Pleasing sentient beings

78 Engaging in the Bodhisattva's Deeds

Part of an ongoing series of teachings based on Shantideva’s classic text, Bodhisattvacharyavatara, often translated as Engaging in the Bodhisattva’s Deeds. Venerable Thubten Chodron also refers to the outline of the commentary by Gyaltsab Dharma Rinchen and the commentary by the Abbot Dragpa Gyaltsen.

  • Catching our self-centered mind
  • Our awakening depends on other sentient beings
  • Learning how to create harmony in our environment
  • Being famous is not so important for benefiting sentient beings
  • Are we a failure if we cannot persuade others to think in a reasonable way?
  • Introduction to Chapter 7 on joyous effort
  • Questions and answers:
    • What does accepting something mean?

78 Engaging in the Bodhisattva’s Deeds: Pleasing Sentient Beings (download)

Venerable Thubten Chodron

Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.