Meaningful to Behold: The Bodhisattva's Way of Life [Paperback]

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1994

Many people have the compassionate wish to benefit others, but few understand how to accomplish this successfully in daily life. Bodhisattvas are friends of the world, who have such strong compassion that they are able to transform all their daily activities into ways of benefiting others.

The path of the Bodhisattva was exquisitely explained in the universally loved poem Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life by the the 8th century master Shantideva. With this commentary, the full effectiveness and profundity of this wonderful poem are revealed in full and made applicable for our time. This practical handbook is essential for those wishing to follow a Bodhisattva’s way of life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'It would be difficult to recommend too highly this wise and welcome guide to enlightened living brought to us by an outstanding Buddhist teacher of our time.' - Spectrum 'An indispensable Buddhist work - no serious student of Buddhism can afford to be without it.' - John Blofeld, Tibetan Review 'This excellent commentary - written in such a direct and accessible manner.' - The Middle Way

About the Author

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso was ordained as a Buddhist monk in Tibet at the age of eight. He is a fully accomplished meditation master, an international teacher, and the author of 20 acclaimed books on Buddhism. He is the founder of more than 1,000 Kadampa Buddhist meditation centers and branches around the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 422 pages
• Publisher: Tharpa Publications; 4th ed. edition (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0948006358
• ISBN-13: 978-0948006357
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,144,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso was ordained as a Buddhist monk in Tibet at the age of eight. He is a fully accomplished meditation master, prolific author, and international teacher who has lived in the West since 1977 and has founded over 1,200 Kadampa Buddhist meditation centers and branches around the world. His 20 acclaimed books reveal the entire Buddhist path to enlightenment, including Buddha's Sutra and Tantra teachings.

For more information on his books, audio, artwork, meditation supplies, and cards visit www.tharpa.com/us

For more information on his meditation centers across the US and around the world visit www.kadampa.org

For books in Spanish see www.amazon.com/author/gueshe_kelsang_gyatso

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is Authentic., October 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Meaningful to Behold: The Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Paperback)

I was at the course taught by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso at Manjushri Institute in Ulverston, England, that served as the basic text of this book. The state of mind of a fully enlightened Buddha is not truly known by many of us in the West; we just don't have living examples among us demonstrating for each living being, the exact same heartfelt love in action that a mother has for her child. In giving this commentary, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso provided the living example one could refer to in oneself becoming a Buddha. Meaningful to Behold is therefore more than an exquisitely clear and precise compilation of method. It is more than a step-by-step manual for the highest personal attainment. It is the expression of pure love expecting nothing in return that inspires us to become the best and happiest people that is possible for us. Nothing inspires us like absolute kindness; this is absolute kindness in its most helpful and instructive form. It shows us how to be happy beyond anything we can now imagine. A very worthwhile book.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CLEAR, COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SHANTIDEVA'S PRECIOUS TEXT GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA'S WAY OF LIFE, June 30, 2006

By 

Rebecca A. Gauther (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meaningful to Behold: The Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Paperback)

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has written an incredible commentary to Guide to the Bodhisattva's way of life, extracting the essential meaning of Shantideva's precious text and making it applicable to Western practioners in today's modern world.

Geshe Kelsang explains the complete path to enlightenment focusing specific chapters on how to successfully cultivate peaceful states of mind that ensure long-lasting happiness, and how to effectively eradicate negative states of mind that cause suffering and harm to others.

He explains in detail how to cultivate bodhichitta, the spontaneous mind that wishes for all living beings to be free from suffering and why that mind is so important for ourselves and others.

Geshe Kelsang also describes how to overcome our attachment and increase our love as well as other virtuous minds such as: patience , effort, concentration, and wisdom. He also gives an in-depth analysis of what the ultimate nature of reality is and why if we understand it, we can experience unlimited happiness.

This is an advanced text on Buddhist thought and meditation for the serious spiritual practitioner interested in deepening his/her insight into some of the more challenging tenents of Buddhism. It is incredibly inspiring and demonstrates clearly that the author Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is an extraordinary being.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favourite book!, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Meaningful to Behold: A Commentary to Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Paperback)

This book is my favourite of all the books by this author. Chapter 8 is sublime as it explains how to develop love to its fullest potential. The whole theme of the book is that a highly advanced Buddhist monk is giving himself a teaching, often scolding himself & it is entertaining as well as inspiring.