Awakening Dignity

October 31, 2022
In this illuminating volume, Tibetan Buddhist teacher Phakchok Rinpoche (In the Footsteps of Bodhisattvas) and history professor Wu offer wisdom for cultivating a sense of dignity. Contending that dignity is an innate quality of “fundamental wholeness and completeness,” the authors explain how emotional fixation can cause individuals to lose touch with their dignity and how they can reconnect. They describe the “sticky mind” phenomenon in which one ruminates about an incident or feeling, blinding oneself to the “constantly changing” emotions that flow through the self and growing alienated from one’s dignity. To escape this mindset, the authors encourage readers to acknowledge negative emotions and replace them with more positive ones (e.g., humbleness for pride). Each chapter ends with a “dignity training” exercise, such as chanting a mantra to enhance focus or embracing loving-kindness by wishing others well while meditating. What the authors refer to as “dignity” is largely equivalent to the Buddhist concept of “basic goodness,” but the fresh framing offers new insight. Additionally, readers will appreciate the accessible prose and the authors’ compassionate tone. This enlightening outing delivers.

November 1, 2022

Famed Tibetan Buddhist master Rinpoche and co-author Wu (history, Agnes Scott Coll.) posit that discovering intrinsic dignity is key to recognizing and accepting one's inherent worth, a process that subsequently enables people to achieve the goal of helping others. This recognition is integral to who people are and what they do in their lives. Rinpoche, ordained by the Dalai Lama, draws on Buddhist concepts and teachings, as well as his own personal accounts, to convey the necessity for readers to experience and know their actual self. This is accomplished by working to know one's mind and how it functions. Arranged in three parts: "Your Nature Is Pure," "You Can Change," and "Gaining Certainty and Trust," each chapter concludes with "Dignity Training" exercises, such as breathing and visualization techniques, and "Inspirational Support," which features relevant quotations to further motivate the reader. VERDICT A hopeful and easily accessible handbook written with clarity and authenticity, for those interested in exploring Buddhist teachings or simply hoping to improve the quality of their own lives and the lives of others.--Gail Eubanks

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