The Bodhisattva Vow: A Practical Guide to Helping Others

This book is written in a way I find easy to understand, maybe it could be referred to as simple plain language. I am finding it easier to understand than another book I had on the Bodhisattva Vow.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's beautiful book, The Bodhisattva Vow, gives an extensive explanation on how to practice higher moral discipline, the main path that leads to permanent happiness and enlightenment. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso demonstrates clearly, that developing a virtuous determination to abandon harmful actions such as: killing, stealing, lying, hurtful speech, malice etc, is essential to progress on and complete, one's spiritual path. If we conscientiously observe moral discipline, we can solve all our human problems and complete our spiritual practices powerfully. I recommend this book to anyone who is seeking clear and practical advice on how to abandon harmful actions and negative states of mind, and how to cultivate positive, powerful states of mind that will cause all our actions to become pure and of benefit to others.

I should have posted this UPDATED review a long time ago in 2004. Like any spiritual seeker I was reading many different spiritual books, and Gyatso's books seemed genuine to me as I love the teachings of BUDDHA. In a nutshell, I joined their "meditation" group and went further to be trained as a teacher. What happened is SHOCKING. They informed me that I could NOT write my own books!!!! They told me I could not discuss any of the teachings! They told me I could NOT write ARTICLES. I couldn't believe how controlling this cult organization is. They give glory to Kelsang Gyatso - where a true Buddhist gives the glory to Buddha. If you are looking for excellent Buddhist books I do *NOT* recommend this book, or any of the other Gyatso books. I do recommend the books by Eknath Easwaran such as THE DAMMAPADA. I share this with the utmost pure motives and hope it helps you in your spiritual growth.

This book is most helpful for those following or interested in the Bodhisattva way of life. It clearly lists all vows, and gives brief explanations on the meaning of each one, (It's size makes it reasonably portable, so is useful for those who have just recieved the vows and find them difficult to remember). It also contains a brief commentary on the practise of the six perfections. I have found this an indispensable guide to help me along the Bodhisattva path, and know of no other like it. I hope others will find it as useful as I do.

The Geshe's style of elucidation is clear and step by step. This will be of more interest to the practitioner than the casual reader, or one interested in anecdotes and stories.

The author presents in a traditional Tibetan Buddhist manner the Mahayana practice of confession to the 35 Confession Buddhas. He clear sets out the importance of purification and the steps that need to be taken for the individual to overcome delusions and to progress on the spiritual path to enlightenment. The text then explains the ritual of confession and contains detailed descriptions of the Buddhas and instructions on how you or I should engage in this practice. The text is very clear and avoids the tendency of some writers to obscure the meaning by using technical jargon - Kelsang Gyatso has avoided this and should be thanked for his efforts.