The Bodhisattva Guide: A Commentary on The Way of the Bodhisattva

by Dalai Lama XIV, Padmakara Translation Group (Translator)

The Dalai Lama's indispensable commentary on a beloved Tibetan Buddhist text--now in the Shambhala Pocket Library series.

One of the most beloved of all Buddhist texts, The Way of the Bodhisattva is a practical guide to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. In this commentary on key sections of the text, the Dalai Lama shows how any of us can develop a truly “good heart,” and why aspiring toward the happiness and enlightenment of others is central to any genuinely spiritual path. His Holiness’s profound wisdom—the result of a lifetime of practice and study—shines brilliantly throughout this extraordinary book. 

This book was previously published with the title For the Benefit of All Beings.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Philosophy

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Döndrub), the 14th Dalai Lama, is a practicing member of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is influential as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the world's most famous Buddhist monk, and the leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India.

Tenzin Gyatso was the fifth of sixteen children born to a farming family. He was proclaimed the tulku (an Enlightened lama who has consciously decided to take rebirth) of the 13th Dalai Lama at the age of two.

On 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's ruler. Thus he became Tibet's most important political ruler just one month after the People's Republic of China's invasion of Tibet on 7 October 1950. In 1954, he went to Beijing to attempt peace talks with Mao Zedong and other leaders of the PRC. These talks ultimately failed.

After a failed uprising and the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959, the Dalai Lama left for India, where he was active in establishing the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan Government in Exile) and in seeking to preserve Tibetan culture and education among the thousands of refugees who accompanied him.

Tenzin Gyatso is a charismatic figure and noted public speaker. This Dalai Lama is the first to travel to the West. There, he has helped to spread Buddhism and to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, honorary Canadian citizenship in 2006, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal on 17 October 2007.

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly profound and insightful little guide, containing the basic philosophy and way of thinking of Buddhism. I really think anyone could learn from it, even if just a small thing here of there if you want to be a better person, or a lot of it if you're more committed in your practice. Deep but accessible at the same time. Well done!

[AValar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to return to this book whenever I want to focus on mastering negative emotions. The Dalai Lama presents a very accessible translation of 8th century Shantideva's work, one that contains some extremely powerful insights into the nature of anger and its primary antidote, patience.

[Tenzin Lhadon Yangkartsang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! I truly enjoyed this short and to the point book! Really got me thinking about myself and all the negative emotions we as human beings endure in our lives. It really leaves you with a good feeling and opens up your mind and soul to self awareness. The words are straight forward and because of its simplicity you don't become lost in the translation. I always come back to this book when I need to understand my emotions and actions.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is helpful road map to the Bodhisattva way. It is the Dalai Lama's commentary on Shanti Deva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's way of life. In other words, it tells you how to start out on this path. The first step is mindfulness and meditation then it talks about Bodhichitta. Then it gets a lot more complicated, but it's great to know where to begin. Also, there's a useful chapter on patience, which is a lot about dealing with anger, which is why I got the book in the first place.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was extremely helpful in understanding Shantideva's book that I just finished. In fact, I read them side by side, chapter for chapter, and this one greatly enhanced my appreciation and understanding. It is unfortunate that the difficult chapter on Wisdom was not included but the Dalai Lama's text on that may be available now.

[Latifah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it very basic. I think if I haven't already read books about enlightenment, it would probably move me. Intellectually, it taught me nothing new! Also, he talked a lot about karma; I didn't like that!

[Riobhcah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful commentary on Shantideva's "Bodhisattva's Way of Life"...how we can aspire to become a Buddha for the benefit of all beings. On page 70, the Dalai Lama advises us that those who cause us to have to exercise patience should be considered our teachers: "It is no use excusing ourselves, saying that our enemies are preventing us from practicing and that this is why we get angry. If we truly wish to progress, there is no practice more important than patience. If we cannot bear the harm our enemies do to us and instead get angry, we are ourselves the obstacle to achieving an immensely positive action...There can be no practice of patience without there being people who wrong us."

[Kari Leibowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing Dharma book with lots of practical advice that breaks down Shantideva's Bhodicharyavatara. It helps that I read it while concurrently attending a public teaching on this text by His Holiness, but definitely is an appropriate book for beginners with amazing applicability to one's every day life.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed at first when I started reading and it was mentioned that there would be little talk about the section on Wisdom, which I found majorly confusing when I read the Bodhicharyvatara. But even the small chapter that was included on Wisdom was a great help, and I'd love to read further on the Dalai Lama's teaching on it.

[Chippiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

No amount of stars are too less for this one. A lot of questions demystified. Plenty to reflect on and practice - even for those not on the path to becoming a Bodhisattva.

A complex read that was very well structured. Reading this book chapter at a time and reflecting on it was helpful. Would be even better to have a group to discuss the text.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed at first when I started reading and it was mentioned that there would be little talk about the section on Wisdom, which I found majorly confusing when I read the Bodhicharyvatara. But even the small chapter that was included on Wisdom was a great help, and I'd love to read further on the Dalai Lama's teaching on it

[Chelsea Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parting gift from Rinpoche that I have yet to read, yikes!

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A- Giving Buddhists a good understanding of how one must live to be a true Bodhisattva. Really accessible and engaging.

[Deepthy]

humbling!

[Mckinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work examining and expounding on the Buddhist theories.
(Read as part of a Buddhist seminar with Prof. DG.)

[Isaac Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, to-the-point, inspiring. The typical style of the Dalai Lama. Just like the root text, something to read over and over again.

[Benjamin Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good a worth while read

[Chris Lemig · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read commentary on the essential Guide To The Bodhisattva's Way of Life. HIghly recommend it!

[WndyJW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a teaching by His Holiness on Compassion. One that all Buddhists should read at least once a year.

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome forever reading it.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to study and practice, not a book to be simply read.

[Nigel Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and very readable teaching of Shanitdeva’s core teaching.

[Camila A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not entirely what I thought it was going to be but this book provided great insight into Buddhist teachings. My only complaint is that it makes a lot of assumptions on things the reader already knows. As a non-Buddhist merely interested in the philosophy I felt a bit out of my league. Nonetheless - there are some real moments of gold in the book. Some passages really struck me. And overall this book is great and some tidbits that will surely stick with me.

[Brian Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to Buddhist concepts and principles.

[Monica Ryttersson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Många kloka ord, som man försöker att sträva och leva efter

[Octavi López · Rating 5 out of 5]

Belleza

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of repetition but come on, it's written by the dalai lama. You can't really go wrong.

[Maria Lancaster]

Another book which I am looking forward to reading.