Eight Steps to Happiness: The Buddhist Way of Loving Kindness
Central thesis: Self-cherishing — the mind that regards ourself as supremely important, born from grasping at an inherently existent I — is the root of all suffering, and the mind that cherishes others is the root of all happiness and enlightenment itself. The eight steps are a gradual method to replace self-cherishing with universal love, uniting method (conventional bodhichitta: compassion, love, and taking-and-giving) with wisdom (ultimate bodhichitta: the realization of emptiness). Lasting happiness is not found by changing the external world but by transforming the mind through Loyong (Lojong) — mind training.
Executive summary
This book is a detailed, practical commentary on the revered Mahayana poem Eight Verses of Training the Mind (Lojong Tsig Gyema), composed in the eleventh century by Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa, a disciple of Geshe Potowa and thus a direct heir of the Kadampa lineage of Atisha. Although the root text comprises only eight four-line verses, the author expands it into a complete treatise revealing the Mahayana path to enlightenment, teaching us how to transform our present confused and self-centered mind into the perfect wisdom and compassion of a Buddha.
The guiding thread is the contrast between two minds: self-cherishing (regarding myself as the center of the universe, the origin of all samsaric suffering) and cherishing others (impartial love toward all beings, the origin of every enlightened quality). Each of the eight verses is a gradual rung: first equalizing self and others, then exchanging self with others, awakening great compassion and wishing love, transforming adversity (accepting defeat and seeing the harm-doer as a teacher), practicing tonglen (taking others’ suffering and giving one’s own happiness), and finally culminating in bodhichitta and its union with the wisdom of emptiness.
The work belongs to the Loyong (Lojong) tradition — mind training typical of Kadampa Buddhism — characterized by transforming adverse circumstances into the spiritual path. Its practical emphasis is radical: we are not asked to abandon our family, work, or lifestyle, only to change the object of our cherishing. The final integration chapter gathers the whole practice through the five forces: motivation, familiarity, white seed (merit), destruction (purification), and aspirational prayer.
This note covers the English original edition. For the full Spanish analysis (same work, translated), see the companion note ocho-pasos-hacia-la-felicidad-el-modo-budista-de-amar.
Context and tradition
- Tradition: Budismo Kadampa / New Kadampa Tradition (NKT-IKBU)
- Root-text lineage: Buddha Shakyamuni → Maitreya / Manjushri → Atisha (11th c.) → Dromtonpa → Geshe Potowa → Langri Tangpa (1054-1123) → Geshe Chekhawa → … → Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
- Root text: Eight Verses of Training the Mind (Lojong Tsig Gyema) by Langri Tangpa — included in Appendix I of this book
- Doctrinal framework: the two bodhichittas — (1) conventional bodhichitta (the method: love + compassion) and (2) ultimate bodhichitta (the wisdom: emptiness). The eight verses develop the first; the final chapter introduces the second.
- Literary genre: Loyong (Lojong) — mind-training instructions that transform adversity into the path to enlightenment. A sister work in the same genre in this collection is Training the Mind in Seven Points by Geshe Chekhawa (see Compasion universal-kelsang-gyatso-gueshe).
- Kadampa emphasis: union of study and practice; direct applicability to modern life without requiring external lifestyle changes.
Spanish edition: the same work translated into Spanish is ocho-pasos-hacia-la-felicidad-el-modo-budista-de-amar (Tharpa, 2001). See the edition differences section below.
Structure
The book is built around the eight verses of the root text. Each verse generates a chapter on conventional bodhichitta training; one additional chapter addresses ultimate bodhichitta and another the integration into daily life.
