Cultivating mundane insight
65 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Volume 4 Following in the Buddha's Footsteps 
Sep 5, 2025 Part of an ongoing series of teachings based on the book Following in the Buddha's Footsteps, the fourth volume in The Library of Wisdom and Compassion series by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron.
- Purpose of gaining serenity
- Mundane path and supermundane path
- Three realms
- Three spheres of consciousness
- Explanation of attaining first form realm dhyana
- Preparatory stages and actual dhyana
- Seven preparation and seven contemplations
- Discernment of characteristics, arisen from belief, isolation, delight or withdrawal, analysis, final training and result of final training
- Grossness of desire realm and peacefulness of the first form realm dhyana
- Uninterrupted path and liberated path suppressing a level of afflictions
- Nine grades of desire realm afflictions
65 Cultivating Mundane Insight (download)
Contemplation points
- Serenity is a tool to aid our practice. It is not an end in itself. What are two paths in which serenity can be used to support spiritual practice? Which is unique to Buddhism?
- We live in the desire realm and know it exists. How can we establish the existence of the form and formless realms? Take some time to think about the qualities of each of the three realms from the text. Examine from your own experience how when you develop even a little concentration, your mind becomes more peaceful and stable. From this, we can intuit that there are progressively deeper states of meditative absorption that are even more peaceful and subtle, and we can infer that there are sentient beings who take birth in these deep meditative absorptions and dwell in them for a long time. Really take some time to reflect on this, developing conviction in your own mind.
- What is the difference between the three realms and the three spheres of consciousness? Make examples of how a being from a particular realm can have a non-corresponding sphere of consciousness on occasion.
- The seven contemplations in terms of grossness and peacefulness is the mundane path practiced by Buddhists and non-Buddhists to deepen their meditative state. Walk through how each mental contemplation progresses to the next:
- Discernment of characteristics
- Arisen from belief
- Isolation
- Delight or withdrawal
- Analysis
- Final training
- Result of final application
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.
