Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong

Nice read

It's not often I come across a book that I feel I should carry around and meditate on for the rest of my life, but this is one of them. The commentary is both concise and practical, and it can be of use to anyone regardless of their religious background.There are cases here and there where I thought the author's wording of the aphorism he's commenting on was somewhat misleading. For instance, where the author paraphrases one saying as "See everything as a dream," his elaboration on this seems to be closer to "Remember all experience is temporary." I feel he's going for relatability at a little too much at the expense of accuracy sometimes.This is the most minor of quibbles given the material presented and the practical focus of the commentary. This is a potentially life-altering book that, not only gets my highest recommendation, but I believe it is urgent that as many people as possible read it.

The first time I read this, I thought it was good. But it got me in the direction of Pema Chodron’s “No Time to Lose”, which is a commentary on The Path of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva. And also Tenzin Palmo’s “The Heroic Heart …”.Now I’m back with it I realise how much I need a sense of humour, if I’m going to even try and begin to follow that path. And this book is perfect for that. Hearing Norman reading the Audiobook, as well, was good.With a smile and a deep bow to you all. 🙏🙂

I bought this book because when I run, I listen to podcasts from Spirit Rock and the Insight Meditation Center. Norman FIscher's talks are always my favorites. He has a sense of humor and way of speaking clearly and pragmatically and uplifts the human language to a new degree of thinking. His 59 slogans can be used easily and I find myself going back to this book as a reference guide when I feel like Im getting off the path of compassion. I work in an emergency room where people are constantly abusing the health care system in so many ways and just coming in with fear and often anger. Using Fischer's techniques for choosing compassion, I have found my work is so much better when I use this slogans.

I believe Norman Fischer represents the very best in the Zen tradition, i.e. an orthopraxis which is not locked down to dogmatic rigidity. This look at the use of Lojong as a preliminary practice for disciplining one's mental practice is an important and useful book which points to an area which is lacking in many American Buddhist practitioners, i.e. sila or moral foundation. Too many of us approach the Dharma without examining our own moral practice and moral foundation. As a result, we often deal with serious crises in our practice, and, sometimes, with serious moral breakdowns. This has been particularly true in the Zen world where many teachers have had to deal with sexual malpractice and/or substance abuse. The one fault of this book is not taking a direct and systematic look at this problem. Fischer doesn't avoid it altogether, but he does not raise the question of how the manner in which Zen is being taught in this country, and, for that matter, in Japan and Korea, avoids the problem of morality and the Dharma. Thus, though I seriously applaud the comprehensive and brilliant exegesis of the Lojong preliminary practice in this book, I do raise the question of Lojong's relationship to moral formation and the Dharma. I wish Norman Fischer had done more to help us with this problem. He has the wisdom and knowledge to have done so.

This was the first of five books I’ve read about lojong slogans and I think it is excellent. While the author changes some of the slogans’ verbiage, the explanations he provides are well organized, sequential, easy to read, easy to understand, and inspires me to continue studying. I’m reading this book for a second time, and there’s only one other book I’ve ever read twice. Well done.

As a Tibetan Buddhist, I HIGHLY appreciate Norman Fischer's directness and simplicity in relating to the Lojong teachings. He is another but SO VALID voice in the heavenly court of excellent commentaries on the Seven Points of Mindfulness.

I've looked into the lojong training technique to train one's mind and ultimately to be more compassionate. I was first exposed to this method through reading Pema Chondron and her explanation of the seven-point mind training technique. I have also perused B. Alan Wallace's book on the subject with a decided Tibetan approach. I am sorry to say that I had not come across Norman Fischer until getting this jewel of a book. Fischer is an excellent and brilliant writer and long-practitioner of this technique. He brings to it his own special slant of Zen and infuses it with personal experiences he's had with implementing and living with this lifelong commitment to this training. He has aroused in me my old fascination with Zen. I did not understand it or its approach until Fischer opened Zen's door for me. I am diving into Zen now, having traversed the many roads that Buddhist thought and practice brought forth, including the pre-Buddhist The Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. I think my attraction to this is partially due to the fact that I was brought up in Japan and subconsciously absorbed some of the Zeitgeist of this world view. Read Fischer and have you eyes opened and your heart warmed.

Mit diesem Buch durchlaufen wir eine uralte "Schulung des Herzens" (tib. Lojong). Dieses Buch ist ganz modern und bietet einen Weg zu Antworten auf grundlegende Themen unseres Lebens. Training in compassion ist echtes Mental-Training. Es ist nicht auf eine Religion speziell ausgerichtet, sondern ein universeller Lehrpfad für Menschen auf dem Weg zu sich selbst. -Mit das beste, das ich seit sehr langem gelesen habe.

Comprehensive zen teaching in compassion, it was funny and serious thoughtful and hugely insightful book. Enjoy and pay attention .

I have read many books on Lojong and was quite curious about Lojong from a Zen perspective. This is a great book. The slogans are worded a bit different than they usually are but it makes sense. This is a very practical thought provoking book. I really enjoyed it and will be reading it again and again. There is so much here to think about and practicing these slogans will take a life time of effort. Well worth it though.

An essential read for those interested in Lojong teaching and practice. Hear directly from a very experienced zen teacher how he understands and practices Lojong. The Seven Points of Mindfulness are cast into contemporary language in a way that will captivate those who are not quite at home with the classical translations.

I have another Tibetan translation of Lojong but I've found this one much more accessible & geared to the western mind. Great book, highly recommend it!