Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xv

1. What Is the Path?
The Dharma 3
Fear of Enlightenment 5
Intelligence and Progress 6
One Taste 8
Four Noble Truths 11
Signposts 16
Grace, or Help Along the Way 18
The Role of a Teacher 22
Roads to Fulfillment 24

2. How to Practice
Purpose, Effort, and Surrender 29
Training the Heart 32
Meditation Instructions 34
Nintendo Dharma 37
Acceptance 39
Not Seeing Dukkha Is Dukkha 42
Understanding Pain 44
Feeling Good, Feeling Bad: Progress in Meditation 47
Spontaneity and Practice 49
Coming Home 50
Energy 51
Insight 53

3. Freeing the Mind
Hindrances: A Dirty Cloth 57
Relating to Thoughts 59
Views and Opinions 62
Judgment 500 64
Conceit and the Comparing Mind 66
Liberating Emotions 68
Emotional Bondage, Emotional Freedom 72
Use Your Umbrella 75
Fear Itself 77
Thank You, Boredom 80
Unworthiness 82
Guilt 84
Jealousy 87
Desire 88

4. Psychology and Dharma
Ego and Self 93
Personality and Transformation 96
Psychotherapy and Meditation 100
Yogi Mind 104

5. Selflessness
Big Dipper 109
Birth of the Ego 114
No Parachute, No Ground 116
Coming to Zero 118
Ecstasy and Emptiness 120

6. Karma
The Light of the World 123
Obvious Karma 125
Subtleties of Karma 127
Ignorance, the Root of Harming 130
Mindfulness, the Root of Happiness 131
Karma and No-Self 134
Animals 136

7. Practice in the World
Staying Present 139
Wisdom and Love 141
Lovingkindness 143
Compassion 147
The Art of Communication 150
Sharing the Dharma 153
Relationship with Parents 155
Right Livelihood 159
On Reading Texts 161
Humor 163
Training for Death 165
Vipassana and Death 166
Metta and Death 168
To Benefit All Beings 170

For More Information 173
Index 175