Chapter 4: Verses 9-16
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.
- How our self-centered thought operates by creating reasons why we have to do things that go against our moral principles
- Self-centeredness is a mental state and not our identity
- On pity parties and temper tantrums
- Cultivating rejoicing in virtuous actions done by others
- How anger destroys our merit and how to protect our mind against anger
- On precious human life and its causes
- Abandoning destructive actions as a cause of happiness
- Taking advantage of human existence
- Questions and answers
A Guide to a Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Chapter 4: Verses 9-16 (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.