TONGLEN
Tonglen (Tibetan: གཏོང་ལེན་, Wylie: gtong len, or tonglen) is Tibetan for 'giving and taking' (or sending and receiving), and refers to a meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism.
Tong means "giving or sending", and len means "receiving or taking". Tonglen is also known as exchanging self with other.It's the seventh slogan, under Relative Bodhicitta, in Lojong. And is aspirational Bodhicitta precepts training in the Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro, to see others as equal to self by exchanging self and other, where applying Bodhicitta begins with giving.
Practice
In the practice, one exchanges the self with other, sending and taking should be practiced alternately. These two should ride the breath. As such it is a training in altruism.
The function of the practice is to:
reduce selfish attachment
increase a sense of renunciation
purify karma by giving and helping
develop and expand loving-kindness and bodhicitta
The practice of Tonglen involves all of the Six Perfections; giving, ethics, patience, joyous effort, concentration and wisdom. These are the practices of a Bodhisattva.
Tonglen (Tibetan, “taking and sending”) meditation is a Buddhist practice to awaken compassion. In tonglen practice, we visualize taking in the suffering of others and sending them our happiness. Suffering is taken in with each in-breath, and happiness is sent out on the out-breath. This reverses our usual approach to life, in which we try to ward off the suffering and take in as much happiness as we can for ourselves.
By directly engaging with the suffering of the world and offering relief to others, practitioners cultivate a profound sense of interconnectedness and an unwavering dedication to the welfare of all beings. In fact, this practice of compassion leads not to more suffering but to great joy, for as His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, compassion and concern for others is the true cause of happiness.
This technique helps to develop bodhichitta, the compassionate and awakened heart-mind of a bodhisattva. It can be done both as a formal meditation practice and on the spot at any moment when compassion is needed.
Tonglen practice is attributed to the great Indian Buddhist teacher Atisha as part of his Mind Training (Lojong) teachings. Today, the American nun and best-selling author Pema Chödrön is famed for teaching tonglen meditation.
How to Practice Tonglen Meditation
1. Connect to Bodhichitta
In tonglen practice, we begin by connecting to the awakened heart-mind of bodhichitta. This can involve having a moment of feeling completely open or connecting to the heart-center.
2. Take in Suffering
Next, we inhale and visualize and feel the suffering of others — it can be a specific person, group, or all sentient beings. This suffering can be visualized as dark, polluted smoke or tar.
3. Send out Happiness
Exhaling, we visualize sending out happiness, relief, and love to them. This positive energy can be visualized as a bright light or warmth emanating from one’s heart.
Integrating Tonglen into Daily Life
The principles of tonglen can be integrated into everyday life. Whenever one witnesses the suffering of another — be it in person, through the news, or even recalling past events — one can practice tonglen on the spot, breathing in their suffering and sending them relief and happiness.
The intention of this practice is to work with habitual patterns of mind and "develop the psychological attitude of exchanging oneself for others," as Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche writes in Training the Mind and Cultivating Kindness.
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May All Sentient Beings Be Liberated.