The Bodhisattva Vow: The Essential Practices of Mahayana Buddhism Hardcover – September 1, 1995

The audio-book is an excellent 2 disc set for the sincere students of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (New Kadampa Traditon - New Kadampa Buddhist International Union). It is not beginner material, but more advanced. The Joyful Path of Good Fortune is an excellent but BIG foundation book. MODERN BUDDHISM will be released shortly. Eight Steps to Happiness is helpful introductory material.CDs of mantras can be purchased from your New Kadampa website.Amazon has excellent prices for the NKT materials!This book is likely NOT helpful to students of HH Dalai Lama, as a split occured between the 2 groups.The Teacher Training Program is about 12 years. It is a long and serious process. And yes, New Kadampa Buddhism has its own dogma, as do most religions.If you LOVE it and believe that the Lam Rim Buddhism presented in NKT is your own personal path to liberation and helping others, this book is very helpful.

If you wish to know how to practice and keep the Bodhisattva vow, this is a gem for you. It contains the invaluable Thirty Five Confession Buddha Purification Practice, which I now use almost daily. It has changed my life! Geshe Kelsang is renowned for his clear and profound explanations. It is great good karma to even hear the word "bodhisattva," and it is even greater good karma to come into contact with this book. Thank you, Geshe Kelsang.

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.

Great, informative book

perfecto

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 takes you through the vows that you must take to become a boddhisattva. It is to the point about the commitments. A wonderful book to read.

I got this on audio and I would have given it more stars but for the recording is so soft that I have to turn the volume very very high. There is a lot of information on the vows of a bodhisattva as well as the 35 confession Buddhas... there are 22 chapters that are loaded with information. I would recommend this to anyone who already has a very good foundation of Buddhism in general and is curious about the vows of a bodhisattva or who is planning on taking the vows. Ven.Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is an amazing teacher who chooses his words very well for teaching and explaining. I highly recommend all of his books. There is a list of appropriate books for beginners, intermediate and advanced practitioners at [...] there is also a link that if you have any questions while reading or listening you can call or email the center and ask a monk or nun. I found that they are always very happy to help. I personally have purchased several of Geshe-la's books and plan on buying more.