In this deep exploration of the union between compassion and emptiness, Joseph Goldstein breaks down the relative and absolute levels of Bodhicitta, the heart-mind of awakening.

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“The ultimate nature of Bodhicitta – the relative level is compassion – the ultimate level of Bodhicitta, is the empty, aware nature of the mind itself. And as one Tibetan teacher said, ‘When compassion and emptiness are both present, enlightenment is unavoidable.’ So this is what we practice. This what we come to realize, to cultivate: the relative Bodhicitta of compassion, the ultimate Bodhicitta of emptiness.” – Joseph Goldstein

In this episode, Joseph explores:

Relative Bodhicitta, absolute Bodhicitta, and how these two levels are expressions of each other, not polarities
The different ways in which we can understand emptiness, including dropping into the effortless flow of experience, being reminded by our teachers, seeing the insubstantial nature of the self, and seeing that things are not amenable to our will
The nature of the mind, which is empty like space, has an innate wakefulness, and it is inherently pure
How the activity of emptiness is compassion

This dharma talk from July 9, 2003, was originally published on Dharma Seed.

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Ep. 157 – Relative And Absolute Bodhicitta

Insight Hour with Joseph Goldstein