The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Intimate Conversations and Journeys

Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho, Victor Chan, Dalai Lama XIV

Hodder Headline Australia, 2004 - Buddhism - 266 pages

When Victor Chan first visited the Dalai Lama in the 1970s, he assumed that, since he is a member of the race responsible for destroying Tibet, the Dalai Lama would treat him with disdain. Instead, they developed a close relationship, out of which Victor was able to pose some of the most personal questions ever asked of or answered by the Dalai Lama.
From the conversations in The Wisdom of Forgiveness, we discover under which circumstances the Dalai Lama believes he could be capable of violence; how the experience of profound spiritual insight feels in the body and mind; how he learned to love those who anyone else would consider an enemy; what his personal fears are; what the heart of a holy man looks like in medical tests; and how a highly developed spiritual person experiences pain.
The Wisdom of Forgiveness takes these two friends on journeys from India to Ireland; from the former Czechoslovakia to a pilgrimage to Buddhist holy sites. If you ve ever wondered why we love the Dalai Lama so much, this books makes it clear by placing us in the presence of a great being.
So being able to forgive your enemies can make a difference to one s spiritual progress? I asked the Dalai Lama.
Yes, yes, there is no double, he replied. It s crucial. It s one of the most important things. It can change one s life. To reduce hatred and other destructive emotions, you must develop their opposites compassion and kindness. If you have strong compassion, strong respect for others, then forgiveness is much easier. Mainly for this reason: I do not want to harm another. Forgiveness allows you to be in touch with these positive emotions. This will help with spiritual development. - from The Wisdom of Forgiveness

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - Auntie-Nanuuq - LibraryThing

This is a collection of "Intimate Conversations & Journeys" with the Dalai Lama by Victor Chan. It's about compassion, humanity, forgiveness, and mindful thought. There are parts of conversations with ...

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - wrk1 - LibraryThing

A view of the Dalai Lama as a man and a long-practicing monk, the only two ways he characterizes himself. Victor Chan, the co-author, tells the story of his visits and conversations with the Dalai Lama. Overall, the book is about a man with deep compassion and immeasurable forgiveness.

About the author

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a Nobel Peace Laureate, and the exiled leader of the Tibetan people. He is the author, with Howard C. Cutler, of the million-copy bestseller, The Art of Happiness, and The New York Times bestseller The Art of Happiness at Work. Victor Chan teaches at the University of British Columbia, Institute of Asian Research.

The exiled 14th Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935 to a peasant family living in a former Tibetan village. He was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous spiritual leader of his nation at the age of two and enthroned on February 22, 1940. In 1959 he and 100,000 followers fled the country following a failed revolt against the Communist Chinese forces that had occupied Tibet for almost a decade. Since that time, the Dalai Lama has met with numerous world leaders and U. N. officials in a tireless effort to free his country and preserve the traditional Tibetan way of life. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and has been awarded honorary citizenships by many international cities and countries, as well as multiple honorary degrees and human rights awards. In 2007 the Dalai Lama received the United States Congressional Gold Medal. He has written many books and lectures around the world.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Intimate Conversations and Journeys
• Authors: Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho, Victor Chan, Dalai Lama XIV
• Publisher: Hodder Headline Australia, 2004
• ISBN: 0733619134, 9780733619137
• Length: 266 pages