In Praise of Great Compassion, the fifth volume of the Library of Wisdom and Compassion,
continues the Dalai Lama's teachings on the path to awakening. While
previous volumes focused on our present situation and taking
responsibility for creating the causes for the happiness we seek, this
volume is about opening our hearts to others and generating the
compassion, joy, and fortitude to make our lives meaningful by
benefiting them.

We are embedded in a universe with other
beings, all of whom have been kind to us in one way or another. More
than any other time in human history, we depend on one another to stay
alive and flourish. We are sometimes oblivious to their kindness, or
take it for granted, which leads to feelings of discontent. But when we
look closely, it becomes apparent that we have been the recipient of
great kindness and naturally we want to repay it.

To do this, we
begin by cultivating a positive attitude toward others by contemplating
the four immeasurables--immeasurable love, compassion, empathic joy,
and equanimity--and the altruistic intention of bodhicitta. We learn to
challenge the deluded logic of the self-centered attitude that leads to
misery and replace it with a more realistic perspective that helps us to
remain balanced when we experience either happiness or suffering. This
enables us to make all circumstances favorable to the path to awakening.