The Tonglen practice from Tibetan Buddhism

A universal method for the meditative cultivation of compassion

Abstract

The way to practice Tonglen has been presented since decades in various books illustrating meditation techniques from Tibetan Buddhism. There are courses and retreats held in Buddhist meditation-centres employing this method. The books written by the American Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön are the most well-known, presenting Tonglen-practice in the context of everyday life and showing varieties of its application. It’s not been long since, in the context of programs focusing on the development of self-compassion, Tonglen-practice has been presented and recommended in a secular fashion. It is a practice that has also started to attract the attention of psychologists and psychotherapists. The instructions on how to exercise Tonglen contribute to illustrate and make clear the difference between empathy and compassion, that has been frequently discussed in recent times. In the Buddhist tradition there is an emphasis that compassion, including self-compassion, is a mental capacity and a wholesome attitude of mind rather than just being a sensitive empathetic emotion. While doing the Tonglenpractice the meditating person becomes very much aware of this implication. At the end of this article the question is raised as to what does actually happen to the emotions that are clearly felt during the practice of such a meditation in the face of suffering and how to deal with these.