Two Wings of a Bird: Wisdom and Compassion

Tibetan Buddhist teachers often say that just as a bird needs two wings to fly, a Buddhist practitioner must cultivate both wisdom and compassion. Both are equally important, but they must be used together. Wisdom is not just intellectual understanding; it is a deep penetration into the nature of reality. Compassion is not just sympathy; it is a heartfelt understanding of the suffering that all beings experience. In this lecture, Dr. Constance Kassor, Lawrence University religion professor, outlines these ideas, and explains the ways in which they must be understood in relation to one another.