How to Live the Compassionate Life:
Lama Atisha's The Bodhisattva's Jewel Garland
with Gen Don Handrick
Bodhisattvas are driven by their deep compassion to attain enlightenment, the fully developed state in which they can benefit other beings most effectively. In this course, we will examine a brief and lyrical text by Lama Atisha, the great Indian master who came to Tibet in the 11th century, in which he presents the most essential instructions for living one’s life perfectly as a bodhisattva. Like a string of precious gems, these guidelines are to be worn like a beautiful garland by all those who wish to journey the path of full awakening.
Short Video
Gen Don Handrick introduces his upcoming course: How to Live the Compassionate Life: Lama Atisha’s The Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland.
Additional Materials
Text: Lama Atisha, The Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland (Thupten Jinpa’s translation)
Note: Due to copyright, the center is unable to provide the text, however, one can view it by using a Wisdom account. Go to Join – The Wisdom Experience and select ‘Free Member’ option. Once signed up and logged in, the text can be accessed by searching for ‘Mind Training’. The book Mind Training: The Great Collection will appear; click on the READ button. From that location, one cannot print the text but can view it for reference.
Recommended Books:
Atisa Dipamkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind (Lives of the Masters) by James B. Apple
Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment by Geshe Sonam Rinchen (Author), Ruth Sonam (Translator)
Solid Like a Mountain: A Commentary on Atisa’s Bodhisattva Jewel Garland By Lama Gyurmey
Commentary on “A Bodhisattva’s Garland of Gems” – Dr. Berzin
How to Generate Bodhicitta By Ribur Rinpoche
THE BOOK OF KADAM: The Core Texts by Thupten Jinpa
Class Materials:
Techniques to Generate Bodhichitta (PDF)
Chart: The Five Mahayana Paths (according to the Madhyamika Prasangika School) (PDF)
Alex Berzin on the Ten Dharma Acts (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life – Session 1 Slides COLOR (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life – Session 1 Slides BLACK & WHITE (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life Session 2 Slides (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life – Session 3 Slides (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life – Session 4 Slides (PDF)
How to Live the Compassionate Life – Session 5 Slides (PDF)
Recordings
This is a playlist. To jump to a particular session, click the playlist icon (near the top-right corner) of the video frame to select video.
About the Teacher
Gen (Tibetan for “elder”) Don is a touring teacher for the FPMT, sharing the Dharma with centers and study groups in North America and other parts of the world, both in-person and online. He connected with Tibetan Buddhism in 1993 through the teachings of Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.
In 1996 he commenced formal study at Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies, the FPMT center in San Francisco. In 1998, he entered the FPMT’s Masters Program of Buddhist Studies in Sutra and Tantra, a full-time seven-year residential study program in Tuscany, Italy, taught by Geshe Jampa Gyatso. After the completion of his studies, Gen Don moved to Northern New Mexico and in 2005 and began teaching for the FPMT.
In 2015, he had the honor of being selected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to lead the renowned November Course, a one-month teaching and meditation retreat held annually at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Gen Don has received teachings from many esteemed lamas in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Ribur Rinpoche, Choden Rinpoche, and Khensur Jampa Tegchok.
Students appreciate his humble, compassionate demeanor and his capacity to explain profound ideas with precision, contemporary examples and humor.
Visit his website at https://www.donhandrick.com.
