Cultivating Compassion: A Buddhist Perspective

by Jeffrey Hopkins

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. In Cultivating Compassion, Hopkins uses Buddhist meditations (including the Dalai Lama’s favorite), visualizations, and entertaining recollections from his personal journey to guide us in developing an awareness of the capacity for love inside us and in learning to project that love into the world around us.

Delivering a potent message with the power to change our relationships and improve the quality of our lives, Cultivating Compassion is the ideal 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.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Paul Jeffrey Hopkins, Ph.D. (Buddhist Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1973; B.A. English Literature, Harvard University, 1963), served for a decade as the chief English-language interpreter for the Dalai Lama. A Buddhist scholar and the author of more than thirty-five books, he is Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia, where he founded the largest academic program in Tibetan Buddhist studies in the West.

Reviews

[Mesoscope · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Jeffrey Hopkins writes informally and with great warmth about the Tibetan tradition of mind-training. He presents techniques of contemplation for cultivating detachment from the mundane concerns of life, and for developing a warm, compassionate heart which extends feelings of well-being impartially to all beings.

Unlike most of his writings, which are extremely academic and philosophical, this work is disarmingly personal and jargon-free. I don't believe he even mentions that the specific set of practices he offers in this book are mostly drawn from Jowo Atisha's seven point mind training, but if that means something to you, there it is.

I appreciated and enjoyed this book very much, and I found it a support to my practice to some degree, though truthfully, a lot of Atisha's approach doesn't resonate with my style. Some of the practices are irreducibly abstract, and don't quite hit the mark for me, and others are based on beliefs I simply cannot profess. For example, it is hard to entertain the idea of all sentient beings as your mother in past lives if you do not believe in reincarnation.

As an accessible guide to many of these practices by a devoted practitioner who has studied with some of the greatest Tibetan teachers of the last few generations, this book is a useful and enjoyable read. I believe most beginning and experienced practitioners would get something out of it.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow and careful unfolding of compassion. Following is a brief summary (probably a bit incomplete as it has been several weeks since I read the book).

What we, as sentient beings, all have in common is that we want happiness and to avoid suffering. That is our essence. First, one recognizes that. Next, one comes to believe it would be good if everyone could have that. Finally, one determines to work toward that end. Each step is repeated in widening circles for one's friends, neutral parties, and one's enemies. Not the general category of friends, but specific faces.

There are some tools included, such as recognizing that each person, regardless of the role they happen to be in now, has been a loved one in some past life. Also, one works toward having the root of happiness which may be different from the happiness one think one wants.

[Carole Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cultivating Compassion is certainly important especially in the world that we live in today. Jeffrey Hopkins was once an English interpreter for the Dalai Lama. Jeffrey had a "rough" start in life but, Buddhism has helped him to cultivate compassion as understood by the Dalai Lama. This is at least my second time reading this book. There are six areas of concern that are covered in this book: equanimity, recognizing friends, reflecting on kindness, returning kindness, love, and compassion. This book is good for those who are already familiar with Buddhist thinking.

[Happyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel more compassionate already. Imagine what will happen after actually meditating on everyone wanting happiness and the end of suffering. Yes, this topic is covered in a number of Buddhist books. Not only does cultivating compassion deserve to be revisited again and again, I liked how this book had a number of progressive meditations to strengthen this mindset. I especially enjoyed the chapter on compassion and emptiness, getting beyond the illusion of a solid state of constant being as a way to generate compassion.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on meditating for compassion. I'm still a little unclear of how meditating on wanting people to be happy and not suffer actually influences the world in any way outside of you sitting there, but I guess it's a good start?

[Kelseyjjohnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to have Jeffrey Hopkins as a professor. He changed the way I think.