Category Archives: Compassion and Bodhicitta

The Power of Cherishing Others

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Dharma in Daily Life, Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Even if we feel we are only capable of doing small things to help others right now, don’t feel hopeless or depressed. Instead rejoice because even the smallest attempt to help others should fill our hearts with happiness and joy.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Lama Zopa Rinpoche encourages us to examine whether our attempts to help others are in fact motivated by cherishing ourselves. Rinpoche assures us that even if our capacity to cherish others is small right now, even our smallest attempts to cherish others should fill our hearts with joy. Rinpoche then illustrates the power of cherishing others by telling the story of Asanga and Maitreya. These teachings given by Rinpoche in Sydney, Australia, 1993. You can read along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/cherishing-others-asangas-teachings

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The Source of All Happiness

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Practice Commentary

May the good heart, altruism, source of all the happiness, may it be generated within my mind, in the mind of the family, all sentient beings; those who have this altruism, bodhicitta, thought of full enlightenment to benefit others, to be developed due to all these merits, positive actions that one did in the past, in the present, future.
– Lama Zopa Rinpoche

In this month’s podcast, Lama Zopa Rinpoche describes how the altruistic mind of enlightenment works and explains the great benefits from cultivating such a powerfully clear and pervasive mind. Rinpoche then explains in great detail how thought transformation practices are the very best way to deal with the inevitable stresses of modern life and the associated obstacles that repeatedly arise like waves as we move towards the mind of enlightenment for the sake of all beings. These teachings were given by Rinpoche in Bendigo, Australia, August, 1991. You can read the transcript of the teachings on our website at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/developing-altruism

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Lama Yeshe Rides the Radio Waves

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Dharma in Daily Life, Introductory, Lama Yeshe, Nature of the Mind

We hope you enjoy listening to a radio interview with Lama Yeshe on the “What’s Cooking?” radio show with Judy O. This wide-ranging interview took place in Boulder Creek, California on July 22, 1983, just before Lama offered public talks at UC Santa Cruz on the subject of “Anxiety in the Nuclear Age.”

Please also watch video of Lama giving these public talks on the LYWA Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeGpGqjz7TIXF3ghd2nHD5bDDg40bx3NE and experience a multimedia presentation of the teachings, edited by Nick Ribush and created by Megan Evart at https://multimedia.lamayeshe.com/2017/12/27/switch-your-mind-from-emotion-to-peace.

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The Long-Life Mantra of White Tara

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Oral Transmission, Practice Commentary, Sutras, Mantras and Root Texts

Those sentient beings who accumulate merit, especially the sentient beings who know how to accumulate merit, if they have long life you see, then the longer they live then they are able to make their life more meaningful. They are able to create more cause of happiness, so there is sense in living long.

-Lama Zopa Rinpoche

This month on the LYWA podcast, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gives the oral transmission of the mantra of White Tara and then leads us an extended recitation of this precious mantra. Rinpoche dedicates the recitation by refreshing the visualization and by pointing out that the purpose of living a long life is even more important for those who are accumulating merit in this life for the sake of others. May all beings receive the undying realization!

These teachings given by Rinpoche at the Fourteenth Kopan Meditation Course in 1981. You can read the transcript on the LYWA website at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/lecture-1-white-tara

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Compassion and Emptiness Together

Compassion and Bodhicitta, Introductory, Lama Yeshe

One must have the wisdom and method simultaneously developing.

-Lama Yeshe

Lama Yeshe gave a series of introductory talks in Los Angeles in 1975. In this excerpt from these talks Lama describes the difference between Hinayana and Mahayana motivation and impresses upon us the importance of developing our wisdom in order to generate bodhicitta without dualistic emotional obstacles. Read along with the transcript at https://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/compassion-and-emptiness-part-a

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