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Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of Chenrezig
Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara / Kuan Yin) is not only Tibet’s patron deity, he also is the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas and as such is deemed the best possible contemplative gateway to the cultivation of compassion.
In this book, which has received high praise from monastics and lay Buddhist scholars alike, the American-born nun Ven. Thubten Chodron lucidly and engagingly elucidates the Tibetan Buddhist yoga of Chenrezig. Her explanations are based not only on scriptural but also oral teachings, which makes them eminently authoritative and practical.
Essentially, Cultivating a Compassionate Heart is a knowledgeable, highly practical, and fairly extensive commentary on the Chenrezig sadhana. The book starts with the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig visualization and the preliminary prayers found in most sadhanas and the long mantra of Chenrezig. Only then does the author proceed to explaining the various concepts that make up the theoretical underpinnings of this extraordinary practice.
In this book, which has received high praise from monastics and lay Buddhist scholars alike, the American-born nun Ven. Thubten Chodron lucidly and engagingly elucidates the Tibetan Buddhist yoga of Chenrezig. Her explanations are based not only on scriptural but also oral teachings, which makes them eminently authoritative and practical.
Essentially, Cultivating a Compassionate Heart is a knowledgeable, highly practical, and fairly extensive commentary on the Chenrezig sadhana. The book starts with the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig visualization and the preliminary prayers found in most sadhanas and the long mantra of Chenrezig. Only then does the author proceed to explaining the various concepts that make up the theoretical underpinnings of this extraordinary practice.
- GenresBuddhismSpirituality
207 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2006
17 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Thubten Chodron
70 books164 followersBorn in 1950, Venerable Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron (Ch: 圖丹.卻淮) grew up near Los Angeles. She graduated with a B.A. in History from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1971. After travelling through Europe, North Africa and Asia for one and a half years, she received a teaching credential and went to the University of Southern California to do post-graduate work in Education while working as a teacher in the Los Angeles City School System.
In 1975, she attended a meditation course given by Ven. Lama Yeshe and Ven. Zopa Rinpoche, and subsequently went to their monastery in Nepal to continue to study and practice Buddha's teachings. In 1977, she received the sramanerika (novice) ordination, and in 1986, received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan.
She studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition for many years in India and Nepal under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters for many years. She directed the spiritual program at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy for nearly two years, studied three years at Dorje Pamo Monastery in France, and was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Center in Singapore. For ten years she was resident teacher at Dharma Friendship Founation in Seattle, where she continues to be spiritual advisor.
Ven. Chodron was a co-organizer of Life as a Western Buddhist Nun, and took part in the conferences of Western Buddhist teachers with H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 1994. She was present during the Jewish delegation's visit to Dharamsala, India, in 1990, which was the basis for Rodger Kamenetz' The Jew in the Lotus, and attended the Second Gethsemani Encounter in 2002. She is keen on interreligious dialogue. She has also been present at several of the Mind-Life Conferences in which H. H. the Dalai Lama dialogues with Western scientists.
Ven. Chodron travels worldwide to teach the Dharma: North America, Latin America, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, and former communist countries.. Seeing the importance and necessity of a monastery for Westerners training in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, she founded Sravasti Abbey and is currently involved in developing it.
Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well-known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings.
In 1975, she attended a meditation course given by Ven. Lama Yeshe and Ven. Zopa Rinpoche, and subsequently went to their monastery in Nepal to continue to study and practice Buddha's teachings. In 1977, she received the sramanerika (novice) ordination, and in 1986, received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan.
She studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition for many years in India and Nepal under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters for many years. She directed the spiritual program at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy for nearly two years, studied three years at Dorje Pamo Monastery in France, and was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Center in Singapore. For ten years she was resident teacher at Dharma Friendship Founation in Seattle, where she continues to be spiritual advisor.
Ven. Chodron was a co-organizer of Life as a Western Buddhist Nun, and took part in the conferences of Western Buddhist teachers with H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 1994. She was present during the Jewish delegation's visit to Dharamsala, India, in 1990, which was the basis for Rodger Kamenetz' The Jew in the Lotus, and attended the Second Gethsemani Encounter in 2002. She is keen on interreligious dialogue. She has also been present at several of the Mind-Life Conferences in which H. H. the Dalai Lama dialogues with Western scientists.
Ven. Chodron travels worldwide to teach the Dharma: North America, Latin America, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, and former communist countries.. Seeing the importance and necessity of a monastery for Westerners training in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, she founded Sravasti Abbey and is currently involved in developing it.
Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well-known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 28, 2020
It is mostly a religious text. Actually, it is a text derived from Buddhist teachings as a whole. There are Buddhist prayers inside the text (both in the original language and in English). There are some religious assumptions that are presented as reality such as the colors of the faces of Chenrezig (which is a god known for not judging people and their compassion). At first, this religiosity created resistance in me against accepting the suggestions in the book. I wasn't expecting that and I was disappointed. However, there are some useful ideas in the book for people like me who are not practicing Buddhists such as "the virtue of being compassionate not only to the loved ones but also to the 'hated' ones" or "imagining yourself or everyone as Chenrezig" or "meditating on emptiness to get rid of 'I'" that constitutes a source for suffering. I've seen a video of Thubten Chodron on YouTube serendipitously. The person and the way of conveying knowledge made me euphoric. That's how I had the urge to read the books written by the person. I'm glad I've read it.
April 15, 2013
The first section of the particular sect's sadhana practice was interesting, but I don't think my order does it exactly the same way, so I'll be curious if I ever receive a sadhana practice. I read it to see one sadhana practice, even if it's not my order's, because I think it's the one I want to take when I get ordained.
Then there are some interesting discussions. I also like it when Americans translate the Dharma from another cultural tradition. There is a great awakening in America of the Dharma and Thubten Chodron is an important part of that. I love women in the Dharma, I feel they should not be excluded because a tradition has died out.
I stalled reading the book at 52% (on my kindle) because of the silly Tibetan arguments, that just don't resonate with me. I was hoping as an American Thubten Chodron would avoid this. I guess it makes sense to her. It was only briefly, but it made me put the book down for a long time. But it contains a lot of wisdom.
She has a kitchen sink sadhana practice that basically seems to throw the whole of Buddhism into this practice, elaborate and many layered.
Then there are some interesting discussions. I also like it when Americans translate the Dharma from another cultural tradition. There is a great awakening in America of the Dharma and Thubten Chodron is an important part of that. I love women in the Dharma, I feel they should not be excluded because a tradition has died out.
I stalled reading the book at 52% (on my kindle) because of the silly Tibetan arguments, that just don't resonate with me. I was hoping as an American Thubten Chodron would avoid this. I guess it makes sense to her. It was only briefly, but it made me put the book down for a long time. But it contains a lot of wisdom.
She has a kitchen sink sadhana practice that basically seems to throw the whole of Buddhism into this practice, elaborate and many layered.
June 28, 2011
This book was good just not for me. I am not a Buddhist but someone that finds great insights from other faiths. Some chapters in this text were very uplifting but I found more to be for strictly Budhhists.
October 21, 2018
I got about 1/4 through and stopped. It was too spiritual for me. I was hoping for a more yoga focused book and it was more meditation / deity focused. Might be good for some but not really what I was looking for.
April 23, 2013
Thanks Pema. I need that.
November 12, 2020
A book to which I return regularly for grounding.
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February 24, 2018Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara / Kuan Yin) is not only Tibet’s patron deity, he also is the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas and as such is deemed the best possible contemplative gateway to the cultivation of compassion.
In this book, which has received high praise from monastics and lay Buddhist scholars alike, the American-born nun Ven. Thubten Chodron lucidly and engagingly elucidates the Tibetan Buddhist yoga of Chenrezig. Her explanations are based not only on scriptural but also oral teachings, which makes them eminently authoritative and practical.
Essentially, Cultivating a Compassionate Heart is a knowledgeable, highly practical, and fairly extensive commentary on the Chenrezig sadhana. The book starts with the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig visualization and the preliminary prayers found in most sadhanas and the long mantra of Chenrezig. Only then does the author proceed to explaining the various concepts that make up the theoretical underpinnings of this extraordinary practice.
In this book, which has received high praise from monastics and lay Buddhist scholars alike, the American-born nun Ven. Thubten Chodron lucidly and engagingly elucidates the Tibetan Buddhist yoga of Chenrezig. Her explanations are based not only on scriptural but also oral teachings, which makes them eminently authoritative and practical.
Essentially, Cultivating a Compassionate Heart is a knowledgeable, highly practical, and fairly extensive commentary on the Chenrezig sadhana. The book starts with the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig visualization and the preliminary prayers found in most sadhanas and the long mantra of Chenrezig. Only then does the author proceed to explaining the various concepts that make up the theoretical underpinnings of this extraordinary practice.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews