The Joy of Compassion

by Thubten Zopa

In this book, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches on one of his favorite topics—compassion. He tells us that compassion for others is the best way to overcome any obstacles we encounter, in our Dharma practice, or occupation and life itself, and the best medicine for treating any illness we experience. However, these teachings are not limited to compassion. Rinpoche also explains emptiness, karma and many other essential Buddhist subjects. As ever, his teachings are clear, relevant, humorous and direct—a perfect guide to making our lives meaningful.


Lama Zopa Rinpoche "With a good heart, compassion for others, whenever a problem arises, you experience it for others, on behalf of other sentient beings. If you experience happiness, you experience it for others. If you enjoy a luxury life, comfort, you dedicate it to others. And if you experience a problem, you experience it for others—for others to be free of problems and to have all happiness up to enlightenment, complete perfect peace and bliss. Wishing others to have all happiness, you experience problems on their behalf."


This title was published by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, a non-profit organization established to make the Buddhist teachings of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche freely accessible in many ways, including on our website for instant reading, listening or downloading, and as printed and electronic books. Our website offers immediate access to thousands of pages of teachings and hundreds of audio recordings by some of the greatest lamas of our time. Our photo gallery and our ever-popular books are also freely accessible there. You can find out more about becoming a supporter of the Archive and see all we have to offer by visiting the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive website.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (Tibetan: ཐུབ་བསྟན་བཟོད་པ་, Wylie: Thub-bstan Bzod-pa, often published as Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the spiritual director of The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, is held to be the reincarnation of the Sherpa Nyingma yogi Kunsang Yeshe, the Lawudo Lama. Rinpoche was born in 1946 in Thami, not far from the cave Lawudo, in the Mount Everest region of Nepal, where his predecessor meditated for the last twenty years of his life. While his predecessor had belonged to the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the Lawudo Lama himself had been a great master of the complete tantric teachings of the Nyingma tradition.

Rinpoche left Thami when he was about 4 years old and was put in a Monastery that was very close to the border of Nepal and Tibet. Rinpoche stayed at this Monastery for several years until he went to Tibet and took getsul ordination in 1958, and continued his studies in Domo Geshe's monastery in Phagri, Tibet.

In 1959 Rinpoche escaped from Tibet and continued his studies in Sera Jhe monastery in Buxa Duar, in the north of India. This is where the Indian Government housed the monks from Sera, Ganden and Drepung Monasteries who wanted to continue their studies, along with monks from the other sects. It was at Bux a Duar that Rinpoche became the disciple of Geshe Rabten Rinpoche and then of Lama Thubten Yeshe. Frida Bedi then invited him to join her school for incarnate lamas in Dalhousie where they were given the chance to learn English for 6 months. Upon the completion returned to Buxa Duar and his studies.

Lama Yeshe and Zopa Rinpoche's contact with Westerners began in 1965 in Darjeeling, when they met Princess Zina Rachevsky from Russia. She became the Lamas' first Western student. In 1969 they founded the Nepal Mahayana Gompa Center at Kopan, above Boudhnath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. At the insistence of Zina Rachevsky the Lamas started to teach courses on Buddhism for Westerns at Kopan.

In 1971 Rinpoche took gelong ordination from His Holiness Ling Rinpoche in Bodh Gaya. By 1975, twelve centers had started. In 1976, the growing worldwide organization was named by Lama Yeshe 'the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition'(FPMT). The FPMT is an organization devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and service.

There are 147 FPMT centers and projects worldwide as of March 2007.

FPMT currently has 8 standard Buddhist education programs that are taught in many of the centers. Two of these, the Masters Program and the Basic Program are committed courses of 6 and 5 years of study respectively. Based on the great philosophical texts studied in the monasteries of Tibet, FPMT holds to rigid standards of translation and has a passion for authentic texts to ensure that complete accuracy of the meaning found within these profound texts is not forfeited in the transmission from East to West.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has many other projects around the world; one of the most important is the 500ft Maitreya Statue that Rinpoche is building in Bodh Gaya that will include schools, hospitals and other social projects such as Leprosy clinics (these social projects are already in existence and have been functioning for the last
15 years). Some of the other projects that Rinpoche has founded are Sera Jhe food fund – which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday to 2700 monks. The Lama Tsong Khapa Teacher Fund offers an allowance to the
main 100 teachers in the Gelukpa tradition from various monasteries. Rinpoche also has a number of other funds that are for building holy objects, such as Stupas, prayer wheels etc. Rinpoche has a very strong interest in collecting texts from all the different traditions.

