Mindfulness Meditation · Generosity
This week’s meditation session is led by Rebecca Li and the theme is Generosity. The guided meditation begins at 26:30.
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 Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2005.16.8
Avalokiteshvara stands with his right hand extended in the gesture of supreme generosity, while his other hand holds the stem of an upala flower that blooms above his shoulder. He appears as a young prince wearing a crown and fine jewelry with a soft but defined body suggesting the presence of prana, or life energy. As the bodhisattva of compassion, his presentation represents a being that accepts all others and rejects none. His compassion knows no bounds, serving as inspiration for ourselves to express greater generosity.
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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