A few years ago, prominent cultural anthropologist Noriyuki Ueda sat down with the Dalai Lama for a lively two-day conversation. This little book is the result. In it are some surprising truths and commonsense wisdom. "The attachment that seeks what is good is worthwhile. Seeking enlightenment is a kind of attachment that we should keep, as is the desire for an unbiased heart." "Anger that is motivated by compassion or a desire to correct social injustice, and does not seek to harm anyone, is a good anger worth having." "I'm not only a socialist, but also a bit of a leftist, a Communist." "The type of competition that says, 'I am the winner, and you are the loser' must be overcome. But a positive competition allows us to lift each other up so that everybody ends up on top." Open the book to any page and find great wisdom on what matters most. And what matters most is not adherence to any one doctrine or political system but living with an open mind and heart.