Our guest today is Dr. Thupten Jinpa, renowned Buddhist scholar and practitioner, chair of the Mind and Life Institute, and co-founder of the Compassion Institute. Dr. Jinpa holds a PhD in religious studies from Cambridge University, and served for decades as the Dalai Lama’s principal translator.

In this interview with Scott Snibbe, Dr. Jinpa talks about the relationship between science and Buddhism, discussing the role of critical thinking in contemplative practices and scientific inquiry. He also focuses on the powerful role of compassion, on how ethical principles can help us address the climate crisis, and on the key virtues that promote fulfilling relationships and a harmonious family life.

This episode is the fruit of a collaboration between Science & Wisdom LIVE and A Skeptic’s Path to Enlightenment. A Skeptic's Path to Enlightenment draws on modern science and psychology to bring the ancient inner science of Buddhist meditation to twenty-first century people hungry for happy, meaningful lives. Find out more: www.skepticspath.org

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Thupten Jinpa Langri was educated in the classical Tibetan monastic academia and received the highest academic degree of Geshe Lharam (equivalent to a doctorate in divinity). Jinpa also holds a BA in philosophy and a PhD in religious studies, both from the University of Cambridge, England. Since 1985, he has been the principal English-language translator to the Dalai Lama. He has translated and edited many books by the Dalai Lama, including The World of Tibetan Buddhism, Essence of the Heart Sutra, and Ethics for the New Millennium. Jinpa has published scholarly articles on various aspects of Tibetan culture, Buddhism, and philosophy, and books such as Songs of Spiritual Experience (co-authored) and Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Thought. He serves on the advisory board of numerous educational and cultural organizations in North America, Europe, and India. He is currently the president and the editor-in-chief of the Institute of Tibetan Classics, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to translating key Tibetan classics into contemporary languages. He also currently chairs the Mind and Life Institute.

If you'd like to learn more from Dr. Jinpa's, he’s currently leading an online course at the Compassion Institute on Building Compassion from the Inside Out.

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Science & Wisdom LIVE is a project of Jamyang London Buddhist Centre. Our events and podcasts explore the middle ground between science and contemplative wisdom, focusing on themes such as the ethics of artificial intelligence, gender equality, climate change, and the benefits of mindfulness and meditation for mental health.

Find out more: www.sciwizlive.com