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Becoming Bodhisattvas: A Guidebook for Compassionate Action
Best-selling American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön presents a friendly and encouraging guide to spiritual practice for all those who want to take up the path of the bodhisattva--one who aspires to live life with courage, generosity, patience, fearlessness, and compassion.
The Way of the Bodhisattva has long been treasured as an indispensable guide to enlightened living, offering a window into the greatest potential within us all. Written in the eighth century by the scholar and saint Shantideva, it presents a comprehensive view of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition’s highest ideal—to commit oneself to the life of a bodhisattva warrior, a person who is wholeheartedly dedicated to the freedom and common good of all beings. And it has inspired many of the tradition’s greatest teachers, providing a remarkable source of insight on the means by which we may heal ourselves and our troubled world. These essential teachings present the core of the Buddhist path, from cultivating deep-seated confidence to infusing one’s life with selflessness, joyfulness, kindness, and compassion. Pema Chödrön here invites you to journey more deeply into this liberating way of life, presenting Shantideva’s text verse-by-verse and offering both illuminating stories and practical exercises to enrich the text and bring its timeless teachings to life in our world today.
The Way of the Bodhisattva has long been treasured as an indispensable guide to enlightened living, offering a window into the greatest potential within us all. Written in the eighth century by the scholar and saint Shantideva, it presents a comprehensive view of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition’s highest ideal—to commit oneself to the life of a bodhisattva warrior, a person who is wholeheartedly dedicated to the freedom and common good of all beings. And it has inspired many of the tradition’s greatest teachers, providing a remarkable source of insight on the means by which we may heal ourselves and our troubled world. These essential teachings present the core of the Buddhist path, from cultivating deep-seated confidence to infusing one’s life with selflessness, joyfulness, kindness, and compassion. Pema Chödrön here invites you to journey more deeply into this liberating way of life, presenting Shantideva’s text verse-by-verse and offering both illuminating stories and practical exercises to enrich the text and bring its timeless teachings to life in our world today.
386 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2018
164 people are currently reading
580 people want to read
About the author
Pema Chödrön
189 books5,459 followersAni Pema Chödrön (Deirdre Blomfield-Brown) is an American Buddhist nun in the Tibetan tradition, closely associated with the Kagyu school and the Shambhala lineage.
She attended Miss Porter's School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three grandchildren.
While in her mid-thirties, she traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him.
Ani Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Trungpa, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.
Ani Pema served as the director of the Karma Dzong, in Boulder, CO, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave her explicit instructions on establishing this monastery for western monks and nuns.
Ani Pema currently teaches in the United States and Canada and plans for an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
She attended Miss Porter's School in Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught as an elementary school teacher for many years in both New Mexico and California. Pema has two children and three grandchildren.
While in her mid-thirties, she traveled to the French Alps and encountered Lama Chime Rinpoche, with whom she studied for several years. She became a novice nun in 1974 while studying with Lama Chime in London. His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa came to England at that time, and Ani Pema received her ordination from him.
Ani Pema first met her root guru, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1972. Lama Chime encouraged her to work with Trungpa, and it was with him that she ultimately made her most profound connection, studying with him from 1974 until his death in 1987. At the request of the Sixteenth Karmapa, she received the full bikshuni ordination in the Chinese lineage of Buddhism in 1981 in Hong Kong.
Ani Pema served as the director of the Karma Dzong, in Boulder, CO, until moving in 1984 to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to be the director of Gampo Abbey. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave her explicit instructions on establishing this monastery for western monks and nuns.
Ani Pema currently teaches in the United States and Canada and plans for an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 29, 2018
A selection from Iphelia.com’s Editor’s Bookshelf review: I initially thought Becoming Bodhisattvas was a novel text written by Chödrön herself, but it’s actually a commentary on The Way of the Bodhisattva, an eighth-century teaching by the Buddhist monk Shantideva. So, I literally stumbled into reading my first long-form Sanskrit verse, and thanks to Chödrön’s careful dissection and annotation of the ten-part text, I made it through—thinking and feeling a great deal along the way.
I appreciate that the book doesn’t assume the reader is Buddhist or considering “converting to Buddhism” (whatever that means). Chödrön speaks to anyone who’s willing to stick with her as she explores what becoming a bodhisattva means, and points out examples of bodhisattvas including Jesus, Mother Teresa, MLK, and Gandhi, who may be more relatable to her Western readers than Shantideva or various monks in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
That said, if you’re at all familiar with the chakras, it’s worth noting that the first four chapters of the book speak to the third eye, which is to say they will have you operating from your headspace. It was not until the fifth chapter, which begins Chödrön’s presentation of Shantideva’s verses on taming the mind (or working with anger), that I was able to drop in and really start feeling nourished by the text. Even then, Shantideva relies heavily on the shock-and-scare language of his time, which Chödrön acknowledges may not be best for Westerners considering we have our own distinct struggles with the material world and relating to our bodies that Shantideva couldn’t possibly have taken into account.
The text also oscillates in its treatment of feelings, expression, and “childishness” or the childlike parts of the self. While I am convicted that “making friends with our feelings” (language Chödrön uses but then seems to renege on), giving them healthy expression (not just trying to meditate them away), and tuning into our child selves (who are sweet, pure, and hopeful, not ignorant and selfish) is of the utmost importance, I’m still unclear on what Chödrön’s insights are in these areas.
Any acknowledgment of all the literature and evidence we have on trauma and abuse is completely lacking in this text, which significantly diminishes its practical value. It’s a powerful inspirational read that definitely does the work of awakening the spirit, inspiring empathy, and encouraging us to surround ourselves with supportive peers and venerable mentors, but like so many religious texts, it’s not something that’s fully-equipped to inform emotional, psychological, or physical healing.
All that said, there are so many beautiful verses and striking insights in this work. Perhaps it’s best approached as something poetic and allegorical—an invitation to know a great deal more about a tradition that goes so far beyond aesthetically appealing Buddha-bust decor.
I appreciate that the book doesn’t assume the reader is Buddhist or considering “converting to Buddhism” (whatever that means). Chödrön speaks to anyone who’s willing to stick with her as she explores what becoming a bodhisattva means, and points out examples of bodhisattvas including Jesus, Mother Teresa, MLK, and Gandhi, who may be more relatable to her Western readers than Shantideva or various monks in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
That said, if you’re at all familiar with the chakras, it’s worth noting that the first four chapters of the book speak to the third eye, which is to say they will have you operating from your headspace. It was not until the fifth chapter, which begins Chödrön’s presentation of Shantideva’s verses on taming the mind (or working with anger), that I was able to drop in and really start feeling nourished by the text. Even then, Shantideva relies heavily on the shock-and-scare language of his time, which Chödrön acknowledges may not be best for Westerners considering we have our own distinct struggles with the material world and relating to our bodies that Shantideva couldn’t possibly have taken into account.
The text also oscillates in its treatment of feelings, expression, and “childishness” or the childlike parts of the self. While I am convicted that “making friends with our feelings” (language Chödrön uses but then seems to renege on), giving them healthy expression (not just trying to meditate them away), and tuning into our child selves (who are sweet, pure, and hopeful, not ignorant and selfish) is of the utmost importance, I’m still unclear on what Chödrön’s insights are in these areas.
Any acknowledgment of all the literature and evidence we have on trauma and abuse is completely lacking in this text, which significantly diminishes its practical value. It’s a powerful inspirational read that definitely does the work of awakening the spirit, inspiring empathy, and encouraging us to surround ourselves with supportive peers and venerable mentors, but like so many religious texts, it’s not something that’s fully-equipped to inform emotional, psychological, or physical healing.
All that said, there are so many beautiful verses and striking insights in this work. Perhaps it’s best approached as something poetic and allegorical—an invitation to know a great deal more about a tradition that goes so far beyond aesthetically appealing Buddha-bust decor.
November 23, 2020
This is not a ‘reading’ book. This is a practicing book. Of all of Pema’s books I have read, this was probably the most ‘technical.’ Therefore, ‘difficult’ to kind of rush through. But at the same time, you can trust Pema to take what seems esoteric and give it the framework of common human pain.
The book is a commentary on Shantideva’s teachings. I didn’t know who Shantideva was when I started reading this, but I think I kind of like the chap by the end. And I always love love Pema. She is at her most adorable when she admits to her weaknesses, as she does throughout this book.
Don’t pick this book up to just finish your reading quota. Pick it up because you truly want to bring change. In yourself and others. And then, we can’t throw it off either. It works best if we resolve to make this a manual for living.
The book is a commentary on Shantideva’s teachings. I didn’t know who Shantideva was when I started reading this, but I think I kind of like the chap by the end. And I always love love Pema. She is at her most adorable when she admits to her weaknesses, as she does throughout this book.
Don’t pick this book up to just finish your reading quota. Pick it up because you truly want to bring change. In yourself and others. And then, we can’t throw it off either. It works best if we resolve to make this a manual for living.
September 11, 2018
I read this, it's wonderful and was originally published, as it says, as No Time To Lose.
It's a better title for sure but could be confusing if you already have this book.
I have read some sections many times over the years, not like her other books, more scholarly in a sense but certainly makes Shantideva easier to understand.
It's a better title for sure but could be confusing if you already have this book.
I have read some sections many times over the years, not like her other books, more scholarly in a sense but certainly makes Shantideva easier to understand.
November 16, 2019
Fantastic!!! I can’t say there are too many books I’ve wanted to immediately read again upon finishing; however this is one of them. Over the few months I spent reading, it had become a much loved part of my svadhyaya practice in the morning before meditation.
Beautifully written, easy to digest and tremendously useful. The Practical suggestions for applying spiritual principles to everyday life have made this book a new cornerstone in my library. I’m sure I’ll return to it time and again.
Beautifully written, easy to digest and tremendously useful. The Practical suggestions for applying spiritual principles to everyday life have made this book a new cornerstone in my library. I’m sure I’ll return to it time and again.
May 23, 2025
How can something written over 1000 years ago still be so relevant?? Pema's commentary is a delight as always. I will be starting back from the beginning again, reading a few pages a day because it is so rich.
March 29, 2025
Book of the Day – Becoming Bodhisattvas
Today’s Book of the Day is Becoming Bodhisattvas, written by Pema Chödrön in 2018 and published by Shambala.
Pema Chödrön, born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936, is a renowned Buddhist teacher in the Tibetan tradition and one of the most influential Western interpreters of Buddhist philosophy. She embraced Buddhism in the 1970s, studying under Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Ordained as a nun in the Vajrayana tradition, she became the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Western practitioners.
I have chosen this book because it represents one of the best guides to improve one’s compassion, written by a Westerner for Westerners.
Becoming Bodhisattvas is Pema Chödrön’s inspiring interpretation of The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra) by Shantideva. It is an exceptional exploration of one of the most profound texts in Mahayana Buddhism. Through her unique synthesis of deep Buddhist insight, personal anecdotes, and practical applications for modern readers, Chödrön renders the timeless wisdom of Shantideva not only comprehensible but vividly alive.
What makes this book truly remarkable is its ability to bridge the vast historical and cultural gap between an 8th-century Indian Buddhist master and a contemporary audience that may struggle with classical Buddhist teachings’ abstract and often esoteric nature, especially if they cannot read Sanskrit.
At its heart, the book is a meditation on what it means to follow the bodhisattva path, not as an unattainable ideal but as a daily lived experience. Chödrön’s prose shows a good balance of gentleness and rigor, a tangible testament to both her practice and her compassionate approach to teaching. She invites readers into an intimate and direct engagement with Shantideva’s verses, neither diluting their radical nature nor making them inaccessible through rigid scholasticism.
Instead, she engages with the text as a fellow practitioner, wrestling with its demands and unveiling its implications with humility and honesty.
One of the striking aspects of Becoming Bodhisattvas is the author’s ability to distill the essence of bodhicitta, the awakened mind of compassion, into something that feels reachable, immediate, and personal. She does not present the bodhisattva path as a distant, heroic journey undertaken only by rare spiritual beings but rather as an ever-present possibility in our daily lives. She does not shy away from acknowledging the immense challenge of cultivating boundless compassion, especially in a world rife with suffering, division, and personal pain. Instead, she presents this challenge as an awesome opportunity, a radical act of courage that only demands our willingness to fully embrace our imperfection as part of the transformative process into a better being.
Throughout the book, Chödrön mixes in reflections from her own life, offering candid insights into her struggles with fear, frustration, and self-doubt. These moments of vulnerability make the teachings of the book profoundly human and relatable.
Rather than positioning herself as a distant authority imparting wisdom from an elevated pedestal, she invites the reader into a shared journey—one in which mistakes, resistance, and difficulties are not obstacles to enlightenment but integral to the path itself.
I have found this perspective deeply empowering as it dismantles the notion that spiritual progress is reserved for the exceptionally disciplined or those free from human flaws.
This book aims at practicality. Chödrön does not allow the teachings to remain abstract philosophy; she challenges readers to take them into the very core of their lives.
She encourages us to meet our suffering and the suffering of others with an open heart, to cultivate patience in the face of adversity, and to embrace discomfort as a doorway to wisdom. This is not a passive form of spirituality but an active, engaged way of being in the world that demands a fierce commitment to love and courage.