| # | Verse / Chapter | Pages (approx.) | Central practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | The Preliminary Practices | 45-48 | Preparing the mind (altar, refuge, mandala, reciting the Eight Verses) |
| 1 | Learning to Cherish Others | 49-62 | Recognizing the kindness of others; cherishing all beings |
| 2 | Enhancing Cherishing Love | 63-86 | Viewing oneself as the lowest; humility |
| 3 | Exchanging Self with Others | 87-116 | Examining delusions; abandoning self-cherishing |
| 4 | Great Compassion | 117-128 | Cherishing sufferers as a rare treasure |
| 5 | Wishing Love | 129-150 | Seeing the harm-doer as Spiritual Guide |
| 6 | Accepting Defeat and Offering the Victory | 151-176 | Patience toward harm and jealousy |
| 7 | Taking and Giving | 177-204 | Tonglen: taking others’ suffering, giving one’s happiness |
| 8 | The Precious Mind of Bodhichitta | 205-226 | Generating the mind of enlightenment |
| — | Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta | 227-256 | Realizing the emptiness of body, mind, and self |
| — | How to Integrate the Practice | 257-266 | The five forces + commitments and precepts |
| — | Dedication | 267-270 | Dedicating merit to the enlightenment of all |
Page numbers are taken from the body-text markers of the third edition (2012); the table of contents was partially disrupted by PDF extraction but the markers at pp. 45, 49, 63, 151, 205, 257, and 267-270 are confirmed.
Appendices
- I — Root text: Eight Verses of Training the Mind (the complete eight verses; see Quotes).
- II — The Condensed Meaning of the Commentary: full outline of the text in five sections.
- III — Sadhanas: Liberating Prayer, Essence of Good Fortune, and Prayers for Meditation (the Liberating Prayer is distinctive to this English edition; see below).
- IV — The Kadampa Way of Life.
- Glossary, Bibliography, Study Programs of Kadampa Buddhism, and Index at the end.
Chapter-by-chapter summary
Verse 1 — Learning to Cherish Others: The supreme goal of human life is not worldly achievement (which disappoints at death) but enlightenment, superior even to the legendary wish-granting jewel. The cause of enlightenment is bodhichitta, whose root is compassion, and the root of compassion is cherishing others. The first step is to recognize that all beings have Buddha nature and to change the object of our cherishing: stop considering ourselves the center and cherish everyone equally. Requires no change of lifestyle, only of beliefs and intentions. “The mind that cherishes others is the supreme good heart” (p. 61).
Verse 2 — Enhancing Cherishing Love: To deepen the love of the first verse, Langri Tangpa teaches us to regard ourselves as the least important and to cherish all beings as “supreme objects.” Includes recognizing one’s own faults in the mirror of Dharma, seeing all beings as supreme, understanding that sentient beings have no faults (the faults are in our projecting mind), and cultivating humility. The root of not cherishing others is self-cherishing born of grasping at the self.
Verse 3 — Exchanging Self with Others: The first two verses teach equalizing self and others; the third teaches exchanging — abandoning selfish attitudes. The method is to examine the mental continuum in all actions and, as soon as a delusion of self-cherishing arises that would lead us or others to act inappropriately, to firmly face and avert it. Defines precisely what self-cherishing is and analyzes its grave disadvantages versus the benefits of cherishing others.
Verse 4 — Great Compassion: Whenever we see unfortunate beings oppressed by evil and violent suffering, we should cherish them as a rare and precious treasure. Compassion is the essence of Buddhadharma and the root of the Three Jewels. Distinguishes partial from impartial compassion; only great compassion — which includes all beings without exception, even those committing harmful actions — ripens our Buddha nature.
Verse 5 — Wishing Love: Even if someone I have helped and in whom I had great hopes harms me intentionally, I should see him or her as my holy Spiritual Guide. Presents the three types of love (affectionate, cherishing, and wishing love) and teaches how to transform adverse circumstances: those who harm us are precisely those who give us the opportunity to practice patience and compassion, without which we could not progress. True happiness for beings does not exist in samsara (suffering of change).
Verse 6 — Accepting Defeat and Offering the Victory: When others, out of jealousy or anger, harm me or insult me, may I take defeat upon myself and offer them the victory. This verse cultivates patience and maintains love and compassion in daily life. Accepting suffering is not resignation: it is recognizing that it is the ripening of our own negative karma and using it as the basis for the practice of taking (verse 7).
