View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What three difficulties does the slogan "train in three difficulties" encourage?

2. Which answer completes the following quote? "If this process of clear seeing isn't based on self-compassion it will become a process of ______."

3. What does the author claim that lojong slogans or the slogans of Atisha can help us do?

4. According to Chodron, what two things do all those who set out on this path discover that we all have?

5. What do vajrayana Buddhists claim is inherent in emotion?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What do the vajrayana Buddhists believe about emotions?

4. What are the lojong teachings?

5. Why does the author include an anecdote about finding her boyfriend "passionately embracing another woman"?

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

7. What is bodhichitta?

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

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

10. Chodron asserts that there are two options in life. The first is "to grow up and relate to life directly." What is the second?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

According to Chodron, what are the four limitless qualities? Why are they important? How are they cultivated? Does the author suggest which ones are most important?

Essay Topic 3

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

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 815 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample