Visions of Compassion: Western Scientists and Tibetan Buddhists Examine Human Nature

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 exploring points of difference and overlap between the two perspectives.