Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, Chapter 7: Joyous Perseverance (1 of 4)

In this chapter, Shantideva teaches us a crucial skill: how to develop joy and courage in practicing virtue, the cause of happiness. Pushing ourselves or clinging to meaningless activities will not suffice to bring us to enlightenment. Shantideva guides us in cultivating joyous perseverance through aspiration, steadfastness, and knowing when to rest, so that we may have joyful, unshakable determination that will carry us along the path up to enlightenment as the wind carries a cotton ball. By commenting on each poetic verse, Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi helps us unfold the profound meaning behind each one and integrate them into our daily lives. This teaching is part of a series of teachings on the Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Bodhisattvacharyāvatāra), a very powerful text explaining how to live the Bodhisattva ideal, progressively dedicating one’s life completely to others until achieving enlightenment and becoming perfectly beneficial to them. This profound text is incredibly accessible and can inspire different practitioners. It is especially recommended for those who want to know more about or practice Mahayana Buddhism, and more generally, to develop loving kindness and compassion.