Consider Jaba’s palace
from “Return of the Jedi.”
It was paid for by greed
and within its walls
cruelty was celebrated as high entertainment.
The part of the brain
that is greedy and cruel
is NOT the part of the brain that is empathetic.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies
have illustrated this.
They have also revealed an inverse relationship
between affluence and empathy,
the more wealth one possesses
the less and less the anterior cingulate gyrus lights up,
the region responsible for compassion and cooperation.
Perhaps that is why we read in the Dhammapada
that the path to wealth leads not to Nirvana.
Let us conclude
with a simple
call to action
In the Tibetan tradition Lamas are supported
not by monasteries but by students
as such the production of these livestreams,
blogs, and class materials is supported
by the generosity of viewers, and listeners, and readers
just like you.
Join our nightly livestream.
Download FREE practice materials.