The Dalai Lama’s Be Inspired Series

Bravery is admitting that we are not alone, and that without community we cannot survive. In 'Be Brave,' His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches us that practicing compassion and cultivating peace of mind are the paths to inner strength, peace, clarity, and happiness.

Nobody wakes up in the morning wishing for more trouble that day. However, emotional trouble—unhappiness—is essentially our own creation. This book explores two things you need to know about unhappiness and how to replace it with joy. The first is the failure to understand reality, and the second is egotism. Together they result in distress, dis-ease, and a failure to take personal responsibility.

There are two types of anger. One type arises out of compassion and is useful and must be encouraged. The other type arises out of jealousy and envy and results in hatred, ill will, and harm. Here you will learn the Buddhist path to compassionate anger—a motivating force that can transform the negative into the positive and change the world.

One of the strengths of this book is that it demonstrates that living a life of kindness or compassion is not just about altruism. It is a way of life that benefits us in concrete ways. Compassion makes us resilient in the face of adversity, enables us to live with courage, and provides a level of self-confidence that makes us more effective in our personal and professional endeavors.

When we are here, we can practice compassion in the present moment and focus on social justice now. When we are here, we are no longer attached to our past, no longer stressed about the future, no longer tethered to suffering. Being here means we find happiness, peace, and the fullness of life.