Beyond Religion

Ethics for a Whole World

By: His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Narrated by: Martin Sheen

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Emmy Award-winning actor Martin Sheen (The West Wing) lends his distinguished voice to this stirring call to move beyond religion for the guidance to improve human life on individual, community, and global levels, including a guided meditation practice for cultivating key human values.

Ten years ago, in his best-selling Ethics for a New Millennium, His Holiness the Dalai Lama first proposed an approach to ethics based on universal rather than religious principles. Now, in Beyond Religion, the Dalai Lama, at his most compassionate and outspoken, elaborates and deepens his vision for the nonreligious way.

Transcending the mere "religion wars", he outlines a system of secular ethics that gives tolerant respect to religion, but, with the highest level of spiritual and intellectual authority, makes a claim for what the Dalai Lama calls a third way. This is a universal code of ethics that transcends religion boundaries, that recognizes our common humanity and advocates for a global human community based on understanding and mutual respect.

Beyond Religion is an essential statement from the Dalai Lama, a blueprint for all those who yearn for a life fulfilled and a better world.

©2011 His Holiness the Dalai Lama (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"An impressive guide for teaching religious tolerance and respect to readers of all ages." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"This wise, humane book, an original work rather than a collection of talks, is an incisive statement of His Holiness’s thinking on ways to bring peace to a suffering world." ( Publishers Weekly)

Beyond Religion

If you could sum up Beyond Religion in three words, what would they be?

These two men are heroes of mine. Sheen does a clear and thoughtful reading, and the Dali Lama.... is deep.

Great Philosophy

Martin Sheen is very talented, I thought he was really the Dalai Lama.
These are very thought provoking and intelligent comments about our society today.

I plan to listen to this book again!

I only gave 4 stars on overall and performance because I would have preferred to hear the book read by the author, although I understand he doesn't feel that comfortable speaking English. Still, who better to read it if not the Dalai Lama but Martin Sheen?

The ideas given here cannot be fully grasped or remembered from one listen (at least not by me). I think this is one book that might be better read in printed form.

can truly be a benefit to oneself and others

I have listened to this book many times. Wonderful words of wisdom and compassion. Martin Sheen does a really great job as the narrator.

Makes me wish I could meet the Dalai Lama.

I haven't previously listened to the Dalai Lama speak and have never read his writings, I really knew nothing about him.
What I learned while listening to this book is that he is quite a remarkable individual. He is not just wise, but also quite intelligent, very well spoken, and has a message that could save this world from itself.
Martin Sheen offers a quality narration that's easy to listen to.

To Better Understand One Another

I Find Mr Sheen to be a fine narrator of this Book BEYOND RELIGION and the book itself was most helpful and hopeful of the world to be. Dalai Lama speaks on the importance of religion to all who have their own separate beliefs, and to those who don't have specific religion at all, with a message that states that we are accountable for our own actions, and much that is wrong we can change ourselves, through compassion, patience and forgiveness. He includes mind training excersise that can clear our heads when we are antagonized by people and all we see is red. Very good book!

Trully a secular human way

Full of wisdom and comprehensive view of matters, this book is a short and eye opening experience. Definitely recommend it to anyone

A refreshing point of view!

What made the experience of listening to Beyond Religion the most enjoyable?

I am a huge West Wing fan so listening to Martin Sheen read to me was like listening to him as the president... a bit strange actually, but very enjoyable!

What about Martin Sheen’s performance did you like?

He has great inflection.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from Beyond Religion?

I have been thinking for quite some time that organized religion is the reason for most of the problems in the world. The Dali Lama didn't actually agree with me on that but what he did say is that the world needs a set of non religion based values... human values, which I definately agree with.

Yooooman

The only thing I can't get over is the way Martin Sheen says "human" as "yooman". It wouldn't be so noticable except he says it about a million times so by the end, it's like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Dalai Lama's talks on scientific Universal Truth

The Dalai Lama never asks us to bow down or meditate on him or Buddha to receive esoteric knowledge. His truth is based on scientific and practical ways to live a contented life of compassion and acceptance of life as it occurs.