaningful as possible. Do this by engaging in spiritual practice if you can. As I hope I have made clear; there is nothing mysterious about this. It consists in nothing more than acting out of concern for others. And provided you undertake this practice sincerely and with persistence; little by little; step by step you will gradually be able to reorder your habits and attitudes so that you think less about your own narrow concerns and more of others'. In doing so; you will find that you enjoy peace and happiness yourself.

Relinquish your envy; let go your desire to triumph over others. Instead; try to benefit them. With kindness; with courage; and confident that in doing so you are sure to meet with success; welcome others with a smile. Be straightforward. And try to be impartial. Treat everyone as if they were a close friend. I say this neither as Dalai Lama nor as someone who has special powers of ability. Of these I have none. I speak as a human being: one who; like yourself; wishes to be happy and not to suffer.

If you cannot; for whatever reason; be of help to others; at least don't harm them. Consider yourself a tourist. Think of the world as it is seen from space; so small and insignificant yet so beautiful. Could there really be anything to be gained from harming others during our stay here? It is not preferable; and more reasonable; to relax and enjoy ourselves quietly; just as if we were visiting a different neighborhood? Therefore; if in the midst of your enjoyment of the world you have a moment; try to help in however small a way those who are the downtrodden and those who for whatever reason; cannot or do not help themselves. Try not to turn away from those whose appearance is disturbing; from the ragged and unwell. Try never to think of them as inferior to yourself. If you can; try not even to think of yourself as better than the humblest beggar. Your will look the same in your grave.(less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Bruce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Dalai Lama wrote this call for a spiritual revolution in 1999, and it represents the encapsulation of his thinking about ethics, an ethics not dependent on a particular religion or indeed any religion at all. Rather, it grows out of his conviction that the way to a fulfilled and meaningful life depends on the recognition that all people desire happiness and freedom from suffering. All phenomena in the world are interdependent, the nature of reality being that no one exists alone or by and fo...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Ken Rideout rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was required reading for a course I am taking which only makes me that much more impressed that I found it so profound. The Dalai Lama has somehow managed to outdo Joseph Campbell in religious sophistication. He has written a book for all of us that is, dare I say it, post religious. Post religious in a deeply spiritual way, in a all-embracing way, and in a conversational non-academic style. Clearly, he is primarily motivated by Buddhist beliefs but he is speaking to as wide an audience as...more This was required reading for a course I am taking which only makes me that much more impressed that I found it so profound. The Dalai Lama has somehow managed to outdo Joseph Campbell in religious sophistication. He has written a book for all of us that is, dare I say it, post religious. Post religious in a deeply spiritual way, in a all-embracing way, and in a conversational non-academic style. Clearly, he is primarily motivated by Buddhist beliefs but he is speaking to as wide an audience as is possible while still maintaining membership in his own faith.

His message is simple. Compassion. That's it - if you become more compassionate through a specific religion tradition then that is the way to do it; if you are working on your compassion without religion then that is the way to do it for you.

You don't become a nicer person because someone tells you to or for rewards in an afterlife. You should be nice because it is the pathway to true happiness. You become compassionate by inhibiting your non compassionate emotions (jealousy, anger, hatred, fear) and encouraging your compassion by relating to other people as being fundamentally similar to you. It is not enough to read and think on these things. One should, like any other activity, practice being compassionate to become better at it. Start with small things and see where you can take it, he says.

I found the first half of the book to be the most moving and insightful, but there are gems in the latter half as well. The Dalai Lama, understandably, draws heavily on his own Buddhist background and I sometimes feared the book would become New-Agey preachy, but in the end I found the book to be an authentic voice from a specific individual who acknowledges his own limitations but is trying to speak to some of the most difficult issues in our times (war, the environment, religious strife, the disconnect of modern life).

I said post-religious, but maybe I should have said pan-religious for he clearly thinks we human beings are special and are meant to strive for greatness. Very inspiring for me since I tend to have a more pessimistic attitude which I have discovered, thanks to reading this book, is keeping me back from being a better person.

