Buddhist Acts Of Compassion

"My religion is compassion," the Dalai Lama has said. Indeed, the vow to be of benefit to others lies at the heart of Buddhist practice. This book collects dozens of profound and moving stories of true compassion. From the Buddhist monk who offered his body to starving animals, to modern Western practitioners who use Buddhist principles for healing and social reform, these stories inspire with their depth, tenderness, humor, and occasional outrageousness. Included are tales of the "crazy wisdom" kindness practiced by many masters in the Tibetan and Zen traditions, as well as selections from the best-loved Buddhist figures of today, including Sogyal Rinpoche, Sharon Salzberg, Thich Nhat Hanh, and the Dalai Lama.

This book of real-life stories is a palliative for the pain of everyday life. The basic premise is that intentional acts of kindness can have unintended and far reaching consequences that can affect individuals in extraordinary ways. Here are over forty first-person stories (contributors range from Surya Dass to Thich Nat Hanh to John F. Kennedy, Jr) that concretely demonstrate the dynamic power of compassion. We hear the story of a monk who welcomed a dying, underprivileged child into his home, giving the boy nine months of peace and attention before his death. A civil right protestor tells how she learned compassion and love for the “opposition” from a cellmate. Engaging and inspiring, this is a book that will motivate readers to change their lives and the world through intentional acts of compassion. This is a re-package with a new introduction of a book that was originally published by Conari Press in 2000.

This book provides a new way of understanding Buddhist thought. He argues that Buddhism is best understood as a philosophy of practice-or a metapraxis-and that terms such as emptiness non self, and nirvana refer less to metaphysical principles than to skillful teachings that help people cultivate compassion and mindfulness. Each section of the book focuses on a debate over philosophical justification and the problem of trying to establish a fixed doctrine in Buddhist and reveals an on-going debate.

An introduction to the core of Buddhism by its greatest teacher, An Open Heart is the successor to the bestselling The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama's clear and simple guide to finding compassion and happiness. 25 photos. (World Religions)

The Dharmic traditions – Hinduism; Buddhism; Jainism; and Sikhism – share much in common; not with standing a number of variations among them. In all these traditions the scriptures; writings; and practices hold compassion as an integral part and a supreme virtue. This collection of essays by leading scholars from different disciplines aptly captures the essence of the religious and spiritual aspects of these traditions as they relate to compassion. Most of the authors are practitioner-scholars and are experts in their own disciplines; including sciences; humanities; social sciences; law; and religion. The experts met in September 2014 at Naropa University in Boulder; Colorado; for two days of lively deliberations under the auspices of the Uberoi Foundation for Religious Studies; which was established to spread awareness and promote understanding of the Dharmic traditions throughout North America. After addressing the ‘central and fundamental’ knowledge of these traditions and the common features and interactions among them; the essays here discuss compassion from various perspectives; such as relationship with the natural world and the environment; selfless service; and the treatment of animals. A final set of essays sheds light on the significance of compassion in each of these Dharmic traditions. As a comparative study; this is a unique collection from which a clear picture emerges of the central theme of moral and compassionate conduct in the Dharmic traditions.

"Compassion is the heartfelt wish that all sentient beings be free from suffering. We have a responsibility to each other; we cannot act out of mere self-centeredness." What compels some people to act compassionately without giving it a second thought, while for others it almost seems against their nature? And what will become of our society if compassion dwindles? According to Buddhist thought, compassion "is society, and esteemed Buddhist scholar-practitioner Jeffrey Hopkins knows that by learning to live from a more compassionate viewpoint, we can create a better life not only for ourselves but for others. Cultivating Compassion is his eloquent, practical guide to tapping our own potential for caring and processing the thoughts and beliefs that interfere with our ability to interact with others in a meaningful, positive way. Through Buddhist meditations (including the Dalai Lama's favorite), visualizations, and entertaining recollections from his personal journey to more compassionate living, Hopkins guides us in developing an awareness of the capacity for love inside us, and learning to project that love into the world around us. The meditations presented here stem from a central Tibetan practice used to develop deep-seated compassion and altruism, and build on each other to culminate in a strong sense of empathy for all beings. By incorporating these simple yet powerful meditations into your life, you will open your mind to the sensibilities of care and concern for others--what Hopkins refers to as the seed of Buddhahood. Delivering a potent message with the power to change our relationships and improve the quality of our lives, Cultivating Compassion is theideal book for an age in which our dealings with each other seem increasingly impersonal--and even violent and aggressive. Anyone seeking release from negative emotions such as anger, or simply wanting to increase the love and caring among us, will welcome this timely vision for humanity.

1. Introduction -- 2. A Theoretical Framework for the Social Production of Religious Compassionate Fields -- 3. Technology of the Self and Compassionate Buddhist Giving -- 4. The Buddhist Care Industry of the Local Compassionate Fields -- 5. Hometown as Transnational Buddhist Philanthropic Field: The Hope School Project -- 6. Women Buddhists and Emotive Compassionate Performance -- 7. Emotional Spiritual Capital and the Production of Religious Care Funds -- 8. The State and Buddhist Elderly Care Services -- 9. Conclusion: Towards Sustainable Buddhist Compassionate Fields -- Bibliography -- Glossary -- Index.

A profound reflection on how complementary themes in Buddhism and Christianity could serve as the basis for a truly ecumenical faith • Compares Zen meditation with the Greek Orthodox practice of Hesychasm (prayer of the heart) • Shows how Buddha and Jesus represent the distinct yet complementary values of meditation and compassion In Asian spiritual traditions the mountain traditionally symbolizes meditation while the ocean signifies compassion. Jean-Yves Leloup uses this metaphor to compare Buddhist and Christian approaches to meditation and compassion to reveal the similarities and divergences of these profound practices. Emphasizing their complementary nature, Leloup describes how Jesus and Buddha are necessary to one another and how together they form a complete system: Jesus as awakening through love, and Buddha as awakening through meditation. Where Buddha represents the forests, Jesus represents the trees. Buddha is brother to the universe, whereas Jesus is brother to humanity. Nevertheless, these two religious traditions have a profound common ground. Compassion is central to Buddhism, and meditation practices have been central to many Christian traditions. Both view murder, theft, and the destructive use of sexuality as great barriers to realizing our essential being, and both agree on the need to rise above them. Here, however, Leloup suggests that both faiths could benefit from the precepts of the other. The complementary aspects of Christianity and Buddhism offer the possibility for a truly profound ecumenical religion whose interfaith relations are based on deep understanding of the true meaning and practice of meditation and compassion and not merely shared goodwill.