Jay Garfield is an American professor of philosophy specializing in Tibetan Buddhism, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, ethics, and hermeneutics. He has written prolifically on the intersection of Buddhist thought and contemporary philosophical problems. His major authored works include Engaging Buddhism: Why Does Buddhism Matter to Philosophy? (2015), Buddhist Ethics: A Philosophical Exploration, and Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live Without a Self. In this conversation, conducted by Mohammad Hadi, he explores the practical application of Buddhist ethics — interdependence, the “near enemies” of virtue, and the transformation of perception — in the context of personal and collective political turmoil.

Mohammad Hadi: I’ve really studied two of your books: Losing Ourselves and Buddhist Ethics. I prepared my questions almost two or three months ago, but meanwhile, some things happened personally and collectively in Iran. This morning, I was thinking — I am in a different shape. I’ve undergone some emotional changes because of things happening in my country from the outside and the inside: the threat of war, demonstrations, and uprisings. What is your advice to me as a person interviewing you from the perspective of Buddhist ethics? Facing this emotional turmoil, what comes from Buddhist ethics to me concretely?

Jay Garfield: I would say several different things. One is to really direct attitudes of care and friendship towards yourself. Try to direct attitudes of care and friendship towards the people who are in Iran, as well as a kind of impartiality or equanimity — an ability to not allow yourself to be excessively stirred up by what’s happening, and to maintain a little bit of calm.

The reason for that is because, no matter what your position is regarding the events in Iran or any place else, you will be a more effective agent if you can remain calm. This ability to insulate your immediate emotions from what’s happening is extremely valuable. That requires you to pay attention to your own emotional reactions, to pay attention to the causes and effects of how you feel, and to really care for yourself but also to care for others. Ask the question not “What do I do?” but rather “What can I do to be most effective in this circumstance?”

That’s a very different question because very often our emotions lead us to very quick responses — to either anger or to excessive excitement — and when we do that, we become less effective agents. You always want to think of yourself as a member of a community, and if you’re a member of a community, you have responsibilities to that community. Your primary responsibility is to act clearly, calmly, and thoughtfully. I think that’s often one of the hardest things to do, but I think that’s the most important thing. Take a long deep breath and say: “What’s happening …