Her discussion of difficult emotions, anger, fear, and despair, is particularly poignant. Rather than advocating suppression or avoidance, she guides readers through a process of befriending these emotions, seeing them as raw material for awakening rather than hindrances to be conquered. In doing so, she echoes both the radical honesty of Shantideva and the psychological insight characteristic of contemporary mindfulness practices. This synthesis makes Becoming Bodhisattvas not just a spiritual guide but a deeply transformative handbook for navigating the complexity of human existence.
Yet, Chödrön does not promise an easy path. She does not claim that the bodhisattva ideal can be achieved through mere intellectual understanding or sporadic acts of kindness.
Instead, she insists on the necessity of continuous, disciplined practice, of returning again and again to the commitment to serve others, even when it feels impossible. And yet, in this very insistence, there is a profound tenderness. She understands the struggles of the human heart and offers an unwavering encouragement to keep going, no matter how many times we falter.
For those unfamiliar with Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva, Chödrön’s book is an innovative introduction, providing clarity without oversimplification. For those who are already familiar with the text, it offers a fresh and deeply personal engagement.
Ultimately, Becoming Bodhisattvas is an invitation to step beyond our habitual ways of being, to meet the world with greater compassion, and to cultivate an unshakable courage in the face of suffering.
It is a book that does not merely speak about transformation but actively facilitates it in the reader’s heart and mind. Through Pema Chödrön’s wise and compassionate guidance, we are reminded that the path of the bodhisattva is not reserved for the saints of history but is available to all of us, in every moment, in every breath, and in every choice.
Today’s Book of the Day is Becoming Bodhisattvas, written by Pema Chödrön in 2018 and published by Shambala.
Pema Chödrön, born Deirdre Blomfield-Brown in 1936, is a renowned Buddhist teacher in the Tibetan tradition and one of the most influential Western interpreters of Buddhist philosophy. She embraced Buddhism in the 1970s, studying under Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Ordained as a nun in the Vajrayana tradition, she became the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, the first Tibetan monastery in North America established for Western practitioners.
I have chosen this book because it represents one of the best guides to improve one’s compassion, written by a Westerner for Westerners.
Becoming Bodhisattvas is Pema Chödrön’s inspiring interpretation of The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra) by Shantideva. It is an exceptional exploration of one of the most profound texts in Mahayana Buddhism. Through her unique synthesis of deep Buddhist insight, personal anecdotes, and practical applications for modern readers, Chödrön renders the timeless wisdom of Shantideva not only comprehensible but vividly alive.
What makes this book truly remarkable is its ability to bridge the vast historical and cultural gap between an 8th-century Indian Buddhist master and a contemporary audience that may struggle with classical Buddhist teachings’ abstract and often esoteric nature, especially if they cannot read Sanskrit.
At its heart, the book is a meditation on what it means to follow the bodhisattva path, not as an unattainable ideal but as a daily lived experience. Chödrön’s prose shows a good balance of gentleness and rigor, a tangible testament to both her practice and her compassionate approach to teaching. She invites readers into an intimate and direct engagement with Shantideva’s verses, neither diluting their radical nature nor making them inaccessible through rigid scholasticism.
Instead, she engages with the text as a fellow practitioner, wrestling with its demands and unveiling its implications with humility and honesty.
One of the striking aspects of Becoming Bodhisattvas is the author’s ability to distill the essence of bodhicitta, the awakened mind of compassion, into something that feels reachable, immediate, and personal. She does not present the bodhisattva path as a distant, heroic journey undertaken only by rare spiritual beings but rather as an ever-present possibility in our daily lives. She does not shy away from acknowledging the immense challenge of cultivating boundless compassion, especially in a world rife with suffering, division, and personal pain. Instead, she presents this challenge as an awesome opportunity, a radical act of courage that only demands our willingness to fully embrace our imperfection as part of the transformative process into a better being.
Throughout the book, Chödrön mixes in reflections from her own life, offering candid insights into her struggles with fear, frustration, and self-doubt. These moments of vulnerability make the teachings of the book profoundly human and relatable.
Rather than positioning herself as a distant authority imparting wisdom from an elevated pedestal, she invites the reader into a shared journey—one in which mistakes, resistance, and difficulties are not obstacles to enlightenment but integral to the path itself.
I have found this perspective deeply empowering as it dismantles the notion that spiritual progress is reserved for the exceptionally disciplined or those free from human flaws.
This book aims at practicality. Chödrön does not allow the teachings to remain abstract philosophy; she challenges readers to take them into the very core of their lives.
