Open Heart, Clear Mind: An Introduction to the Buddha's Teachings

Featuring a foreword by the Dalai Lama, this introduction to Tibetan Buddhism “will help many on the open path of meditation and in dealing with challenges of everyday life” (Thich Nhat Hanh)
 
An open heart is the dwelling place of compassion that extends toward all beings; a clear mind is the source of the penetrating wisdom of deep insight. Their union leads to the enlightened way of life that is at the heart of the spiritual path as taught by the Buddha.

This practical introduction to the Buddha's teachings focuses on the application of Buddhist psychology to modern life. Thubten Chodron, an American Buddhist nun, presents the basic points of this path for understanding ourselves and improving the quality of our lives. Writing with warmth, humor, and easy-to-understand language, Chodron provides the fundamental points of the Buddha's teaching on transforming habitual attitudes and realizing our full human potential.

Venerable Thubten Chodron has been a Buddhist nun since 1977 and has studied and practiced Buddhism under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters. She is the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey (sravasti.org), a Buddhist monastic community in Washington State, USA. 

Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha's teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them to contemporary readers. She is well-known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. Active in interfaith dialogue, she also does Dharma outreach in prisons and teaches worldwide. Visit thubtenchodron.org to access archives of her extensive teachings, and youtube.com/user/sravastiabbey for daily Dharma talks. 

"Venerable Thubten Chodron is someone whose life embodies the virtues of kindness, simplicity and clarity of vision, which lie at the heart of the Buddha's teaching. It is these perennial qualities that shine through her writings and touch the hearts of many readers all over the world." - Thupten Jinpa, author and translator for the Dalai Lama