In this podcast, Jack Kornfield discusses the Way of the Bodhisattva and shares wisdom from Mother Teresa, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Ajahn Chah, and Seung Sahn. Topics include selfless service, compassion, non-attachment, and the transformative power of truth and love.
49:28
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Quick takeaways
Compassion can be expressed in diverse ways, as demonstrated by Mother Teresa and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, inspiring us to find our unique path of making a positive impact on the world.
The Bodhisattva path involves a journey from selfishness to unselfishness, requiring relinquishing attachment, practicing acceptance, and cultivating qualities like compassion and love.
Deep dives
Inspiring Figures of Compassion: Mother Teresa and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
This podcast episode discusses the inspiring work of Mother Teresa and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, who have shown remarkable compassion in their pursuits. Mother Teresa devoted her life to helping the poor in Calcutta, providing love and care for those in need, even amidst extreme suffering. She believed that the greatest disease in the world was loneliness and that the solution was to provide love for people. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, on the other hand, worked with the dying and explored the stages that people go through when facing death. She emphasized the importance of acceptance and providing a space for individuals to be as they are. Both women demonstrated extraordinary compassion and their stories serve as a powerful inspiration.
Diverse Paths of Compassionate Action
This episode highlights the diverse ways in which individuals can express compassion and the importance of finding one's own personal path. It recounts stories of two spiritual teachers, Ajahn Chah and Kalu Rinpoche, who exemplified compassion through their actions. Ajahn Chah, a renowned meditation master, worked at a laundromat to support himself and eventually started a monastery that became an island of peace. Kalu Rinpoche, a Tibetan Lama, was known for his deep compassion and love for animals, even offering blessings to fishes in aquariums. These stories demonstrate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to practicing compassion, and that each individual can find their unique way to make a positive impact on the world.
The Path of the Bodhisattva
The podcast explores the concept of the Bodhisattva and the path of spiritual practice. It emphasizes that becoming a Bodhisattva is not an easy journey, but one that requires tremendous effort and discipline. The Bodhisattva path involves moving from a small, self-centered perspective to a broader understanding of the world. It requires relinquishing attachment, practicing acceptance, and cultivating qualities such as compassion, love, and equanimity. The ultimate aim of the Bodhisattva path is to free oneself from suffering and to share that understanding and compassion with others. The path is described as the journey from selfishness to unselfishness, from limited vision to deep understanding.
The Power of Love and Compassion
This episode underscores the transformative power of love and compassion. It features quotes from Mahabharma and Albert Einstein, emphasizing the importance of widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and to transcend personal desires and attachments. The podcast reminds listeners that true love and compassion cannot be forced on others but can be awakened through the example and presence of those who possess these qualities. It encourages individuals to practice self-compassion and to extend that compassion to all beings, envisioning a world where wisdom and love bring about profound transformation and the end of suffering.
Illuminating the Way of the Bodhisattva, Jack shares wisdom from St. Teresa of Calcutta, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, Ajahn Chah, and Sueng Sahn on walking the spiritual path.
This vintage episode from April 10, 1977 at Camp Cedar Glen was originally published on DharmaSeed.
Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/heartwisdom
In this vintage episode, Jack mindfully illuminates:
The selfless service, love, and wisdom of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross's unshakeable compassion and revolutionary work around death and dying
How his teacher Ajahn Chah's Thai monastery was an island of peace and possibility amidst war and conflict
What the story of Korean Zen Master, Seung Sahn, getting a job at a laundry mat teaches us about non-attachment to self
Compassion, the spiritual path, and the Way of the Bodhisattva
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"The power that a human being who’s really committed to truth and love has to transform people around them is quite remarkable." – Jack Kornfield