The Hindu Business Line : Four truths to get around the 84,000 negative emotions

IF SOMEONE gets furious, gentle people try to avoid him. Thus, he too gets disturbed. When you get angry, there's no room for logic or reason: you become literally mad. This is the Second Noble Truth. That was only a sampler from discourses on `Right Living' by His Holiness the Dalai Lama put together in Many Ways to Nirvana, edited by Renuka Singh, and published by Penguin (www.penguinbooksindia.com).

There are three kinds of suffering, explains Dalai Lama: First, `suffering of suffering' such as headache. Second, `suffering of change'; "this refers to situations where, for example, we are sitting, comfortably relaxed, and, at first, everything is all right, but, after a while, we get restless and feel uncomfortable." Or, you want a new car or TV. Third, `all-pervasive suffering', called kyab.pa.clu.ched.kyi.dug.ngel in Tibetan (literally, `the suffering of pervasive compounding'). This is the basis for the first two categories of suffering. Truths of suffering is the First Noble Truth.

The small book has interesting questions and answers too. What is the best way to teach compassion? "I have reservations about the best, the quickest, the easiest, the cheapest... " How do you stay positive when you get overwhelmed by environmental and human injustice? "For a beginner, being confronted with such problems is a difficult task, an uphill task." Are there different kinds of negative emotions? "There are 84,000 types of afflictive emotions that have been explained in the text." As a teacher, how can I teach children about love and compassion? "Through your action!"

Peaceful read.

To practise tax, go for the new Act

ON AUGUST 26, Parliament passed the Finance Bill, 2004, and at the end of last week, the President gave his assent to the Bill. So, here is A.N.Aiyar's Income Tax Act 2004, incorporating the latest changes, from the house of ITR, Company Law Institute of India P Ltd (www.cliofindia.com). The preface highlights the `new format' of the book: "Instead of relegating amendments to come into force after April 1, 2004, they have been incorporate in the body of the text, to enable comfortable location and reading, with clear indication of the dates from which they are to come into force."

Chronological list of amendment Acts starts from the Income-tax Act, 1961 and ends with the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2004, after 96 lines. Three more, and we hit a century. A book of this nature is part law and part history because footnotes educate you on when amendments came in. Thus, you'd know that `books of account' came in as a definition from mid-2001, and that in 1984 `charitable purpose' shed the phrase `not involving the carrying on of any activity for profit'. Profitable read.

Try a log of time spent on tasks

SELF-CHECK and sharpen your competence. But how to do that? Rajiv Khurana packs 50 checklists in Getting-Ahead, published by Vision Books (visionbk@vsnl.com). For instance, the `work knowledge' set has eight points to tick, including: "I regularly read professional journals and also surf the Net to keep abreast of relevant new knowledge. I have identified specific technical and/or functional skills that I want to improve upon." In `doing spade work', Khurana asks if you `clearly prioritise data or issues', and spend time `with people who are particularly strong in strategic thinking'.

While `setting priorities', you can ask if you know when your performance peaks and declines, and if you are always ready for circumstances that might require you to alter your priorities. Chapter 12 is titled interestingly: "Initiative and finishiative". Another chapter is on "expressing — not impressing". On how to do "many things together", here is a tip: "Keep an hourly time log for one week during each quarter to determine how much time is actually spent on each assignment, and then adjust time priorities accordingly." A book to pencil through.

Don't lose business due to bad manners

RAGHU Palat writes on Everything Indians need to know on Business Etiquette, a book from Jaico (www.jaicobooks.com). "My aim is to make you aware of the difference between social and business etiquette," says the preface. There is a quiz to begin with: "Should you stand and shake hands when people enter your office? While travelling in a taxi with a client, do you sit next to the driver, behind the driver or diagonally behind the driver? At a business meal when do you discuss business: as soon as you sit down, after ordering the starters, after ordering the main course, or after the dessert? The waiter comes toward you to serve wine but you're a teetotaller; would you turn your glass upside down?" Or, do you know that the position of the hand, while shaking hands can communicate "superiority or inferiority"? Ever thought that the way you hear your voice is different from the way others hear and it is a little different from the way it is heard on the phone? Useful book, unless you're ready to lose business because of misinterpreted manners.

Seven decisions for effectiveness

WHAT determines your personal success are `seven decisions' says Andy Andrews in The Traveler's Gift, from Magna Publishing Co Ltd (www.magnamags.com). First decision is, `The buck stops here'. The author explains: "From this moment forward, I will accept responsibility for my past." Why? "If I allow myself to blame uncontrollable forces for my lack of success, I will be forever caught in a web of the past." Second, "I will seek wisdom." Means? "No longer will I bombard my mind with materials that feed my doubts and fears... I will choose my friends with care." Third, "I am person of action." How? "I will walk with a spring in my step and a smile on my face." That should look good! Four, "I have a decided heart," meaning you're passionate about your vision for the future; "I will awaken every morning with an excitement about the new day and its opportunity for growth and change." There're three more, but I can let you catch up with Andrews, when you decide to decide, that is.

Tailpiece

"He thinks too much of himself!"

"How much?"

"More than I do!"

ReadingRoom@TheHindu.co.in

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