Category: Buddhism and Spiritual Practice

Tonglen meditation involves visualizing the suffering of others as dark smoke absorbed into the heart, where it is purified and transformed into light, then radiated outward. In Buddhist psychology, there are three fundamental reactions to the experience of any phenomenon. If one were to examine their day to day experiences of objects, they would find…

Great Compassion in Lamrim is the profound desire to free all sentient beings from suffering, seeing their pain as one’s own and striving for their ultimate happiness. The first seven steps on the Great Scope of Lamrim focused on people, with the final step being the complete exchange of self with other. Lamrim teachings take…

Challenging the ego-centric perspective, promoting a shift towards universal compassion and the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim is the path to enlightenment. It’s a step-by-step emotional journey from ruthless self-centeredness, the natural human condition, to a compassionate focus on the needs and wants of others. It’s…

Everyone should undergo an entitlement detox and cleanse their spirit to cultivate gratitude and compassion. The Mahayana path in Buddhism focuses a practitioner on developing compassion so that when enlightenment is achieved, the practitioner will not be trapped in personal bliss and instead work to benefit other beings. Without this compassion training, many who find…

In the pursuit of self, we overlook the path to true fulfillment: embracing the joy of cherishing others above ourselves. Self-centeredness and Prioritizing Personal Desires A self-centered person creates a reality that revolves around themselves. Every event, every conversation, every moment of daily life is judged either good, bad, or unimportant based totally on how…

Chasing individual happiness through selfish means always leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction. The Primordial Error When I first came into existence as pure, aware consciousness, there was just observation. In the first moment of self-awareness, consciousness observes itself and realizes, “I exist.” Buddhists call this the primordial error. In the next moment comes the feeling,…

Hinayana Buddhists seek enlightenment for themselves, whereas Mahayana Buddhists seek enlightenment in order to benefit others. Which approach is superior? People pursue religious or spiritual paths for a variety of reasons, but two reasons tend to stand out. After the initial inspiration, people may embark on a spiritual path or accept baptism into a religion.…

Embracing Universal Compassion: Beyond the Golden Rule to True Altruism. Love your neighbor as yourself. Gospel of Mark 12:31 The common interpretation of this passage is to treat others with the same compassion, kindness, and respect that one would want for oneself. Basically, it’s an instruction to follow the Golden Rule. It’s considered a central…

We live in a world full of kindness, but for many, it takes conscious effort to recognize the kindness all around us. The Great Scope meditations of Lamrim, the majority in the sequence, serve to deepen feelings of compassion and extend those feelings to all living beings. The first of the meditations provided the groundwork…