To the extent that our experience of suffering reminds us of what everyone else also endures, it serves as a powerful inspiration to practice compassion and avoid causing others pain. And to the extent that suffering awakens our empathy and causes us to connect with others, it serves as the basis of compassion and love. His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches this wisdom.
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Empathy and compassion
Last night in Tokyo with my Human Values Institute group we discussed in some detail the distinctions between empathy and compassion. I had just stepped off a 12+ hour flight, and spent about 20 hours […]
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The root of the problem
For those interested in understanding the teachings of the Buddha, to eliminate suffering for oneself and others, this schema presented in the last post is crucial to understand. The root of the problem is a […]
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Distorting reality
Imagining our early anger as a cloud that dissipates, transforming anger into tolerance, can be very effective. Yet to fully get rid of our anger, and all of our destructive emotions like jealousy, pride, greed, […]