THE DALAI LAMA

Foreword

MORE THAN 2500 years have passed since the Buddha lived and taught in India. We Buddhists remember the Buddha as a great teacher who showed the path to ultimate peace and happiness for all sentient beings. His teaching remains refreshing and relevant even today because he invited people to listen, reflect, and critically examine what he had to say in the context of their own lives.

It is a fundamental truth that whatever our social status, background, age, or gender, we all want happiness and dislike suffering. However, all of us regularly experience suffering and are caught in the sway of disturbing emotions. Like all religions, Buddhism deals with basic human problems, but what distinguishes the Buddhist way of thinking is its employment of human intelligence in dealing with our disturbing emotions. In addition, the Buddhist view of interdependence and the advice not to harm anyone emphasize the practice of compassion and nonviolence. This remains one of the most potent forces for good in the world today.

From a Buddhist viewpoint, all that we do originates in the mind. The quality of our actions depends primarily on our motivation. If we develop a good heart, then, whatever field we work in, the result will be more beneficial. With proper motivation, our activities will be helpful; without it, we are likely to make trouble. This is why the idea of compassion is so important. Although it is difficult to bring about the inner change that gives rise to it, it is absolutely worthwhile to try.

The ultimate purpose of the Buddha’s teachings is to serve and benefit humanity, which entails applying them in practice in our day-to-day lives. This in turn reflects a practical approach to human problems, and I don’t believe you need to be a Buddhist to benefit from such an approach. This book, Being Buddha at Work, attempts to relate the Buddha’s advice to the modern workplace. I trust that readers will find inspiration here and pray that those who do will meet with success in putting that inspiration into effect.

October 27, 2011