Introduction to the taking and giving meditation
Introduction to the taking and giving meditation
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Cultivating Compassion 
Mar 28, 2023 A talk given for a Buddhist meditation class at Smith College, USA.
- Obstacles to taking on the suffering of others
- Self-centeredness, self-criticism, and rumination
- Seeing that our parents and others love us
- Why the self-centered thought is unrealistic and makes us miserable
- The benefits of caring for others
- Questions and answers
- If we don’t care for ourselves and take care of our basic needs first, how will we have resources to care for others?
- Doesn’t anticipating future events allow you to plan accordingly and save you from future harm?
- How do we discern when it’s appropriate to correct someone’s incorrect information, and when it’s better not to engage?
- What’s the different between metta and tonglen, and why does tonglen seem to involve more advance preparation?
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