This book is a must-read!(less)

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Jan 24, 2010 Alice rated it 5 of 5 stars

What the Dalai Lama writes in this book really reflects a lot of my own personal philosophy. His main belief is that all humans want to find happiness and aviod suffering. The best way to do this is by living a life of love, compassion, patience, forgiveness, tolerance, and humility. He beleives that religious practice often cultivates these in our lives, but he argues that it is not NECESSARY to be an active participant in a religious practice to live an ethically grounded life. I find this ver...more

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Jul 09, 2009 Scott Dinsmore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Why I Read this Book: Who could pass up the opportunity to learn about ethics from the Dali Lama himself.

Review:

Ethics are an interesting concept. A set of rules or ways of life that guide us to live life in a positive way both for ourselves and for those around us. This is my definition and hopefully at this point in your journey towards success, you have developed your own definitions of ethics and values. The unfortunate fact of life is that there are too many people out there who do not have...more Why I Read this Book: Who could pass up the opportunity to learn about ethics from the Dali Lama himself.

Review:

Ethics are an interesting concept. A set of rules or ways of life that guide us to live life in a positive way both for ourselves and for those around us. This is my definition and hopefully at this point in your journey towards success, you have developed your own definitions of ethics and values. The unfortunate fact of life is that there are too many people out there who do not have a firm understanding of their own ethics with regard to themselves and the people with which they come in contact. We see it every day in the malicious acts that go on throughout the world. Without a foundation from which to build, many people find themselves lost and insecure when it comes to ethics.

I had the pleasure of reading this book for the first time while traveling through Europe with my immediate family a few years back. I cannot encourage a better setting for new thinking and understanding than a foreign place out of your comfort zone. My mother had recently given me this book as a gift. The ironic thing for me was that ethics had been a top priority since day one growing up in my family, and my mother was the primary teacher (with my father of course). I was lucky enough to have had a solid foundation before picking this book so I can only imagine the impact it would have on someone who was a bit more misdirected in their younger days.

So much of success is about how one treats others and themselves in their journey through life. Terms such as core values, ethics and principles should be commonplace in anyone’s day to day quest for success. Look at the words of Stephen Covey, Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie and Richard Bolles in their books reviewed on this site. The very foundation of their teachings grows from the above terms just as the Dali Lama’s do here. The road to success and fulfillment becomes long and dark without a firm understanding of ethics and values to lead the way.

It is interesting to read a book by the Dali Lama. He is one of the most religious figures in the new world with his strict Buddhist faith and he is trying to write a book for the general public. You can see some potential biases here. This was what impressed me most. The Dali Lama has lived his life according toreligion every step of the way, yet in this book he puts no huge focus on any one faith or religion at all. By no means does he force his religious ideas or those of others. I believe his main point here is that ethics transcend religion. In fact ethics transcend every other school of thought. This was quite refreshing to me as I read through his words and tried to think of them with regards to my own life.

He starts out by spending a few chapters on general ethics to get the reader comfortable with the topic. Here he includes thoughts on globally universal topics such as material wealth and its effect on society, what’s morally good and bad, and happiness. He then moves on to discuss personal ethics. The heart of which is having compassion as the heart of all of one’s actions. This concept was especially powerful for me. If each person only did things for which they had true compassion, I think we would all be off to an ethically great start.

Something else that struck me as particularly powerful was the Dali Lamas description of the gap between perception and reality in our lives. This concept is not new to Reading For Your Success and for that reason it deserves some attention. So much of life comes down to perception. Whether good or bad, our life, our emotions, our feelings come down to our perception of reality. The root of unhappiness and unfulfilled goals and dreams is often due to an incorrect perception in one’s life. This is true even for our most cherished and fundamental goal. I say “our” because I can comfortably speak for everyone when I say that we all have one goal in common. That goal is to be happy.

It sounds so simple but take a minute right now to think of your goals. If you haven’t developed your goals yet (I encourage you to do so as soon as you can), try to think back on dreams or fantasies of your own. What is really driving your dream or goal to be thin, have your own business, help others or be financially wealthy? What is the real reason for striving for success as hard as so many of us do? It all comes back to happiness. It was not until getting through a number of the books on this site that I realized the true value of this. We all have one fundamental goal in common. In fact at the end of the day happiness is the only goal. That is why ethics can transcend through cultures, religions and generations and still be the root of all motivations in life. I encourage you to take some time to think about your understanding and view on ethics and develop your own set of values based on those ethics. They will be invaluable and fundamental in your quest for success.

