She is the leader of the Luminary International Buddhist Society, which oversees study programs for nuns and laypeople, as well as translation and publishing projects. To read the tables of contents and first chapter, click here . It's been a long, hot day. And it feels even longer as once more I chase the mirages of my life's petty aims. I don't mean to find myself yet again in a sincere trot or gallop after pointless pursuits - I just can't help it.
Habits die hard.
The Buddhist Vinaya, teachings of how to take hold of yourself in a very pragmatic and realistic way, is in essence a matter of timeless value. Simple living frees you up to pursue real aims, getting down to the basics of life and seeing clearly how everything is - both seemingly and really. As the sun of the Buddha's teachings rises over the western hemisphere, its light touches all aspects of human life. This is where Wu Yin's Choosing Simplicity is of immense usefulness. In Thubten Chodron's excellent translation, the reader is guided through the entire scope of a female monastic, through all the points of do and do not.