Born in France, Matthieu Ricard is a Buddhist monk who left a career in cellular genetics to study Buddhism in the Himalayas more than 45 years ago. He is an international best-selling author and a prominent speaker on the world stage, celebrated at the World Economic Forum at Davos, forums at the United Nations, and at TED, where his talks on happiness and altruism have been viewed by more than five million people.
His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and include The Monk and the Philosopher; The Quantum and the Lotus; Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill; Why Meditate? Working With Thoughts and Emotions; Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the World; and A Plea for the Animals, as well as five photography books.
As a trained scientist and a Buddhist monk, Ricard is uniquely positioned in the dialogue between East and West. He is an active participant in the current scientific research on the effects of meditation on the brain. He lives in Nepal and devotes all the profits from his appearances and books toward funding more than 200 humanitarian projects in Tibet, India, and Nepal.
What Others Are Saying About Matthieu Ricard
“Matthieu Ricard brings together ancient wisdom and scientific insights to put forth a truly compelling global vision for the 21st century, and his voice, his message and his wisdom are greatly needed.” —Arianna Huffington
“Matthieu Ricard is a genius for our times, a rare combination of scientific brilliance with the heart of a saint.” —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence