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9781478958024

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Who better to tell us about altruism than a Buddhist monk and scientist, who has meditated so extensively on compassion that it has changed the left side of his brain? In a lively and personal account, Ricard takes us through the origins of empathy and altruism, explaining how biology laid the foundation, whereas culture and spirituality permit us to expand its reach.-- Frans de Waal, author of The Age of Empathy Written with deep conviction and breathtaking scope, this is a must for anyone who wants to explore the human capacity for altruistic love and compassion, and the potential of this capacity to transform our lives. In conversation with Western philosophical and scientific perspectives, the book offers a Buddhist vision for extending altruism beyond its natural limits through carefully crafted meditation practices. The goal is, quite simply, to enable you and me, our society, and all sentient beings to experience less suffering and greater happiness. Could one desire more?-- Daniel Batson, author of Altruism in Humans Matthieu Ricard brings together ancient wisdom and scientific insights to put forth a truly compelling global vision for the 21st century, and his voice, his message and his wisdom are greatly needed.-- Arianna Huffington Dan Woren's vocal calmness and smooth phrasing create a compelling performance of this thoughtful book...Woren's pacing has the distinctive quality of being slow and determined without sounding labored or overdramatic. -- AudioFile [A] life-changing volume. -- San Francisco Chronicle [A] tour de force [that] brings together science, religion, and history to explore the nature of compassion. -- Huffington Post Altruism is divided into short, cogent chapters, making it surprisingly accessible, despite its massive dimensions....The numerous individual stories [Ricard] recounts are inspiring and often downright gripping.... Altruism is a careful, detailed, hard-nosed assessment of what is needed both for individual happiness and for the welfare of the planet...an inspiring resource to be consulted over many years. -- Wall Street Journal

Matthieu Ricard brings together ancient wisdom and scientific insights to put forth a truly compelling global vision for the 21st century, and his voice, his message and his wisdom are greatly needed.-- Arianna Huffington Who better to tell us about altruism than a Buddhist monk and scientist, who has meditated so extensively on compassion that it has changed the left side of his brain? In a lively and personal account, Ricard takes us through the origins of empathy and altruism, explaining how biology laid the foundation, whereas culture and spirituality permit us to expand its reach.-- Frans de Waal, author of The Age of Empathy Written with deep conviction and breathtaking scope, this is a must for anyone who wants to explore the human capacity for altruistic love and compassion, and the potential of this capacity to transform our lives. In conversation with Western philosophical and scientific perspectives, the book offers a Buddhist vision for extending altruism beyond its natural limits through carefully crafted meditation practices. The goal is, quite simply, to enable you and me, our society, and all sentient beings to experience less suffering and greater happiness. Could one desire more?-- Daniel Batson, author of Altruism in Humans Altruism is divided into short, cogent chapters, making it surprisingly accessible, despite its massive dimensions....The numerous individual stories [Ricard] recounts are inspiring and often downright gripping.... Altruism is a careful, detailed, hard-nosed assessment of what is needed both for individual happiness and for the welfare of the planet...an inspiring resource to be consulted over many years. -- Wall Street Journal [A] life-changing volume. -- San Francisco Chronicle [A] tour de force [that] brings together science, religion, and history to explore the nature of compassion. -- Huffington Post Dan Woren's vocal calmness and smooth phrasing create a compelling performance of this thoughtful book...Woren's pacing has the distinctive quality of being slow and determined without sounding labored or overdramatic. -- AudioFile

Author Information

Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk, trained as a molecular biologist before moving to Nepal to study Buddhism. He is the author or co-author of several books, including The Monk and the Philosopher, The Quantum and the Lotus, Happiness, The Art of Meditation, Altruism, A Plea for the Animals, and Beyond the Self: , among others. Conversations between Buddhism and Neuroscience. He is the French interpreter for the Dalai Lama. Dan Woren is an American voice actor and Earphones Award-winning narrator. He has worked extensively in animation, video games, and feature films. He is best known for his many roles in anime productions such as Bleach and as the voice of Sub-Zero in the video game Mortal Kombat.

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