When compassion arises
A Fearless Heart with Venerable Sangye Khadro (1/5)
Venerable Sangye Khadro 
Cultivating Compassion 
Oct 8, 2021 Part of a series of talks on compassion hosted online by Centre Kalachakra in 2023, relying on methods from the book A Fearless Heart by Geshe Jinpa. French and English audio and video available from Centre Kalachakra.
- Background information about Geshe Thubten Jinpa, the author of A Fearless Heart
- Definitions of compassion and love
- Compassion arises when we become aware of suffering and we want to relieve it
- Etymology of the words compassion (Latin), karuṇā (Sanskrit), and nyingjé (Tibetan)
- Differences between compassion, personal distress, and pity
- Three things happen when compassion arises:
- Awareness of suffering or need (cognitive)
- Empathetic concern (emotional)
- Wishing the suffering to end (intentional)
- Questions and answers
- Acting with compassion without wisdom
When compassion arises (download)
Venerable Sangye Khadro
California-born, Venerable Sangye Khadro ordained as a Buddhist nun at Kopan Monastery in 1974 and is a longtime friend and colleague of Abbey founder Venerable Thubten Chodron. She took bhikshuni (full) ordination in 1988. While studying at Nalanda Monastery in France in the 1980s, she helped to start the Dorje Pamo Nunnery, along with Venerable Chodron. Venerable Sangye Khadro has studied with many Buddhist masters including Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey, and Khensur Jampa Tegchok. At her teachers’ request, she began teaching in 1980 and has since taught in countries around the world, occasionally taking time off for personal retreats. She served as resident teacher in Buddha House, Australia, Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore, and the FPMT centre in Denmark. From 2008-2015, she followed the Masters Program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy. Venerable has authored a number books found here, including the best-selling How to Meditate. She has taught at Sravasti Abbey since 2017 and is now a full-time resident.
