Don't Believe Everything You Think: Living with Wisdom and Compassion

Description

"It can be hard for those of us living in the twenty-first century to see how fourteenth-century Buddhist teachings still apply." It can be hard for those of us living in the twenty-first century to see how fourteenth-century Buddhist teachings still apply. When you're trying to figure out which cell phone plan to buy or brooding about something someone wrote about you on Facebook, lines like "While the enemy of your own anger is unsubdued, though you conquer external foes, they will only increase" can seem a little obscure. Thubten Chodron's illuminating explication of Togmay Zangpo's revered text, The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, doesn't just explain its profound meaning; in dozens of passages she lets her students and colleagues share first-person stories of the ways that its teachings have changed their lives. Some bear witness to dramatic transformations-making friends with an enemy prisoner-of-war, finding peace after the murder of a loved one-while others tell of smaller lessons, like waiting for something to happen or coping with a minor injury.

Thubten Chodron, an American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun, travels worldwide, teaching and leading meditation retreats. Known for her clear and practical explanations of the Buddha's teachings, she is the author of Buddhism for Beginners; Working with Anger; How to Free Your Mind; Open Heart, Clear Mind; and Taming the Mind. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

"Reading this book will help you become a better, happier person. In it we find a masterpiece of Tibetan spirituality illuminated by the contemporary experiences of people from all walks of life. Venerable Thubten Chodron's clear voice links the challenges of our ordinary lives to the deep insights of the Buddhist mind-training tradition. If you are seeking the Dharma, she is a reliable guide."-Guy Newland, author of Introduction to Emptiness "A must-read for aspiring bodhisattvas."-Tenzin Palmo, author of Reflections on a Mountain Lake "Ven. Thubten Chodron has the extraordinary ability to present even the most spiritual teachings simply and directly, in a way that impacts our everyday lives."-Jonathan Landaw, author of Images of Enlightenment