She encourages us to meet our suffering and the suffering of others with an open heart, to cultivate patience in the face of adversity, and to embrace discomfort as a doorway to wisdom. This is not a passive form of spirituality but an active, engaged way of being in the world that demands a fierce commitment to love and courage.
Her discussion of difficult emotions, anger, fear, and despair, is particularly poignant. Rather than advocating suppression or avoidance, she guides readers through a process of befriending these emotions, seeing them as raw material for awakening rather than hindrances to be conquered. In doing so, she echoes both the radical honesty of Shantideva and the psychological insight characteristic of contemporary mindfulness practices. This synthesis makes Becoming Bodhisattvas not just a spiritual guide but a deeply transformative handbook for navigating the complexity of human existence.
Yet, Chödrön does not promise an easy path. She does not claim that the bodhisattva ideal can be achieved through mere intellectual understanding or sporadic acts of kindness.
Instead, she insists on the necessity of continuous, disciplined practice, of returning again and again to the commitment to serve others, even when it feels impossible. And yet, in this very insistence, there is a profound tenderness. She understands the struggles of the human heart and offers an unwavering encouragement to keep going, no matter how many times we falter.
For those unfamiliar with Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva, Chödrön’s book is an innovative introduction, providing clarity without oversimplification. For those who are already familiar with the text, it offers a fresh and deeply personal engagement.
Ultimately, Becoming Bodhisattvas is an invitation to step beyond our habitual ways of being, to meet the world with greater compassion, and to cultivate an unshakable courage in the face of suffering.
It is a book that does not merely speak about transformation but actively facilitates it in the reader’s heart and mind. Through Pema Chödrön’s wise and compassionate guidance, we are reminded that the path of the bodhisattva is not reserved for the saints of history but is available to all of us, in every moment, in every breath, and in every choice.
September 14, 2020
Please note, I give this book 5 stars without hesitation. It is a powerful guide to peaceful happiness. It explains why that should be our goal, and how to attain it. There is more than a lifetime's worth of lessons here. But the part of me that is stuck in samsara still wishes to ask, "What about chapter 9?" Both this version and the previous one omit it. With acceptance that there must be good reason, but without explanation, the reader is left wondering, "Is the guide incomplete? Is chapter 9 addressed in another text?"
February 14, 2019
This isn't a book I feel I'll ever 'finish', per se. It's a book that Buddhists and aspiring Bodhisattvas can return to time and time again for wisdom and inspiration. Ani Pema Chodron dissects Shantideva's cherished "The Way of the Bodhisattva". Shantideva's classic is written in verse, as a personal meditation, outlining the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake. (I paraphrased that description from the book jacket of the original edition).
Pema Chodron takes each verse and breaks it down for us modern-day readers and practitioners. She puts it in less poetic, more relatable language so we have a more accessible relationship with the text, as well as the path itself.
There's a lot packed into the book, and thus, I foresee it being a book I reference frequently, perhaps reading sections of it again the way one might read the Bible over a year's time, sort of a devotional. But I wanted to make it through the book once before I dug into it on the level I need to truly appreciate it. I look forward to a long relationship with these teachings.
Pema Chodron takes each verse and breaks it down for us modern-day readers and practitioners. She puts it in less poetic, more relatable language so we have a more accessible relationship with the text, as well as the path itself.
There's a lot packed into the book, and thus, I foresee it being a book I reference frequently, perhaps reading sections of it again the way one might read the Bible over a year's time, sort of a devotional. But I wanted to make it through the book once before I dug into it on the level I need to truly appreciate it. I look forward to a long relationship with these teachings.
September 30, 2024
I am sickened to learn that Pema Chodron has been complicit to the sexual abuse in the lineage. Many women reported abuse to her, Judith Simmer-Brown and Judy Leaf. They did nothing. Pema never stepped down as a teacher. She never retired. She gave up her title. Everyone gave up their titles. This isn’t a virtuous gesture.
Before you lay into me with your defense for this woman, I strongly suggest you Google Shambhala sexual abuse. The history of rape, child molestation and abuse is endless and g continues to this day. Her head monk was just charged with voyeurism at her monastery - Gampo Abbey. The money from the books we buy goes to continue supporting this sick organization. It is absolutely heartbreaking to me she has become an apologist and has never come to support the victims.
https://matthewremski.medium.com/the-...
https://www.gurumag.com/pema-chodron-...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...
I have more esteem for my spiritual development than to follow a sham.
