Be Angry

The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most

By: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Noriyuki Ueda - contributor

Narrated by: Brian Nishii

Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Simple and accessible wisdom from His Holiness the Dalai Lama on how to use compassionate anger for social transformation.

In the real world, exploitation exists. In the real world, there is a huge and unjust gap between rich and poor. The question, from a Buddhist perspective, is how should we deal with inequality and social injustice? His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches that it is wrong for a spiritual person to remain indifferent; we must struggle to solve these problems. These problems are brought to our consciousness because they anger us, and this little audiobook teaches us how to deal with that anger. 

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.

©2019 His Holiness the Dalai Lama (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Interesting interview with the Dalai Lama

I think the audible version of this needs to be edited. There are repeated sections. ..?

Enjoyed listening to the ideas expressed through the interviews.

A nice conversation

This book gives an honest account of the Dalai Lama’s position on many of the author’s questions. It won’t leave you with many pithy philosophies, but that’s what makes the Dalai Lama so special — he’s human and expresses himself as such.

Must read

Must read for navigating and living in today’s world in a conscious, holistic and sustainable way

Shifted and Expanded Views

Learned so much about my own spiritualality. My views about many things have shifted and expanded thanks to the Dalai Lama. I am ever so grateful.

Repetitive and exploitative

Complete waste of time if you are looking for spiritual inspiration or education.

The author is using the interview with His Holiness to underscore his attacks on Japanese Buddhist sects. A critique of certain aspects of Buddhism in Japan and elsewhere may be well justified - I’m not an expert in this area, nor am I trying to defend anyone or institutional Buddhism in general.

However, this piece is an unskillful attempt to repeatedly hammer home the author’s personal opinions, and reeks of immaturity. The most unfortunate aspect is that he is using the Dalai Lama’s words to level those attacks.

The entire last hour appears to be a summary of what was said multiple times before already - I had to stop listening.

Underneath it all there were some important messages of the importance of social engagement, empathy, compassion in Buddhist culture that were unfortunately buried in the author’s negativity and inability to deliver them in a more skillful manner.

Great book

My only issue is the chapters don't seem to be separated correctly. Other than that, great book.

Thought provoking discussions

Lovely and lively discussions about the worlds abuses on the weak, including Buddhist religious leaders.

Not for me

The discussion is valid. Just like all the other religion where people let the desire for money obscure the real meaning of helping others. However it is a slow kind of boring conversation. I decided not to finish the book.

Be angry with purpose

The Dalai Lama tells us anger plays an important role, and how to use that for the greater good of humanity. He aligns himself with socialism and Marxism with the understanding that capital and profit lead to suffering for others. Be angry, but use it to fuel your push for social justice.

an interesting view

there were some vague arguments that made me a little confused of what exactly was ment. when talking about attachment as divided into good and bad attachments, for example. overall, a good debate.