Reviews

[Jia En · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though the word "compassion" feels like a common sense word that doesn't require a book for an explanation on it, the essence of its meaning is far richer than what you would expect it to be. Intellectualising the word and truly knowing the meaning of it is a world of difference.

In the Buddhist way of seeing the world, this word takes on a whole new dimension that greatly transforms one's way of living. Living a life with compassion is not just limited to human and human relations, but it is also extended to animals, insects, and so forth. It is also deeply linked to the topic of karma in Buddhism. Hence, I highly recommend this book for all, especially for those who are new to Bodhichitta and those who are interested in deepening their understanding of it.

It is also useful in deepening one's practice on Tonglen meditation. This book doesn't go in-depth on Tonglen, but there is a section called "Cherishing others to overcome suffering" as well as "The healing power of compassion" which is related to the essence of Tonglen meditation. Some real life examples were given by Lama Zopa on the benefits of Tonglen meditation in overcoming one's physical and mental sufferings.

Although some parts were repetitive, there is a piece of gem nearing towards the end of the book where he explains Tibetan phrases related to Bodhichitta, such as the meaning of "di-ni jig-ten kun-gyi drib-pa se-par-gyur". He explains the interconnected layers of meaning within it which comprises of dependent arising, emptiness and bodhichitta. The language is rich with philosophical meaning.

Lama Zopa really emphasises on the need to maintain Bodhichitta in all aspects of our life. I tried it out for myself, and as someone who frequently goes through bouts of mental pain, this really worked. Despite how difficult it feels to practice Bodhichitta 24/7, especially during the moments when I'm in pain, actually putting in the effort to transform my mind has helped to lift my mind out of pain, bit by bit. It has also helped me in thinking about the purpose of my life, and how I can bring happiness to others as well as myself. I am deeply grateful for this book. As Lama would say, "Check up" on your motivation in doing a certain action. Is it done out of Bodhichitta? Or is it done out of the self-cherishing mind? I hope this review persuades you to read it, and if you do, I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.

[Hyeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since we all read some kind of different book that gives us joy or shows the path to be happy in life, we name it the joy of compassion.

The book described the peace and the joy that we need necessarily in our daily lives. So it teaches you how you can be able to make your life joyful and peaceful. It is also tough for you to be sure that you required peace or why you had to make your life peaceful. How you can be a compassionate being and how you would be able to help sentient beings and bring joy into their lives. On the other hand, it’s described how the importance of compassion could help to bring joy and peace to daily life.

In the book, Lama Zopa Rinpoche said that the happiness of all sentient beings is temporary and ultimate, and the pearl of happiness of full enlightenment depends on whether we have compassion, love, kindness, and a good heart.

Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche was born in Thami, Nepal, in 1945. At the age of three, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Lawudo Lama. From 1956 to 1959 he studied at Domo Monastery in Tibet. He then fled Chinese oppression in Tibet and continued his study and practice in Tibetan refugee camps in India, where he met Lama Yeshe [1935-1984], who became his principal teacher. In 1969 the Lamas began teaching Buddhism to Westerners at their Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, and in 1975 they founded the FPMT, an international Buddhist organization.

I recommend this book for you guys because you really want to bring peace and harmony into your lives. This book really described briefly in simple words how you can make a peaceful life and how you can be a compassionate being.

There are lots of other books that describe joy and peace in life, but this one is different from other books. Right now I am not able to tell you how it’s different from other books, but when you read this book, you will get why I’ve suggested that this book is different from others. At last I just want to say, just enjoy these books with your sweet coffee.

[Lobsang Nyendak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by Kyabje Lama Thupten Zopa Rinpoche. He was from the Himalayan region of Nepal. He started his study in Tibet, and went back to Nepal after China attacked Tibet. Then, he started to spread Buddhism all over the world, and he is the founder of FPMT.
This book is for anyone who hasn’t recognized the purpose of life. This book will help you to generate a warm heart within yourself. I suggest you read this book once in your lifetime. I am sure that you won't regret reading this book. It deals with many topics.
I learned many interesting things, like the moment you are cherishing yourself is the moment you close the door of cherishing others. When you remember death, you will remember Dharma. Everything is impermanent, and death is uncertain. Anyone can die anytime; there is no certain time for death and so on.
I will rate this book 5 out of 5 because this book helped me to understand the ultimate purpose of life, and I suggest you read it once in your lifetime, this will be very beneficial to you.

By Thupten chonyi (class 10)
Kopan Monastery

[Rowdy Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small book is a collection of verbal teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Compassion. Reading it, you can tell it is a transcript. I enjoyed it, though it was a little repetitive. Recommended for those interested in the basics of Buddhism.