Verse 7 — Taking and Giving (tonglen): In short, may I directly and indirectly offer help and happiness to all my mothers, and secretly take upon myself all their harm and suffering. This is the culminating practice of compassion and love: taking with compassion others’ suffering and giving with love one’s own happiness, ideally mounted on the breath (on inhaling, taking suffering; on exhaling, giving happiness). Although at first it is only imagination, it trains the mind and is the supreme method for accumulating merit.
Verse 8 — The Precious Mind of Bodhichitta + Ultimate Bodhichitta: The purpose of the seven previous verses is to generate bodhichitta, the supreme mind that, motivated by great compassion, spontaneously desires enlightenment for the benefit of all. The eighth verse adds wisdom: recognizing that all phenomena are illusory, undefiled by the conceptions of the eight extremes, to free oneself from the bondage of mistaken appearance and conception. Thus method and wisdom (the two bodhichittas) unite — the only path to Buddhahood.
Key concepts
- Self-cherishing (estimación propia) vs. cherishing others — The axial thesis of the book. Self-cherishing is “a mind that regards ourself as supremely important,” born from grasping at an inherently existent I; it is the origin of all samsara. The mind that cherishes others is the origin of every enlightened quality.
- Self-grasping ignorance (aferramiento propio) — The ignorance that grasps at phenomena (and at the self) as if they had inherent or independent existence. It is the ultimate root of all delusions; eliminating it, “the leaves and branches of a tree die if we destroy its roots” (p. 7).
- Equalizing and exchanging self with others — Two stages: first cherishing others as much as oneself (verses 1-2), then cherishing them more than oneself, abandoning selfishness (verse 3).
- Bodhichitta — “Mind of enlightenment.” Twofold: conventional (love + compassion + taking-and-giving, the 8 verses) and ultimate (direct realization of emptiness, final chapter).
- Tonglen (Tomar y dar) — Central Lojong practice: taking others’ suffering with compassion on the in-breath, giving one’s own happiness with love on the out-breath. Mounted on the breath, it is very powerful.
- Three types of love — Affectionate love (seeing someone as pleasant, without attachment), cherishing love (regarding them as precious), and wishing love (desiring their happiness).
- Great compassion — Sincere and impartial wish to protect all beings from suffering; root of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
- Transforming adversity into the path — Seeing the harm-doer as a “Spiritual Guide”: they give us the unique opportunity to practice patience and compassion.
- Las cinco fuerzas — Method to integrate Lojong into daily life: motivation, familiarity, white seed (merit), destruction (purification), and aspirational prayer.
- Vacuidad (Shunyata) — Absence of inherent existence of body, mind, and self; the realization that cuts ignorance at the root and completes the two bodhichittas.
- Eight extremes — Mistaken conceptions (of production, cessation, impermanence, permanence, going, coming, singularity, plurality) that wisdom purifies.
How to apply this teaching
Suggested daily practice
- Morning determination (1 min): On waking, take the resolution: “Throughout this day I will sincerely train in the practice of Lojong” (force of motivation). Recover this intention with mindfulness and alertness.
- Taking-and-giving meditation (10-15 min): Each morning, mount tonglen on the breath: on the in-breath, take the suffering of all beings (it dissolves as light into your heart); on the out-breath, radiate your happiness and virtue as light that fills them with joy.
- Self-cherishing monitor during the day: When you notice irritation, jealousy, or a sense of “I am more important,” recognize the self-cherishing that has been activated and apply the antidote: “Their happiness is as important as mine.”
- Transform the harm-doer (verses 5-6): Faced with criticism or an offense, think: “This person is my Spiritual Guide; without them I could not practice patience.” Accept defeat and offer the victory.
- Evening review + dedication (5 min): Review the day, recognize when you fell into self-cherishing, purify it, dedicate the merit: “May I, through these practices of method, together with a mind undefiled by the conceptions of the eight extremes that sees all phenomena as illusory, be released from the bondage of mistaken appearance and conception.”
Application to everyday problems
| Problem | Antidote from the book | Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Selfishness and self-centeredness | Equalize self and others; cherish them as supreme objects | 1, 2 |
| Anger at criticism or insult | Accept defeat and offer the victory (one’s own karma) | 6 |
| Resentment toward someone who harmed me | Regard them as a Spiritual Guide who allows practicing patience | 5 |
| Indifference to others’ suffering | Cherish the sufferer as a rare treasure | 4 |
| Anxiety about one’s own happiness | Tonglen: take others’ suffering, give one’s happiness | 7 |
| Identifying with a real “I” | Meditate on the emptiness of the self (ultimate bodhichitta) | 8 |
| Stagnation in practice | Apply the five forces (especially familiarity and white seed) | Integration |
Common mistakes in practice
- Confusing tonglen with self-immolation: At first we cannot actually take suffering; the practice is imaginative and trains the mind. Real heroism is not required until one has realizations.
- Practicing without merit: Without accumulating merit (force of white seed) or purifying obstacles (force of destruction), practice stagnates. The six preparatory practices are indispensable.
- Studying the verses without integrating them into daily life: The author insists that the five forces are the engine that turns theory into realization.
- Forgetting wisdom: cultivating only love and compassion (method) without emptiness (wisdom) does not cut the root of ignorance; both bodhichittas must unite.
Glossary of terms
| Term | Sanskrit / Tibetan | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lojong (Loyong) | བློ་སྦྱོང་ (Tib.) | ”Training the mind.” Lineage of instructions that transform adversity into the bodhisattva path; originated with Atisha and the Kadampa Geshes. |
| Bodhichitta | बोधिचित्त | ”Mind of enlightenment.” Primary mind that, motivated by great compassion, desires to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. |
| Tonglen | — | “Taking and giving.” Practice of taking others’ suffering with compassion and giving one’s own happiness with love, mounted on the breath. |
| Self-cherishing | — | Mind that regards itself as supremely important; born from grasping at the self and the origin of samsara. (ES: estimación propia.) |
| Self-grasping ignorance | — | Ignorance that grasps at phenomena and the self as endowed with inherent existence; root of all delusions. (ES: aferramiento propio.) |
| Cherishing love | — | Love that regards others as precious and important. (ES: amor que estima a los demás.) |
| Exchanging self with others | — | Cherishing others more than oneself, abandoning selfishness (verse 3). (ES: cambiarse uno mismo por los demás.) |
| Great compassion | महाकरुणा | Sincere and impartial wish to protect all beings from suffering. |
| Conventional bodhichitta | — | The method: love, compassion, and bodhichitta based on refuge and vows. |
| Ultimate bodhichitta | — | The wisdom: direct realization of emptiness. |
| Emptiness | शून्यता (Shunyata) | Absence of inherent existence of the self and phenomena. |
| Eight extremes | अष्टकोटि | Mistaken conceptions (of production, cessation, etc.) purified by wisdom. |
| Langri Tangpa | — | “Grim Face.” Kadampa bodhisattva (1054-1123), disciple of Potowa, author of the root text; recognized as an emanation of Amitabha. |
| Chekhawa | — | Kadampa bodhisattva (1102-1176) who composed Training the Mind in Seven Points, spreading Lojong throughout Tibet. |
| Samsara | संसार | Cyclic existence of uncontrolled deaths and rebirths; creation of self-grasping. |
| Karma | कर्म | Intentional action and its effects; Buddhist law of morality. |
| Buddha nature | — | Potential of all sentient beings to attain enlightenment; the seed that compassion ripens. |
| Wish-granting jewel | — | Legendary gem said to fulfill desires; used as a metaphor for enlightenment, which is even more precious. |
Quotes
The eight verses in English (root text)
1. With the intention to attain
The ultimate, supreme goal
That surpasses even the wish-granting jewel,
May I constantly cherish all living beings.
2. Whenever I associate with others,
May I view myself as the lowest of all;
And with a pure intention,
May I cherish others as supreme.
