Biography
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has long stood as one of the world's foremost advocators of peace. Born in 1935, in northeastern Tibet, he is the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama, and thus an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Buddha of Compassion. At age 16, His Holiness was called upon to assume full political power as Head of State and Government when Tibet was threatened by the might of China. His efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict were thwarted and the resistance movement in Tibet was finally crushed by the Chinese army in 1959. Since then, some 80,000 refugees have followed The Dalai Lama into exile. Today His Holiness resides in Dharamsala India, the current seat of the Tibetan Government In Exile.
What makes the Dalai Lama unique has been his embrace of the west. As a scholar-practitioner, he has made numerous trips over the last 30 years to different countries, spreading his message of peace. He has met with various political and religious leaders, including U.S. presidents, Pope John Paul II, and representatives of other world religions and faiths.
In recent years the world has been blessed with a series of books written by the Dalai Lama, each focusing on various strands of faith-based living and how to practice a happier more harmonious life. The Dalai Lama's embrace of the world and continuous search for peaceful understanding between nations have served as an inspiration for generations.
We Recommend
LearnOutLoud.com is honored to be able to present everything available on audio from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. You may wish to start with "The Art Of Happiness", which mixes Buddhist tradition with common sense to illustrate how one can defeat feelings such as anger, anxiety, depression, and other destructive emotions. We also suggest "How To Practice: The Way To A Meaningful Life ", an accessible reference guide for life's hard decisions. It will teach ways of opening your heart, how to refrain from hurting others, how to retain mental wellness, and more. These teachings are divided into distinct steps and are designed for people of all faiths to learn from.
Finally there's "Advice On Dying", in which the stages of death are described so beautifully that we come to see death as the ultimate journey into transformation rather than an end. In this way the Dalai Lama shows us how to prepare for that time and, in doing so, how to enrich our time on earth, die without fear, and influence the stage between this life and the next so that we may gain the best possible incarnation. All of the books listed below share the common thread of His Holiness' excited spirit and sense of playful calm. LearnOutLoud.com's list of audio books by the Dalai Lama offer a new world of spiritual and mental awareness that will center your heart and prepare you not only for the day to day grind of the world, but also help you live a fuller,
happier life.