McCartney receives a special gift from Dalai Lama

Washington (ANI): Sir Paul McCartney has received a special gift from the Dalai Lama to help him through his controversial Israel gig - a spiritual book. The Tibetan spiritual leader has sent a copy of The Universe In A Single Atom to the ex-Beatle to help him relate Buddhist philosophy to modern times.

The veteran musician is scheduled to play a concert in Israel's capital Tel Aviv on Sep 25, despite suicide bombers threatening to target the event. "I think we''re at a very interesting stage in human development and I just hope for the best and I'm optimistic about it. I'm not so much religious as someone who likes to think I take the best from many religions: the best of what they all have to say. They obviously have a lot of things in common," Contactmusic quoted McCartney, as saying.

He added: "I always think of myself as spiritual rather than religious. But I do feel that the world is a magnificent place and that we are blessed to be on it."