replaced by THE FOUR IMMEASURABLES
Boundless Heart presents a unique interweaving of teachings on the Four Immeasurables and instruction on quiescence, or shamatha, meditation practices. Alan Wallace's teachings on the Four Immeasurables are based on Buddhaghosa's Path of Purification and address the cultivation of loving kindness, compassion, equanimity, and empathetic joy. It is a rich suite of practices that open the heart, counter the distortions in our relationships to ourselves, and deepen our relationships to others.
On these foundational practices of Theravada Buddhism, Alan brings to bear the insights and approaches of the Tibetan tradition. Juxtaposed with the Four Immeasurables, he presents teachings on shamatha meditation practice to empower the mind and render it "fit for service." His meditation instructions provide the steps for the complete achievement of shamatha.
This book is based on teachings given during a week-long retreat at a remote and beautiful site in the Eastern Sierras, and in its tone we experience the intimacy and focus of the setting. In addition to Alan's unique style of presentation, blending vivid story-telling with incisive analysis, the book includes both guided meditations and lively discussions in which the participants grapple with the implications of these teachings for their own lives.

Boundless Heart, B. Alan Wallace, Snow Lion Publications, 183pp, $14.95

Preface

 1 Introduction
     Why Practice?
     The Foundation of Ethics
     The Affirmation of Intuitive Wisdom
     A Meditation on the Jewel in the Lotus: OM MANI PADME HUM
     Questions and Responses: On Ethics and the Sequence of Practice

 2 Entering Samatha Practice
     Beginning the Meditation
     Relaxation, Stability, and Vividness
     Questions and Responses: On Breath Awareness
     The Mastery of Attention: Mindfulness and Introspection
     Samatha as a Catalyst for Mental Events
     Dealing with Problems in Samatha Practice

 3 The Path to Samatha: An Overview
     The Nine Stages of the Path to Samatha
     The Achievement of Samatha
     The Prerequisites for Achieving Samatha
     Five Obstructions to Progress in Samatha
     The Five Factors of Stabilization
     On the Choice of an Object in Samatha Practice
     Questions and Responses: On Achieving Samatha
     Beyond Samatha

 4 Loving-Kindness
     Meditation: Loving-Kindness for Oneself
     Extending the Practice of Loving-Kindness
     The Advantages of a Lay Person in the Practice of Loving-Kindness
     Loving-Kindness for One's Enemies
     The Problem of Righteous Anger
     Passion and Patience in Response to the Sources of Suffering
     Finding a Lovable Quality
     Confusing Attachment with Loving-Kindness
     Questions and Responses: Enemies and Insight
     The Attainment of Samatha in Loving-Kindness

 5 Compassion
     Questions and Responses: Catharsis, Logic,and Compassion
     Compassion for a Suffering Person: Meditation
     Extending the Meditation on Compassion
     Intrusiveness in the Practice of Compassion
     Meditation on Avalokitesvara, the Embodiment of Compassion

 6 Empathetic Joy
     Rejoicing in Others' Happiness
     Rejoicing in Virtue

 7 Equanimity
     Equanimity in Theravada Buddhism
     Equanimity in Tibetan Buddhism
     Questions and Responses: On Distinguishing Attachment from Affection

 8 The Empowerment of Insight
     From Insight to an Unmediated Experience of the Ultimate
     Questions and Responses: The Urgency and Rarity of Spiritual Awakening

Notes