Bodhisattva Peace Training

Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche developed The Bodhisattva Peace Training so that people of any faith could benefit from the insights of Buddhist philosophy and its meditation methods for cultivating the positive personal qualities that promote effective and enduring change.

What is a bodhisattva? A bodhisattva is one committed to reducing the suffering of others. In examining the human dilemma, the bodhisattva recognizes that we cannot hope to improve negative conditions outside ourselves until we have transformed the same conditions within. By cultivating our inherent qualities of love and compassion, we can awaken bodhi, or "great mind"-the seat of all positive qualities- which enhances the effectiveness and depth of our work, and is much more powerful than our ordinary minds.

Lama Shenpen Drolma was ordained as a lama (or teacher) by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche in 1996, and since being authorized by Chagdud Rinpoche to give The Bodhisattva Peace Training, Lama Shenpen has focused on making the teachings accessible and relevant to people who live with violence, conflict and great suffering, as well as those seeking to help them. As an ordained Lama, she also draws on her work as a feminist activist and organizer in the battered women's movement in the 1970s, she has taught at-risk youth, youth workers, battered women, advocates, peace activists and a variety of others who work with at-risk populations. Currently, Lama Shenpen is the resident lama at Iron Knot Ranch, where she is establishing Iron Knot Institute to bring to fruition Chagdud Rinpoche's vision of training others in order to make the Bodhisattva Peace Training widely available throughout the world.

Lama Shenpen compiled and edited these teachings into Change of Heart: The Bodhisattva Peace Training of Chagdud Tulku, which incorporates many dialogues that took place between Chagdud Rinpoche and participants from a variety of religious, political and occupational backgrounds.

Visit our event calendar for upcoming Bodhisattva Peace Trainings.