Visions of Compassion

This book examines how Western behavioral science-which has generally focused on negative aspects of human nature-holds up to cross-cultural scrutiny, in particular the Tibetan Buddhist celebration of the human potential for altruism, empathy, and compassion. Resulting from a meeting between the Dalai Lama, leading Western scholars, and a group of Tibetan monks, this volume includes excerpts from these extraordinary dialogues as well as engaging essays exploringpoints of difference and overlap between the two perspectives.