In a reflection on absorbing the power of compassion, Matthieu Ricard shares his meditative story with Rohan Gunatillake.
This episode was originally aired on Meditative Story, a podcast that combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with the immediate, science-backed benefits of mindfulness practice – all surrounded by breathtaking and cinematic music. You can find Meditative Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
“We do not need words. We do not need to analyze or even comprehend. The quality of the presence is self-evident. It is best to just experience it, let it permeate your mind and become a part of you. Ultimately, it is up to each practitioner to actualize the Buddha nature dwelling within each of us.” – Matthieu Ricard
Matthieu Ricard takes us on a meditative journey through:
- Exposure to extraordinary people
- The correlation between intelligence, creativity, and human goodness
- How documentary images of Tibet inspired Matthieu to experience the far east for himself
- The smells, sounds, and sensations of entering India for the first time
- Meeting Kangyur Rinpoche and experiencing an aura of peace
- Leaving after his PhD to study full time with Kangyur Rinpoche in India
- Allowing presence to permeate our minds
- Actualizing the Buddha nature
“There are a series of close-up shots of faces. Faces of great teachers, simple hermits in their hermitage. Some teachers of the Dalai Lama himself. There’s no music, no speaking, just silent looking straight at the camera. Their spiritual and physical presence is striking. Some are quite skinny, some are portly, some old, some young, they don’t match the criteria of a Hollywood beauty, but they all share this deep and impressive gaze. I immediately feel the measureless dimension of their wisdom and compassion, of their inner realization.” – Matthieu Ricard
About Matthieu Ricard:
Matthieu Ricard is a Nepalese-French writer, photographer, translator and Buddhist monk who resides at Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery in Nepal. He is also the author of Notebooks Of A Wandering Monk. He has spent years of his life in the presence of some of the world’s greatest mindfulness practitioners and felt the weight of their powerful compassion. Learn more about Matthieu and his work HERE.
About Rohan Gunatillake:
Rohan Gunatillake is a writer, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast Meditative Story. By artfully crafting meditations to compliment each guest’s story, Rohan blends mindfulness with narrative to create a unique listening experience, encouraging listeners to use someone else’s transformative moment as the basis for their own. He’s also the founder of the best-selling app Buddhify, and author of Modern Mindfulness: How to Be More Relaxed, Focused, and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World.