Matthieu Ricard Books

The author of the international bestseller "Happiness" makes a passionate case for altruism--and why we need it now more than ever. In "Happiness," Matthieu Ricard demonstrated that true happiness is not tied to fleeting moments or sensations, but is an enduring state of soul rooted in mindfulness and compassion for others. Now he turns his lens from the personal to the global, with a rousing argument that altruism--genuine concern for the well-being of others--could be the saving grace of the 21st century. It is, he believes, the vital thread that can answer the main challenges of our time: the economy in the short term, life satisfaction in the mid-term, and environment in the long term. Ricard's message has been taken up by major economists and thinkers, including Dennis Snower, Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, and George Soros. Matthieu Ricard makes a robust and passionate case for cultivating altruistic love and compassion as the best means for simultaneously benefitting ourselves and our society. It's a fresh outlook on an ardent struggle--and one that just might make the world a better place.

"A powerful and wide-ranging indictment of the treatment of animals by humans--and an eloquent plea for animal rights. Every cow just wants to be happy. Every chicken just wants to be free. Every bear, dog, or mouse experiences sorrow and feels pain as intensely as any of us humans do. In a compelling appeal to reason and human kindness, Matthieu Ricard here takes the arguments from his best-sellers Altruism and Happiness to their logical conclusion: that compassion toward all beings, including our fellow animals, is a moral obligation and the direction toward which any enlightened society must aspire. He chronicles the appalling sufferings of the animals we eat, wear, and use for adornment or entertainment, and submits every traditional justification for their exploitation to scientific evidence and moral scrutiny. What arises is an unambiguous and powerful ethical imperative for treating all of the animals with whom we share this planet with respect and compassion"--Publisher's description

Colorful stories about and profound teachings of Patrul Rinpoche, one of the most impactful teachers and thinkers in the Tibetan tradition from the nineteenth century. The life and teachings of the wandering yogi Patrul Rinpoche—a highly revered Buddhist master and scholar of nineteenth-century Tibet—come alive in true stories gathered and translated by the French Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard over more than thirty years, based on the oral accounts of great contemporary teachers as well as written sources. Patrul’s life story reveals the nature of a highly realized being as he transmits the Dharma in everything he does, teaching both simple nomads and great lamas in ways that are often unconventional and even humorous, but always with uncompromising authenticity.

"The memoirs of Matthieu Ricard, one of the the world's most famous Buddhist monks who has captured the minds and hearts of people around the globe"-- Provided by publisher

"A careful, detailed, hard-nosed assessment of what is needed both for individual happiness and for the welfare of the planet.... This book is so rich, so diverse...that it is best kept as an inspiring resource to be consulted over many years." Wall Street Journal Matthieu Ricard, author of the international bestseller Happiness, makes the passionate case for altruism-genuine concern for the well-being of others. Presenting a vision based on decades of firsthand experience and scientific studies, Matthieu Ricard illuminates how altruism can answer the main challenges of our time: economic inequality, life satisfaction, and environment sustainability. In this riveting book, he champions the cultivation of altruistic love as the best means for simultaneously benefitting ourselves and our global society, and offers readers practical and inspiring ways to develop their potential for compassion. There's an altruism revolution underway, and it just may be the saving grace for the 21st century.

A sublime photographic record of Ricard's yearlong retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas.A photographer and Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard recently spent one year in retreat at the hermitage of Pema Osel near Kathmandu. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, nestled between lush valleys and the towering Himalayas, Ricard meditated daily, waiting for the light that illuminates the path to awakening.Each day from his sublime viewpoint, he contemplated the different subtleties of at dawn, before dusk, and in the evening. At the rhythm of one image per week, he captured the magnificent landscapes that surrounded him. These photographs, taken from the hermitage's terrace and nearby, reflect the elation of bearing witness to nature's harmony. 80 color photographs.

In a secluded dialogue in Andorra, a scientist and a Buddhist explore the intersections between Eastern philosophy and modern science. They tackle profound questions about the universe, consciousness, and reality, finding surprising parallels, particularly in recent physics. Their discussion offers a clear introduction to key concepts in Buddhism and modern physics.

Buddhism shares with science the task of examining the mind empirically; it has pursued, for two millennia, direct investigation of the mind through penetrating introspection. Neuroscience, on the other hand, relies on third- person knowledge in the form of scientific observation. In this book, Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk trained as a molecular biologist, and Wolf Singer, a distinguished neuroscientist - close friends, continuing an ongoing dialogue - offer their perspectives on the mind, the self, consciousness, the unconscious, free will, epistemology, meditation, and neuroplasticity.

In an age of political upheaval and economic uncertainty Ricard's quiet and empathetic logic reveals the cultural importance of the contemporary kindness phenomenon.

With their prior book In Search of Wisdom , these three gifted friends-a monk, a philosopher, and a psychiatrist-shed light on our universal quest for meaning, purpose, and understanding. Now, in this new offering, they invite us to tend to the garden of our true nature: freedom . Filled with unexpected insights and practical strategies, this book presents an inspiring guide for breaking free of the unconscious walls that confine us.