Mindfulness Meditation · Compassion
This week’s meditation session is led by Rebecca Li and the theme is Compassion. The guided meditation begins at 23:30.
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara; Nepal; 13th - 14th century; Gilt copper alloy with semiprecious stone inlay; 16 1/8 × 6 1/2 × 2 7/8 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2005.16.8
This sculpture of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, is remarkable for its simplicity of line, graceful proportions, and elegant jewelry. Avalokiteshvara appears as a young prince wearing a crown and fine jewelry with a soft but defined body, which suggests the presence of prana, or life energy. As the bodhisattva of compassion, he is presented as one who accepts all beings and rejects none, with his right hand held in the gesture of giving. His compassion knows no bounds. His peaceful, gentle expression invites viewers to contemplate how they can practice compassion in their daily lives.
Dr. Rebecca Li, a dharma heir in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen, is the founder and guiding teacher of Chan Dharma Community. She teaches meditation and dharma classes, gives public lectures, and leads retreats in North America and Europe. Li is the author of Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times, and her book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method was published by Shambhala Publications in 2023. She is a sociology professor and lives with her husband in New Jersey.
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