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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Chodron claim is our relationship to reaching out to others?

2. What does the author argue that we do to sow the seeds of our own suffering?

3. How many stages are in the formal practice of tonglen?

4. Where does the title of the book come from?

5. Who did Atisha take with him from India to Tibet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does "of the two witnesses, hold the principal one" mean?

2. Why does Pema Chodron argue that most of us sow the seeds of our own suffering?

3. Why does Chodron describe the experience of a young woman who was in a foreign country, surrounded by people throwing stones at her?

4. What are the four limitless qualities?

5. What does Chodron write is the "foundation" of bodhichitta training?

6. What do the vajrayana Buddhists believe about emotions?

7. What ways does Chodron write that meditation can be misused?

8. How did the nineteenth century yogi Patrul Rinpoche suggest arousing compassion?

9. What are the three principles that the Buddha taught to be characteristic of human existence?

10. What are the stages of the formal practice of tonglen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does the author compare our fears in life to? What analogy does she make? Do you think this is an effective analogy? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

According to Chodron, what are the lojong slogans? How do they compliment the teachings in the other sections of the book? What are they used for? Which lojong slogan does the author describe in greatest detail?

Essay Topic 3

What does the author describe as an in between place? Why is this important?

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