Compassion: Focusing on the Underlying Causes (and one more superb example for the Mind/Brain talk from yesterday!)

Summary: We start with a very precise introduction of how mental afflictions are afflictions because they are rooted in delusion. Some feelings can be either very positive or afflictive depending on the above. I won't give examples in order to not distort Alan's words but it's a great explanation! We also get an explanation about four displays of compassion or Bodhisattva actions that are not immediately apparent, contrasting the sugar-coated, peaceful saints of other traditions with the Buddhist deities, which can be very wrathful but stemming from Compassion. He gives four examples which really opened our eyes. Then we go into a great meditation session and afterwards we have a few excellent questions, wrapped up with an amazing analysis of a verse (the first verse of the first chapter) from the Dhammapada in which Alan masterfully adds to both the question of how to live a rich, meaningful, Dharma-saturated life in modernity without going into solitude and becoming a yogi and about the brain-mind question. This is a clear example of Alan's exemplary knowledge compiling and interpreting at its pure best, and this podcast also has a crescendo ending in ƒƒ (for us musicians) which caused us to be late for dinner. This final point starts at 1:02:30 for you cheaters! Another great photo from ale!