---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of…"
description: "\"Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of \"I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser.\"\" — Pema Chodron"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png"
---

#  Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of "I'm the wise…

![“Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of &quot;I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser.&quot;” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png)

> “Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of "I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser."”

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Compassion practice erases egoic self‑importance and the desire to rescue others.

**In simple terms:** Compassion dissolves self‑importance.

Key Takeaway

Practice compassion to let go of ego.

Themes

compassion ego interdependence

Mood

reflective calm

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- counseling
- conflict resolution
- personal growth
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

Buddhist practice mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- How does ego hinder genuine help?
- When does compassion become self‑serving?

A Different Perspective

Compassion can be misused to enable dependency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Loser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loser/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

> [Those poor unfortunate souls! its sad! but true! this one longs to be thinner and this one wants to get the girl, and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-little-mermaid/those-poor-unfortunate-souls-its-sad-but-true-this-one-longs-to-be/)

[The Little Mermaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-little-mermaid/)

> [You shouldn't call then anything. They're poor unfortunate people who cannot help the way they look,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-wilson/you-shouldn-t-call-then-anything-they-re-poor-unfortunate-people-who/)

[Jacqueline Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-wilson/)

> [Oh, had I received the education I desired, had I been bred to the profession of the law, I might have been a useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moore-grimke/oh-had-i-received-the-education-i-desired-had-i-been-bred-to-the/)

[Sarah Moore Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moore-grimke/)

> [“The truth is, most wisdom is embittering. The task of the wise person cannot be to pretend with false naiveté that every moment is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-lopate/the-truth-is-most-wisdom-is-embittering-the-task-of-the-wise-person/)

Philip Lopate

> [“A simpleton can learn only by seeing mockers punished; a wise person learns from instruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-fike/a-simpleton-can-learn-only-by-seeing-mockers-punished-a-wise-person/)

[Al Fike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-fike/)

> [We see only the script and not the paper on which the script is written. The paper is there, whether the script is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/we-see-only-the-script-and-not-the-paper-on-which-the-script-is/)

[Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/)

> [A wise person is full of questions. A dull person is full of answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-wise-person-is-full-of-questions-a-dull-person-is-full-of-answers/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“a wise person finds more joy in serving others than in pursuing possessions, power, performance, or prestige.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-d-boa/a-wise-person-finds-more-joy-in-serving-others-than-in-pursuing/)

[Kenneth D. Boa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-d-boa/)

> [The mark of a wise person isn't never making mistakes - everyone makes plenty of them. Rather, it's the ability to quickly admit -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/the-mark-of-a-wise-person-isn-t-never-making-mistakes-everyone-makes/)

[Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/)

> [“wise person is hungry for knowledge,     while the fool feeds on atrash.+”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyndale/wise-person-is-hungry-for-knowledge-while-the-fool-feeds-on-atrash/)

[Tyndale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyndale/)

> [An intelligent person can rationalize anything, a wise person doesn't try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-knox/an-intelligent-person-can-rationalize-anything-a-wise-person-doesn-t/)

Jen Knox

> [Being a good person begins with being a wise person. Then, when you follow your conscience, will you be headed in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/being-a-good-person-begins-with-being-a-wise-person-then-when-you/)

[Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/)

> [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [“A smart person learns from his mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-schramm/a-smart-person-learns-from-his-mistakes-but-a-truly-wise-person/)

Ken Schramm

> [If I meet a wise person, I think, 'Yes, tell me more about parenting, about marriage, about how to stay in love. Tell me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/if-i-meet-a-wise-person-i-think-yes-tell-me-more-about-parenting/)

[Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/)

## More by Pema Chodron

> [“LIFE’S work is to wake up, to let the things that enter into your life wake you up rather than put you to sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/life-s-work-is-to-wake-up-to-let-the-things-that-enter-into-your-life/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [The essence of generosity is letting go. Pain is always a sign that we are holding on to something - usually ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-generosity-is-letting-go-pain-is-always-a-sign-that-we/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [“If the object of meditation were something concrete, something solid and graspable - an image or a statue or a dot on the floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-the-object-of-meditation-were-something-concrete-something-solid/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately fill up the space. By waiting, we begin to connect with fundamental restlessness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [“The essence of life is that it’s challenging. Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/)

[Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

> [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/)

[Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

[Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/)

## More Helping quotes

> [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/)

[Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/)

> [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/)

[John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/)

> [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/)

[Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/)

> [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/)

[Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/)

[Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/)

> [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/life-s-unfairness-is-not-irrevocable-we-can-help-balance-the-scales/)

[Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/)

> [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/)

[Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/)

> [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/)

[Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

[Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/)

Browse all 17,861 Helping quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of \"I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pema Chodron"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i-m-the-wise-person-i-m-going/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Helping"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i-m-the-wise-person-i-m-going/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_helping_tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i_996014.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of \"I'm the wise person, I'm going to help this poor, unfortunate loser.\"” — Pema Chodron",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pema Chodron",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Tonglen dissolves your solid sense of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i-m-the-wise-person-i-m-going/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/tonglen-dissolves-your-solid-sense-of-i-m-the-wise-person-i-m-going/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
