The Contemplative Science Podcast

How Compassion Works w/ Lama John Makransky

Jun 5, 2025
Lama John Makransky, a Professor of comparative theology at Boston College and ordained lama in Tibetan Buddhism, dives deep into the essence of compassion. He discusses how Buddhist meditative practices, attachment theory, and insights from cognitive science can help cultivate well-being and unconditional love. Listeners learn about accessing innate qualities of goodness through meditation and the importance of secure relationships. The conversation also highlights the transformative power of compassion in both personal lives and social engagement.
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INSIGHT

Deep Structure of Compassion Practice

  • Compassion practice has a deep structure rooted in Tibetan Buddhism adapted for all backgrounds.
  • It involves receptive, deepening, and inclusive modes to cultivate unconditional love and wisdom.
INSIGHT

Innate Positive Capacity Within

  • We all possess an innate positive capacity, or 'Buddha nature', beneath surface consciousness.
  • Cultivating awareness of this innate goodness helps bring forth unconditional care and compassion.
ADVICE

Discipline for Unconditional Care

  • To become a stable, unconditionally caring person requires disciplined training and repeated practice.
  • This practice interrupts habitual reactive patterns to reveal underlying capacities for love and compassion.
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