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Book cover of Dont Believe Everything You Think

Don’t Believe Everything You Think

Living with Wisdom and Compassion

A highly accessible commentary on the classic text The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas. Includes stories of how students have applied these teachings to transform their lives. A text that leads us to stretch our minds toward new perspectives.

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Rated one of the best spiritual books of 2012 by Spirituality and Practice

About the book

Living in the 21st century, it can be hard for us to see how 14th century Buddhist teachings apply to our lives.

Venerable Thubten Chodron’s illuminating commentary on The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas by Tibetan yogi Gyalsay Togme Sangpo (1295-1369) explains the profound meaning of this revered text, which contains the essential practices leading to enlightenment.

In dozens of passages, her students and colleagues also share first-person stories of the ways that these teachings have changed their lives. An excellent book for new Buddhists and non-Buddhists, as well as long-time students of thought training.

“Don’t Believe Everything You Think” is a call to let go of feelings of hopelessness, self-deprecating thoughts, and useless conceptualizations and to re-envision our lives. In the depths of our hearts, all of us want to live meaningful lives and make a positive contribution to the world, but some of our unexamined assumptions about life encumber us. —Venerable Thubten Chodron

The story behind the book

Venerable Thubten Chodron reads an excerpt

Root text

Resources

Talks

Media coverage

Translations

Reviews

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Reading this book will help you become a better, happier person. In it we find a masterpiece of Tibetan spirituality illuminated by the contemporary experiences of people from all walks of life. Venerable Thubten Chodron’s clear voice links the challenges of our ordinary lives to the deep insights of the Buddhist mind-training tradition. If you are seeking the Dharma, she is a reliable guide.

— Guy Newland, author of “Introduction to Emptiness”

No dogma but common sense. Venerable Thubten Chodron has successfully brought alive eight-century-old Tibetan Buddhist wisdom for EVERYONE in our contemporary globalized lives. May we all stop believing what we think and may we all become happier and happier each day.

— Christie Chang, President of Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women

The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas by Thogmé Zangpo is one of the most important and best loved texts on Mind Training or Lojong—how to use daily life with all its challenges as our Dharma practice. Here we have a most instructive new commentary by Venerable Thubten Chodron written in her usual helpful and accessible style. In addition each verse is skilfully brought to life through the personal accounts of Dharma students, which adds to the practical nature of the book. A must-read for aspiring bodhisattvas.

— Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, author, teacher and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery

By illustrating her clear, down-to-earth explanations of “The Thirty-seven Bodhisattva Practices” with her students’ personal accounts of their experiences applying them, Venerable Thubten Chodron has brought these invaluable guidelines to life. What better way to make the Dharma accessible to the modern mind? I highly recommend this book to all who strive to make their lives meaningful through Buddhist study and practice.

— Alexander Berzin, Study Buddhism by Berzin Archives

Venerable Thubten Chodron’s book is a clear and insightful presentation of the core of the Buddhist teaching. It offers practical advice and rich examples in seeing through the suffering of ignorance and cultivating a wise and compassionate heart. I recommend it to all dedicated practitioners of Dhamma.

— Ajahn Sundara, Amaravati Monastery, UK