Like Honey, Amongst Bees: Book Two: The Bodhicitta Practices of Maitreya's Great Madhyamaka

By Timothy Addison

Bodhicitta-the awakening heart-is at the center of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Rooted in profound compassion, it is the resolve to attain complete enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. One who cultivates this aspiration is called a bodhisattva.

In The Bodhicitta Practices of Maitreya's Great Madhyamaka, Book Two of the Like Honey Amidst Bees series, former Buddhist monk Tim Addison explains the meaning, importance, and benefits of bodhicitta, then presents three classic practices for cultivating it: two drawn from the tradition of the future Buddha Maitreya and one from Atiśa. Passed down through centuries of oral instruction in India and Tibet, these practices are offered here as clear, practical methods for developing compassion and integrating it into daily life.

The first practice, The Quintessential Instructions for Generating Bodhicitta, is a sequence of eight contemplations that expand compassion and strengthen the resolve to benefit others. The second, The Aspiration Prayer of Maitreya, brings this resolve into everyday action. The third, tonglen, is a concise yet powerful method that can be practiced anytime, anywhere.
Before introducing these practices, Tim lays essential groundwork by exploring the meaning of refuge. In Buddhism, taking refuge is seeking protection not from the world, but from our own harmful tendencies, which cause suffering for ourselves and others. This protection comes through commitment to awakening, following the Buddha as an example, practicing the Dharma, and relying on the Sangha, so that over time we cultivate the causes of happiness and abandon the causes of suffering.

The book's appendix includes a detailed explanation of the Buddhist theory of death and rebirth, a practice for purifying karma, and additional guidance on refuge and bodhisattva vows. Written in a style described as both intimate and scholarly, this volume is perfect for readers who already maintain a meditation practice and wish to deepen their understanding of the Mahayana path.Book One introduces shamatha (peaceful abiding) and foundational contemplations that orient the mind toward awakening.Book Three explores vipashyana, or insight meditation, which directly examines the mind's true nature-buddha nature itself.Tim Addison grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and entered the Shambhala Buddhist tradition in 1990. He received full ordination as a monk from Thrangu Rinpoche and spent many years at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia, where he completed advanced monastic training. While studying at Naropa University, he also brought Buddhist teachings into prisons through the Ratna Foundation, and later served on the faculty of the Mipham Academy. He now lives in southern Germany, where he continues to practice and teach in Germany and Switzerland.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3982774012
• ISBN13: 9783982774015
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Pandita Press
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"