3. Examining my mental continuum throughout all my actions,
As soon as a delusion of self-cherishing develops
Whereby I or others would act inappropriately,
May I firmly face it and avert it.
4. Whenever I see unfortunate beings
Oppressed by evil and violent suffering,
May I cherish them as if I had found
A rare and precious treasure.
5. Even if someone I have helped
And of whom I had great hopes
Nevertheless harms me intentionally,
May I see him or her as my holy Spiritual Guide.
6. When others out of jealousy or anger
Harm me or insult me,
May I take defeat upon myself
And offer them the victory.
7. In short, may I directly and indirectly
Offer help and happiness to all my mothers,
And secretly take upon myself
All their harm and suffering.
8. Furthermore, through all the above practices,
Together with a mind undefiled by stains of conceptions of the eight extremes
And that sees all phenomena as illusory,
May I and all living beings be released from the bondage of mistaken appearance and conception.
— Appendix I — Eight Verses of Training the Mind. Translated by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
From the Introduction and commentary
“If we have to walk across rough and thorny ground, one way of protecting our feet is to cover the whole ground with leather, but this is not very practical. We can achieve the same result in a much simpler way — by covering our feet. Similarly, if we wish to protect ourself from suffering we can either try to change the whole world to make it conform to our wishes, or we can change our mind.”
— Introduction (p. 5)
“The mind that cherishes others is the supreme good heart. Keeping such a good heart will bring only happiness for ourself and all those around us.”
— Learning to Cherish Others (p. 61)
“All the suffering we experience is the result of negative karma, and the source of all negative karma is self-cherishing.”
— Learning to Cherish Others (p. 60)
“This teaching shows us how to transform adverse conditions into the spiritual path, through which we will experience pure and everlasting happiness.”
— The Pre-eminent Qualities of these Instructions (p. 21)
“What you say is true, but I find it difficult to find anything in samsara to smile about. Whenever I see someone I think of their suffering, and instead of laughing I feel like crying.”
— Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa, quoted in the biography (p. 14)
Reflection questions
- If self-cherishing is the origin of all my suffering, why do I keep obeying it as if it were my best advisor? What concrete evidence do I have that it harms me?
- When someone criticizes or harms me, can I genuinely see them as my Spiritual Guide (verse 5)? What would change in my response if I did?
- In my daily tonglen, am I willing to imagine taking others’ suffering even if I cannot do it for real yet? What would I resist taking more: physical pain, or the rejection of someone I love?
- Do I recognize the “suffering of change” (pleasures that turn into pain) in my everyday experience? How does it manifest in my usual enjoyments?
- If ultimate bodhichitta requires seeing that “all phenomena are illusory,” what remains of my real “I” when I search for it? Can I locate it in the body, in the mind, or anywhere else?
Connections in the collection
Primary connection: same work, different language
| Concept | Also in | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Complete Spanish analysis | ocho-pasos-hacia-la-felicidad-el-modo-budista-de-amar | Translation of the same work (Tharpa, 2001). This English note focuses on edition-specific features; for the full thematic analysis, verses in Spanish, and detailed glossary, consult the Spanish note. |
Cross-references by concept
| Concept | Also in | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Loyong (Lojong) / taking and giving | Compasion universal-kelsang-gyatso-gueshe | Same Lojong genre; commentary on Chekhawa’s Seven Points. Sister and more extensive practice. |
| Bodhisattvacaryavatara / patience | Guía de las obras del Bodhisatva | Shantideva is the classical Mahayana source; Langri Tangpa condenses it. Cross-reference verses 5-6 with Shantideva’s chapter VI. |
| Patience as antidote to hatred | como-solucionar-nuestros-problemas-humanos | Same author; the patience of accepting suffering (verse 6) is developed at length there. |
| Ultimate bodhichitta / emptiness | Corazón de la sabiduría | Commentary on the Heart Sutra; deepens the ultimate bodhichitta of the final chapter. |
| Lamrim / exchanging self with others | El camino gozoso de buena fortuna | The extensive Lamrim by the same author presents taking and giving within the stages of the path. |
| Emptiness of self and mind | Comprensión de la mente | Complete treatise on the mind by the same author; basis for ultimate bodhichitta. |
Differences from the Spanish edition
This section is specific to the English note. It documents the differences between this edition (EN, 3rd, 2012) and the Spanish translation ocho-pasos-hacia-la-felicidad-el-modo-budista-de-amar (ES, 2001).
