Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Living with Wisdom and CompassionA 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
- The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
- Teachings on The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
Resources
- Don’t Believe Everything You Think: A Study Guide
- Transforming Adversity into Joy and Courage—a commentary by Geshe Jampa Tegchok
Talks
- Monthly Sharing the Dharma Day talks, Sravasti Abbey, Newport
- “Is everything we think true?” Maitripa College, Portland
- “Changing our wrong conceptions,” Vajrayana Institute, Sydney
Media coverage
- Read or listen to an interview by Spokane Faith & Values
- Article on the book launch at Poh Ming Tse temple in Singapore
Translations
- Available in Bahasa Indonesia and Vietnamese
Reviews
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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.
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.
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.
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.