Before you lay into me with your defense for this woman, I strongly suggest you Google Shambhala sexual abuse. The history of rape, child molestation and abuse is endless and g continues to this day. Her head monk was just charged with voyeurism at her monastery - Gampo Abbey. The money from the books we buy goes to continue supporting this sick organization. It is absolutely heartbreaking to me she has become an apologist and has never come to support the victims.
https://matthewremski.medium.com/the-...
https://www.gurumag.com/pema-chodron-...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...
I have more esteem for my spiritual development than to follow a sham.
Read
January 15, 2022I've been studying The Way of the Bodhisattva on my own for about 4 years. Shortly after I began I purchased "No Time To Lose, A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva", by Pema. After inspecting Becoming Bodhisattvas on Amazon it appears to be identical. I presume the one I was using is no longer available. It would be good to notify buyers that this is the case.
Regarding the book itself it has been a valuable supplement to my study of the Bodihfharyavatara. Much of Shantideva's teachings are specifically related to his time and place in the world. Pema helps the reader understand it in our current time and place. She also indicates and elaborates on particularly significant portions of the text.
Do be aware she doesn't tackle the Wisdom chapter. She comments that this would require another full book. I know there are books that do address this. I have Practicing Wisdom, by H.H. the Dalai Lama which is challenging for me. I think there are others available.
This book is a valuable resource for students of the Bodhicharyavatara.
Regarding the book itself it has been a valuable supplement to my study of the Bodihfharyavatara. Much of Shantideva's teachings are specifically related to his time and place in the world. Pema helps the reader understand it in our current time and place. She also indicates and elaborates on particularly significant portions of the text.
Do be aware she doesn't tackle the Wisdom chapter. She comments that this would require another full book. I know there are books that do address this. I have Practicing Wisdom, by H.H. the Dalai Lama which is challenging for me. I think there are others available.
This book is a valuable resource for students of the Bodhicharyavatara.
October 22, 2018
This is a deep dive into The Way of the Bodhisattva, with Chodron expounding on each verse. Pretty interesting and inspiring if you already have an interest or background in Buddhism; if not, this probably won't be your cup of tea, as there's not a lot of "story" here. As usual, Chodron has a good writing style and a logical, easy-to-understand way of explaining complex concepts.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2020
A challenging read for me. Pens writes commentary on a centuries old introduction to the path of the bodhisattva, someone who aims to bring enlightenment to all beings. I found the dedication chapter 10 sweet and hopeful, while the chapters casting light on the impermanence of life and possibilities of suffering grueling. But I think that was the point, to make the unexamined life seem unpalatable. Emma's commentary adds honey to the original text.
June 14, 2019
An accessible, beautiful and brilliant book. She explains a classic text in the simplest of ways. This is definitely a “book to live by”, and has become one of the most important books to me, alongside Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning.
Read it, read it again, absorb this book’s lessons and start changing your life.
Read it, read it again, absorb this book’s lessons and start changing your life.
June 21, 2020
I read the Bodhicaryavatara as part of canonical literature, but always found it unrelatable, outmoded and quite masochistic. This commentary was incredibly inspiring!
"For as long as space-time endures/ As long as beings still exist/ Until then may I too remain/ To dispel the miseries of the world."
"For as long as space-time endures/ As long as beings still exist/ Until then may I too remain/ To dispel the miseries of the world."
January 18, 2019
A translation and commentary on a text written by Shantideva. Every time I picked this up I learned something new. For my having so little prior experience with this material, I was amazed at how Chodron's thoughtful commentary made this so accessible. Every page gave me something new to consider.
January 22, 2023
For me this writing offers a lovely support for practice, one to return to again and again. Having Pema Chodron's interpretations alongside Shantideva's words (translated) helped me understand the guidance in terms that can be easily applied today. Thank you.
January 22, 2023
Wading through this book was difficult. The source text is not the best translation and the commentary struggles for it. The book describes more what not to do than what to do in life, which wasn’t helpful to me.
February 15, 2020
I love Pema Chödrön. This is my manual for living.
April 1, 2021
Vital resource for anyone committing to a study of Shantideva’s landmark document but not really suited for a casual read. Maybe best taken in parts.
September 25, 2022
This is definitely a read and reread item. Easy to read, and yet you pick up more with each review.
September 8, 2023
This is a continuous reading journey
July 8, 2025
excellent synopsis of The Way of the Bodhisattva. I read both at the same time, and this book definitely spelled things out for me that I didn't catch when reading the other one. highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews