Leadership. Power. Responsibility. From Sun Tzu to Plato to
Machiavelli, sages east and west have advised kings and rulers on how to
lead. Their motivations and techniques have varied, but one thing they
have in common is that the relevance of their advice has reached far
beyond the few individuals to whom they were originally addressing. Over
the centuries, millions have read their works and continue to be
inspired by their teachings.
The nineteenth-century Buddhist monk
and luminary Jamgön Mipham’s letter to the king of Dergé, whose small
kingdom straddled China and Tibet during a particularly turbulent
period, is similar in the universality of its message. This work,
however, is unique in that it stresses compassion, impartiality,
self-control, and virtue as essential for long-lasting success—whether
as a leader or an individual trying to live a meaningful life. Mipham’s
historic contribution to ethics and governance, until now little studied
outside of Buddhist circles, teaches us the importance of protecting
life, implementing fair taxation, supporting environmental
sustainability, aiding the poor, and safeguarding freedom of religion.
Both present-day leaders and those they lead will find this classic
work, finally available in English, profoundly illuminating on
political, societal, and personal levels.
316 pages. Paperback.