About this episode
In this episode, we learn the magical practice of taking and giving, known in Tibetan as tonglen. This meditation quickly awakens universal compassion, which is the wish to take away the suffering of all living beings, without exception. JoAnn Fox shares how to practice this meditation in formal meditation and in daily life, with eyes wide open. The verses of the Dhammapada , by Buddha, we study in this episode are from Chapter Two"Vigilance", verses 29 - 32: "Vigilant among the negligent, Wide awake among the sleeping, The wise one advances Like a swift horse leaving a weak One behind. With vigilance, Indra became the greatest of the gods. The gods praise vigilance, Forever rejecting negligence. The monastic who delights in Vigilance And fears negligence Advances like fire, Burning fetters subtle and gross. The monastic who delights in Vigilance And fears negligence Is incapable of backsliding And quite close to Nirvana." Reference: The Dhammapada , by Buddha. Translated by Gil Fronsdale. Page 7.