-Reading for Your Success(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 David M. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ethics, non-fiction

I would recommend the newer Beyond Religion Ethics for a Whole World instead, as a more methodical, precise, and practical guide to ethics. I found Ethics for the New Millennium to be comparatively gauzy, vague, and platitudinous.

Still, there was some meat on the bone worth chewing on.

The key to Ethics for the New Millennium is the Dalai Lama’s assertion that the way to be happy and content is to develop and expand one’s own compassion. The purest and most universally-directed altruism is simult...more

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Dec 06, 2011 B.t. Newberg rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Dalai Lama reaches past religious boundaries in this call for a new ethics practical for peoples of all beliefs, religious and secular. Although religions have provided ethical instruction in the past, they are losing their hold. Therefore we need an ethics which does not depend on religions, one which is at home in both religious and secular contexts. This he seeks to provide in Ethics for the New Millennium.

To begin, the Dalai Lama urges the need to ground all actions in positive mental st...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Will rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophy

As a brief and necessarily general work, this book isn't exactly revelatory, but its simplicity is soothing and its message always welcome, however familiar. After all, there's a difference between being familiar with and remaining aware of ethical principles, not to mention the difference between remaining aware of and acting on them. For the duration of the book, I was at least aware.

Ultimately, I'd prefer a more specific discussion of how the Dalai Lama's experience and belief are relevant to...more

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May 18, 2011 Don rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: culture, ethics, philosophy-religion, psychology

I've always enjoyed reading items written by the current Dalai Lama; I think he has a very easy and ascertainable writing style that brings forth the concepts of Buddhism, and his belief for its application in our world, in a manner that is very accessible to the reader. This book was no exception, and for any one familiar with his writings, his focus on compassion as the core of ethics is no surprise. I tend to agree with an ethics centered on compassion, but I think the book begins the discuss...more

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Apr 29, 2009 David Haws rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophy

I'm giving a lecture on commitment and the willingness to suffer (ostensibly about the death of Socrates) and I remember these two Dalai Lama books that I read a few years ago. I think the point is that empathy is human, and empathy requires us to share suffering. Suffering is in the Affective Domain, but the causes of suffering can be physical, cognitive, or affective. I think the point with Socrates (the Crito) is that he empathizes with the suffering in Athens caused by a cognitive deficiency...more

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Jun 27, 2007 Samantha Newman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: religionandthelike

I wanted to find a way to simply be more peaceful in my daily life, and it seems to me that real Buddhists are pretty peaceful people, so the Dalai Lama seemed to be a good place to go to for some ideas on peace.

I enjoyed reading the book and it does give some really good ideas and ways to think. I found myself identifying with the people he described that I wish I wasn't like! This gave me ideas on how to change, or simple ways to think differently to be happier and kinder and more peaceful in...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Fred Kohn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: religious, philosophy

I always enjoy reading books by the Dalai Lama, although I find much of it hard to understand. I have been solidly in the Christian tradition all my life and although I find Buddhist ideas interesting, they are for the most part outside my experience. Fortunately this book concentrates very little on Buddhist philosophy and focuses mainly on what I would call an everyperson view of morality. I found this very practical and admired how the Dalai Lama made his case, from individual experience up t...more

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Apr 10, 2010 Wade rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ethics, religion

Beautiful words from a beautiful man. The following quote epitomizes why I love studying other faith traditions and philosophies, outside perspectives enhance my Mormon experience: “To the extent that the insights or practices of other religions are useful or relevant to our own faith, it is valuable to learn from others. In some cases, it may even be helpful to adopt certain of them. Yet when this is done wisely, we can remain firmly committed to our own faith” page 229.

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Nov 01, 2011 Erik Dabel rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Dalai Lama is a beautiful, caring, warm soul, one who we can all learn a great deal from. This book is simply his thoughts on what we as individuals can do to make the world a better place, just as the title suggests, in an ever changing world heading into a new Millennium.

There are many great guidelines on these pages, many that our political and social leaders should really take a look at.

There isn't really anything mind blowing or revolutionary, the ideas are rather basic, but he portray...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Marco Durazo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Book is very dense and hard to read without a vast amount of self reflection, but it is very enlightening. The best part of this book is on conflictive emotions that keep people from seeing clearly. The anger caused by these emotions usually leads to more negative emotions and more problems that caused the intial emotions. If you look at it from this point of view, one can model their life around clear thinking and emotions

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Nov 16, 2009 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: metaphysics-and-philosophy

The Dalai Lama has given us a real gift with this book. His logic is irrevocable, which is the best part of this treaties. One cannot argue with his simple self-evident logic, and his logic is able to illuminate the deepest truth of human nature. Taken with "Bonds that Make us Free" this book can change your life if you let it.

