When the Trappist monk Thomas Merton, a prolific writer I have enjoyed, traveled to India to visit the exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, back in the sixties, he made a huge impact on the Buddhist leader. Merton was also impressed with him and they became friends. Unfortunately it wasn't a long friendship for Merton died accidentally soon after, but he had planted the seed of communication with the Western world which is so Christian. The Dalai Lama pursued the vision of greater spiritual understanding of the two religions that he and Merton had spawned. This book, The Good Heart, is the happy result of that vision which would not die.

I had not at that point read the Dalai Lama or anything about Buddhism save what Thomas Merton had written before he died. After reading it, I was completely sold on their vision. I have read since more books about Zen Buddhism or Buddhism in general, but none impressed me so much as a major religion's spiritual leader humbling himself to comment on another religion which is alien to him...and without preparation (he is never stuck for a comment as his quick wit emerges!), commenting in real-life at the John Main Seminar in a friendly conversation that bridged the two religions together with their similarities as well as their unique and necessary differences.

Is this dry and complicated theology? No, it most certainly is not. The Dalai Lama is very naturally charismatic and engaging. He obviously enjoys speaking to Christian monks who don't know his religion and sharing his passion of meditation and prayer. He comments on famous passages in the Bible's New Testament that highlight the teachings of Jesus. For example, when he comments on Luke 9:16 about Jesus healing the sick, he says he understands that as us sharing our spiritual experiences and being healed in that way. The Dalai Lama places the focus on the spiritual attitude of the person needing healing, indeed to the point of warning that if it is ignored, the person could accumulate negativity.

I really found it stimulating to hear his beautiful Buddhist appreciation of values such as goodness, love, simplicity and compassion, shared with their principle of interdependence and seeking spiritual depth. Getting the Buddhist perspective on these teachings helped me to celebrate not only Jesus with the Dalai Lama, but also the oneness of spirit that Buddhists, Christians and other similar religions are grounded in.

You couldn't ask for more than that, now could you? I'd love a sequel, though, with the Pope or a Protestant Christian preacher writing a comparable book that allows even more people to enjoy inspiring dialogue between the religions.


Recommended: Yes