Chapter 4: Verses 1-8
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Shantideva Teachings in Singapore 
Apr 6, 2009 Part of a series of teachings on Chapter 4: "Attending to the Spirit of Awakening," from Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, organized by Tai Pei Buddhist Center and Pureland Marketing, Singapore.
- The story of Shantideva
- How our “opinion factory” works
- Compassion and critical mind
- Review of the first three chapters
- The true purpose of our life is to be of utmost benefit to all sentient beings by becoming a buddha
- How to prevent bodhicitta and precepts from declining until the self-centered thought is completely obliterated
- How to deal with our commitments responsibly
- Mind of generosity and benefits of acting on it
- The story of Shariputra
- Why giving up bodhicitta is the severest of all downfalls
- Questions and answers
A Guide to a Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Chapter 4: Verses 1-8 (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.
