Roar Sulak Sivaraksa and the Path of Socially Engaged Buddhism

The captivating life story of renowned Buddhist activist Sulak Sivaraksa. His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: “I believe [Sulak] and I share a conviction that if we are to solve human problems, economic and technological development must be accompanied by an inner spiritual growth. And if we succeed in fulfilling both these goals, we will surely create a happier and more peaceful world.”

Matteo Pistono’s deft prose weaves together the story of Sulak Sivaraksa’s years of social-justice work and his tireless campaigns to effect change. As a seminal figure in the world of socially engaged spirituality, Sulak has given us a blueprint for peaceful, nonviolent activism in the twenty-first century. More than forty vintage photos illustrate both his life and a turbulent period in Thailand’s history. 

Matteo Pistono is a writer and meditation teacher. His other books include Meditation: Coming to Know Your Mind, Fearless in Tibet: The Life of the Mystic Tertön Sogyal, and his memoir In the Shadow of the Buddha: One Man’s Journey of Discovery in Tibet. Matteo holds a master of arts degree in Indian philosophy from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. After working with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, on Tibetan cultural programs, Matteo lived and traveled throughout the Himalayas for a decade, bringing to the West graphic accounts and photos of China's human rights abuses in Tibet. His writing and photography have appeared in the Washington Post, BBC News, Men's Journal, Kyoto Journal, Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly, Tricycle.org, and elsewhere. Matteo lives in California with his wife and dog.