How do bodhisattvas meditate? In his renowned text, The Way of the Bodhisattva, Shantideva provides a guide to meditation through equalizing and exchanging self with others. Consequently, this instruction has become fundamental for the training of the mind in altruism and the bodhisattva vehicle.
Whether we are ready for the yogi’s life or not, this instruction will plant a seed to mature us for that path, and give us valuable tools to cultivate the spirit of enlightenment right now. We will be drawing on verses from Chapter 8 of Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva by Padmakara Translation Group. |
Tubten Pendé, a.k.a. Jim Dougherty, is a practicing Buddhist since 1972 when he was introduced to Tibetan Buddhism in India. Pendé was included in the first wave of the FPMT’s Western Buddhist teachers. He was the coordinator of the Geshe Studies Program at Manjushri Institute, England; spiritual program coordinator, director, and later resident teacher at Nalanda Monastery, France; and an FPMT International Office Education Services program developer of the Masters Program at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy.
He is interested in the effective application of Buddhist theory and practice in the daily life of ordinary people. |