Tonglen Meditation is a technique of awakening compassion to take in others’ pain and send them relief, ultimately liberating the practitioners from selfishness(1).

A noble one produces an abundance of merit by having a compassionate mind towards all living beings.
-Buddha

Tonglen Meditation is a Tibetan practice of “sending and receiving,” much like the techniques of Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditations(2). Tonglen helps the meditators to connect with themselves as well as others. It helps them be present with their own suffering along with that of someone else(2). It aims to ignite the practitioners’ compassion and openness by inhaling the suffering of others and exhaling love, joy, and happiness to send them relief(2).

You can practice Tonglen at any time. You can do it regularly or at any moment when you see someone suffering. Through Tonglen, you can take in their pain and attempt to offer them relief(1). 

History/Origins

In the Tibetan Language, ‘tong’ means ‘letting go’ or ‘sending out,’ and ‘len’ means ‘accepting’ or ‘receiving’(3). The term “Tonglen” is thus derived from the very technique of this meditation: accepting others’ pain and sending out comfort. It is considered to be one of the most important methods of the Boddhisattva path(3).

The steps or the points of Compassion Tonglen Meditation are credited to Atisha Dipankara Shrijnana (born, 982 CE), the great Indian Buddhist teacher(4). Kadampa master, Langri Tangpa, later wrote down the method as instructed by the former. However, Geshe Chekawa Yeshe Dorje is responsible for making Tonglen more popular by summarizing the points in his Seven Points of Training the Mind(4). 

Just as pain is not agreeable to you, it is so with others. Knowing this principle of equality, treat others with respect and compassion.
-Mahavir

Benefits of Tonglen Meditation

A research article published in the Mindfulness Journal(5) suggests that compassion-based techniques like Compassion (Tonglen) Meditation have the ability to positively impact people with psychological issues. It improves psychological distress, ability to think positive, interpersonal relationships, and empathic accuracy. Another study(6)Compassion (Tonglen) Meditation can make psychological improvements, especially in cancer patients. 

 

References

  1. Lion’s Roar | The Essential Guide to How to Meditate | Tonglen by Jules Pema Chodron 
  2. Fair Winds Press | Meditation Made Simple: Weekly Practices for Relieving Stress, Finding Balance, and Cultivating Joy by Paula Watson
  3. Tonglen Instructions | Traditional “Sending and Taking”, “Tonglen” Instructions by Ven. Pema Chodron | 
  4. Encyclopediaofbuddhism.org | Tonglen
  5. Mindfulness | Volume 6 | 2015 | Buddhist-Derived Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation for the Treatment of Psychopathology: A Systematic Review by Edo Shonin, William Van Gordon, Angelo Compare, Masood Zangeneh and Mark D. Griffiths
  6. EXPLORE | Volume 12, Issue 1 | A Randomized Controlled Trial of Tong Len Meditation Practice in Cancer Patients: Evaluation of a Distant Psychological Healing Effect