Monday March 12, 2007

Tibetan spiritual master releases new book

By S.C. CHEAH

Autographing session: Dagpo Rinpoche signing a copy of The Bodhisattva Vowsat its launch at the MPH Bookstore in MidValley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday. The book, which is a practical guide to the ethics of Mahayana Buddhism, is available at RM12 per copy.

KUALA LUMPUR: “Human beings have the potential to create much more than just one lifetime’s worth of happiness,” shares Venerable Dagpo Lama Rinpoche Jhampa Gyatso in his powerful new book The Bodhisattva Vows.

Why then is there still so much suffering in the world today?

The renowned spiritual master of Tibetan Buddhism believes that the root cause is our ignorance and misunderstanding, as well as other factors that disturb our peace of mind and distort our perception of reality.

Dagpo Rinpoche, 75, said Buddhism offered a great variety of methods to improve our thinking and pacify our “disturbing mental factors.”

However, the journey to perfection or enlightenment requires us to purify ourselves of all negative qualities and develop good qualities to the optimum, which takes time and patience.

More importantly, it requires observance of the Bodhisattva Vows, which basically consist of observing the triple ethics: abstaining from wrongdoing, collecting virtue and working to benefit all living beings. The power of love and compassion can help us to overcome our shortcomings and develop our good qualities faster that we might think possible.

The Bodhisattva Vows is a collection of Dagpo Rinpoche’s teachings over the years on the topic. The 161-page book, edited by his assistant Rosemary Patton, is an easy-to-read practical guide to the ethics of Mahayana Buddhism.

The book, the first to be published in Malaysia by the author, was launched by social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye at the MPH Bookstore in MidValley Megamall here on Friday. It retails at RM12 per copy.

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