| Aspect | English edition (2012, 3rd) | Spanish edition (2001) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 394 pages, ~87,582 words | 328 pages, ~82,263 words |
| Edition history | Third edition 2012; Second (American) 2010; First (UK) 2000 | 2001 edition (translation of the first UK 2000 edition) |
| Extraction quality | Clean text, no two-column OCR issues | Two-column PDF produced irregular line breaks; quotes need checking against original |
| Introduction | Includes a dedicated “Rebirth and Karma” section (pp. 9-11) before the commentary | Content integrated but not flagged as a standalone section in the extracted skeleton |
| Appendix III (Sadhanas) | Includes the “Liberating Prayer” as a distinct sadhana, alongside Essence of Good Fortune and Prayers for Meditation | The Liberating Prayer is not present as a separate item in the Spanish skeleton |
| Author’s personal note | Includes a passage where Geshe Kelsang recounts meeting Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in Lhasa and recognizing him as an emanation of Langri Tangpa (p. 18) | Present in the body but not highlighted |
| Eight verses | Identical in order, content, and chapter mapping | Identical — the Spanish is a faithful translation |
| Lineage illustrations | Full list of lineage Gurus with page references (Buddha Shakyamuni → Maitreya → … → Geshe Kelsang Gyatso) | Illustrations not indexed in the extracted text |
Conclusion on differences: The structure, the eight verses, and the doctrinal content are identical between both editions. The differences are editorial (expanded 2012 edition with ~66 extra pages), of extraction quality (the English text is cleaner), and of minor appendix content (the Liberating Prayer and the Rebirth-and-Karma section). For thematic study, both notes are interchangeable; this English note is preferable for verifying exact quotations and original terminology.
Study and practice plan
If you are a beginner
- Read the Introduction and the biography of Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa (1 week).
- Memorize the eight verses (Appendix I) and recite them each morning.
- Practice only verses 1-2 (cherishing others and viewing oneself as the lowest) for 3-4 weeks before advancing.
If you have a Lamrim / Mahayana foundation
- Study the Exchanging Self with Others chapter (verse 3) and cross-reference it with the meditation of the same name in the Nuevo manual de meditación.
- Deepen Taking and Giving (verse 7): integrate tonglen with the breath during formal 20-30 min meditations.
- Approach ultimate bodhichitta (emptiness) alongside Corazón de la sabiduría.
- Apply the five forces systematically as a framework for daily integration.
To teach the book
- Ideal structure for a 10-12 session cycle (one verse per week + preliminary session + integration session).
- Verses 4-7 are the most suitable for lay and non-Buddhist audiences: transforming adversity and tonglen are accessible without extensive doctrinal framing.
- The biography of Langri Tangpa (with the abandoned-child anecdote and his “Grim Face”) serves as an initial narrative hook.
- Use Appendix II (Condensed Meaning) as a visual index of the whole teaching.
Extraction notes
- Text extracted with
pdftotext(digital, no OCR); 394 pages, ~87,582 words, ~524,918 characters. - Unlike the Spanish edition, this English text is clean — the PDF did not produce two-column line-break issues. Quotes reproduce the original with high fidelity.
- The eight original verses are quoted from Appendix I and from each chapter header, where they appear in full.
- Page numbers are taken from the body-text markers of the third edition (2012) and are approximate.
- The cover image is Buddha Tara; frontispiece images are Buddha Amitabha and Geshe Langri Tangpa.
This note follows the reference template of [[como-solucionar-nuestros-problemas-humanos]]. It documents the English original edition and cross-references the Spanish translation [[ocho-pasos-hacia-la-felicidad-el-modo-budista-de-amar]]; both notes cover the same work.