eB109 - Introducing Tonglen

Jampal Norbu introduces the practice of tonglen: the exchange of self for others. This practice is an essential step on the path of Mahayana Buddhism, and it is said that one cannot attain enlightenment without developing this exchange. "Tonglen" literally means "to send and receive." By exchanging our self-concern for the indifference habitually held toward others, bodhisattvas transcend the seductive trap of the ego through this counterintuitive yet effective meditation. Theme music by Matt Quentin