From the beloved and pioneering Buddhist nun Thubten Chodron, a modern commentary on what’s considered Buddhism’s “King of Aspiration Prayers”—a powerful aspiration on the bodhisattva path for relieving suffering from every sentient being in the cosmos.

In this illuminating exploration, Venerable Chodron reveals the wisdom of the “King of Aspiration Prayers,” a sacred text from the Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra, which is itself the final chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. The prayer, which expresses aspirations of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, is the final teaching that the student Sudhana receives in the story from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra that tells of his pilgrimage to 53 different teachers. Through Ven. Thubten Chodron’s commentary on each verse, readers discover a path of universal compassion that transcends self-interest and embraces all beings. 

Ven. Thubten Chodron brings contemporary insights to these ancient teachings to address the challenges of modern spiritual life, including doubt, distraction, and the struggle to sustain genuine commitment. She reveals how aspiration, ethical conduct, and meditative wisdom converge to purify karma and cultivate bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment. Whether you seek solace at life’s end, guidance on the bodhisattva path, or inspiration to transform daily actions into causes for awakening, All-Embracing Good offers a timeless roadmap to enlightenment for yourself and all sentient beings.