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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 the author compare to an elderly couple living in a protected community in Florida?

2. What advice did the author receive as a six year old?

3. What does the author claim is the gift of understanding that uncertainty is part of life?

4. What relationship does Chodron claim we are predisposed to have with others?

5. In practicing compassion, who is the first person we aspire to feel compassion for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Chodron compare to "tapping into a spring of living water that has been temporarily encased in solid rock"?

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

3. What do the vajrayana Buddhists believe about emotions?

4. What image of maitri does Chodron use to explain the concept?

5. What is the role of interconnectedness in the kind of training that Chodron proposes?

6. What are the qualities of maitri that are cultivated when we meditate?

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

8. Why does Chodron mention a walled, protected community in Florida?

9. What aspiration is used in the practice of loving-kindness?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

According to Chodron, there are five strengths. What are these? Why are they important for her?

Essay Topic 2

What does Chodron mean when she says to do no harm? How is this beneficial? What makes it difficult?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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This section contains 868 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample