Steps on the Path to Enlightenment

A Commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo, Volume 3: The Way of the Bodhisattva

Lhundub Sopa, David Patt, Beth Newman

• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Year: 2007
• eBook ISBN:
  9781614290308
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Eastern Philosophy

Geshe Lhundub Sopa's Steps on the Path to Enlightenment is a landmark commentary on what is perhaps the most elaborate and elegant Tibetan presentation of the Buddhist path, Tsongkhapa's monumental Lamrim Chenmo. In this third volume of five, readers are acquainted with the bodhisattva's path and the altruistic desire to make service to others the driving force of spiritual development.It begins with an explanation of what distinguishes the Mahayana practitioner from other Buddhists and goes on to describe the nature of bodhichitta. Geshe Sopa then provides a detailed commentary on the two methods to develop this awakening attitude: the techniques of sevenfold cause-and-effect and exchanging self and other.While bodhichitta's significance in Mahayana Buddhism is universally known, Geshe Sopa illustrates how bodhichitta can motivate a devoted practitioner toward complete enlightenment and how this is accomplished through the performance of the bodhisattva perfections. Whether engaged in a scholarly study or personal practice of the Lamrim Chenmo, Geshe Sopa's guiding voice leads readers to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the bodhisattva way.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Editor’s Acknowledgments
• Technical Notes
• Introduction
• 1 The Stages of the Path for Persons of Great Capacity
• 2 Compassion, the Entrance to the Mahayana
• 3 The Sevenfold Cause-and-Effect Personal Instructions
• 4 Exchanging Self and Other
• 5 The Ritual for Adopting Bodhicitta
• 6 Maintaining Bodhicitta
• 7 An Introduction to the Six Perfections
• 8 Training in the Mahayana: Precepts and Perfections
• 9 The Perfection of Generosity
• 10 How to Give
• 11 The Perfection of Ethical Discipline
• 12 The Perfection of Patience
• 13 The Perfection of Perseverance
• 14 The Perfections of Meditative Stabilization and Wisdom
• 15 Helping Others to Mature: The Four Ways to Gather Disciples
• Appendix: Outline of the Text
• Glossary
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• About wisdom