Adapted from Living Wisdom with His Holiness The Dalai Lama (Sounds True, 2006).
Here are beautiful guidelines from His Holiness The Dalai Lama for living an ethical life. At their heart is a way to keep ourselves from harming others and to cultivate a path of virtue in the world.
“Self-interest is at the root of any intention to harm others; it is not wholesome. Therefore, a bodhisattva (a follower of the Buddhist way of life) restrains the attitude of self-interest.
What does self-interest mean? We do not talk about completely forgetting ourselves, because in order to strive for buddahood, a bodhisattva must develop strong, determined self-confidence. But we have to clearly distinguish between this and an inferior kind of self-cherishing. This can be accomplished by following the Ten Virtuous Actions”—His Holiness The Dalai Lama
• Protecting and saving life.
• Giving and not taking what is not given.
• Treating your partner respectfully—respecting your marriage vows.
• Speaking honestly.
• Speaking with the goal to bring harmony among beings.
• Speaking gently.
• Refraining from gossip.
• Being happy for others’ accomplishments.
• Being loving toward all.
• Having a view that includes karma and understands the middle way between the two extreme views of eternalism and nihilism, accompanied by the two kinds of accumulations (of merit and wisdom).
2 comments:
Pearls of wisdom, from the Dalai Lama...speaking of him, is he coming to Kenya soon? I heard they had denied him a visa coz of china
Not sure if he still is coming...frankly speaking, I wish he would. This country's leaders need someone of his stature and wisdom to rap some sense into their heads!
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