The book “Der buddhistische Lebensberater für jeden Tag”
Introduction from “The Buddhist Guide for Everyday Life“
Nowadays some people think of Asian temples, monk robes and lonely places in the most beautiful natural setting when they hear the word Buddhism. With this they imagine silence, inner peace and a contemplative mood, soaked in the scent of incense. How can this idealised setting fit into the hectic everyday life, which is filled to the brim with demands at work and from family, where stress reigns and one all too often loses one’s composure? The two worlds seem incompatible. Maybe you make it to meditation night or yoga class once a week – a kind of spiritual time-out – but then it’s back to the ‘real’ world, which has nothing to do with contemplation.
In this book I want to show that such a separation between everyday life and spiritual practice is an illusion and even more: it is fundamentally wrong. The Buddha’s instructions are meant to train our mind to maintain inner peace and develop love and compassion in all circumstances. Meditation and seclusion are merely means to strengthen our mind so that we can better cope with everyday life. But in no case should two different, independent worlds be created.
That’s why I’ve addressed various everyday issues in my little life coach that each of us is confronted with. Be it, for example, anger or jealousy, emotions that come up again and again in our eight-hour working day and that we would like to overcome, or contentment that we would like to strengthen. Each chapter starts with a definition of the term and then how we can deal with it in our daily lives. Of course, I have mainly drawn on my Buddhist knowledge, which I acquired during my 17 years of study in the monastery, but also my personal experiences as a yak herder in the Himalayas and Buddhist teacher in various countries around the world.
In addition, I have also included my findings from conversations with doctors, psychologists, scientists, scholars from other religions, and especially private conversations in which friends and students have shared their problems with me, to give the reader a broad insight that also includes the Western view. All observations are summarized here in the hope that this will improve the lives of many people and lessen their difficulties. This is the most important point and an introduction to Buddhism is a side issue in this context.
Kathmandu, Nepal
January 2015
You can order the book (in German) at this bookstore Buchhandlung am Turm Ochsenfurt via this link. An English edition of the book has not yet been published.
Knowledge and Wisdom – reliable support for everyday life
Immerse yourself in Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche’s rich knowledge and profound wisdom!
Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche’s enlightening and uplifting responses to a wide range of issues facing modern society are a valuable source of knowledge and wisdom that you can access in the Teaching Library.
In these publications you will find answers to many different questions concerning our daily lives, as well as detailed expositions on Buddhist topics currently in focus, and you can listen to lectures given by Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche.
We wish you joyful reading and listening!