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Jul 12, 2008 Tommy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The most impressive thing about this book is that it came out in early 2001 - months before our nation underwent an unprecedented tragedy - and the Dalai Lama's message of a roadmap for peaceful coexistence in our world resonates just as powerfully today as it did in what Americans would consider more 'peaceful' days.

I re-read this after 9/11 and felt like it was a handbook for the world's leaders to follow. I don't think any did - ours sure didn't - but the book also talks about our own person...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Zachary rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Dalai Lama outlines the very basic principles of human ethics and morality. Mostly, he gives tautologies about human natures ("People want to be happy because people like happiness) and other things that seem so obvious. Still, it might take the Dalai Lama to say it to be able to realize it. It's a light read, but not really all that enlightening or inspiring.

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Nov 08, 2008 Scott Merkling rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best surveys of Buddhist thought available for westerners. In his lovable style and simple, straightforward prose, His Holiness provides people of all walks of life with what they have always wanted... the key to happiness.
Of all the books I have read by His Holiness the Dalai Lama this is the one that feels the most direct, not through an interpreter or narrator. Reading this is the next best thing to a conversation with the man himself.
Also of note is that the practice des...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sarg

This is a relatively clear, sometimes a bit dense, proffering of Tibetan Buddhist ethics. Basically, in order to live a happy life, we must base our choices of good/bad, right/wrong, on the effect our actions will have on others. Works for me.

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Mar 31, 2009 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-non-fiction, spirituality, adult-buddhism

I loved this book. It struck me deeply when I read it - a great combination of theory and practicality. The Dalai Lama so eloquently wrote about many beliefs and feelings I had but had not really known how to put into words.

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Mar 23, 2012 Johnny Stork rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

In an ever expanding global community, resulting in the elimination or reduction of boundaries separating countries, economies, cultures and people, there is little doubt we need universal, or at least globally recognized ethics. Otherwise our future is likely to be marked by increasing tensions, divisions, conflict and even war between nations. Ethics for The New Millennium is a good start in trying to identify what a global system of ethics might look like. At the very least, another secular w...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Laura K rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Excellent and thought-provoking, this book presents "a moral system based on universal, rather than religious principles." Love, compassion, patience, tolerance, humility , forgiveness. I especially appreciated the fact that he discusses what's right with the world (hope based on a greater awareness of ecology, cooperation, awareness, ect.), and not just what is troubling. He deals with difficult issues (how can different religions co-exist, how can different religious practitioners still stay t...more

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May 02, 2012 Jacob Gustafsson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great book for any person who is trying to live a better life. The Dalai Lama is not preaching religion, but instead how we should treat each other and how to remain happy in your own circumstances.

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Apr 13, 2011 Leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

read this for a moral philosophy class undergrad- one of those books for school that i actually enjoyed reading- gives you an interesting outlook on the world and relationships with others

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Oct 28, 2009 Jennifer James rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: philosophy

The Dalai Lama outlines an ethic of compassion. We all desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. We are all interconnected and when others suffer, it adds to our suffering. Therefore, the best way to avoid suffering ourselves is to practice non-violence, avoid causing suffering to other people, and help reduce suffering of other people. We need to move beyond being selfish and have compassion for all other beings.

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May 16, 2012 TaleofGenji marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11132524

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Oct 22, 2011 Trendostootyfruity rated it 5 of 5 stars

Inspiring book, it makes you feel like life is wonderful and can be wonderful in the new millennium.... Very calming and relaxing to read.

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Aug 04, 2011 Renae added it

It was a little repetitive, but I feel like most books are that fall into the category 'spiritual'. Otherwise, very good.

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Jan 21, 2011 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read for bookclub. A nice review of ethics and reminder that we should treat others' happiness as important as our own.

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About Dalai Lama XIV

Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub, Tibetan: ལྷ་མོ་དོན་འགྲུབ་), 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 fa...more

More about Dalai Lama XIV...

Books by Dalai Lama XIV

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The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality

How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life

Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama

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