The Importance of Compassion in Buddhist Thought

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Stephen Jenkins about his beginnings as a scholar of Buddhism, his research on the place of compassion in Buddhism, and how he thinks this fundamental idea has been overlooked in many contemporary discussions of Buddhism. Plus, we discuss the relation between compassion and wisdom, the role of imagination in Buddhist practice, and the reasons Buddhist traditions argue that compassion benefits the practitioner!

We also preview Dr. Jenkins' upcoming online course,  BSO 108 | Buddhism and Compassion, which will history and development of this key idea in Buddhist thought and practice.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Stephen Jenkins is Professor of Religious Studies at Humboldt State University. He received his doctorate from Harvard University in 1999. Much of his career has been spent in Asia serving study abroad programs in India, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Japan. His research has been primarily focused on Indian Buddhist concepts of compassion, their philosophical grounding, and their ethical implications. 

Links

• BSO 108 | Buddhism and Compassion