The Meaning of Compassion

By Category: Harmonious LivingTags:

Although “compassion is the foundation of Buddhism” is a popular slogan, compassion is not the exclusive property of Buddhists. It is a common treasure shared by all sentient beings. Because there is compassion in this world, life is full of meaning. As we endure the trials and tribulations life offers us, compassion inspires us with endless visions.

The mind of compassion is the ever-flowing fountainhead of all living things, because compassion is Buddha Nature.

Sentient beings can attain Buddhahood because of compassion. Compassion is also the basic quality of being human, for one can be without everything but still have compassion! When we have compassion, our speech and actions are like sunshine, pristine water, or a pretty flower, bringing light, purity, and joy to the world.

Compassion is not just offering sympathy. If we stand up to fight for truth and justice where there is oppression or for the righteous when they are slandered and attacked, then we are acting courageously and practicing real compassion. The practice of compassion requires wisdom because it is not simply a kind thought; it is helping others by being wise and reasonable. Compassion is not just going along with the crowd, but serving others by holding the right views and thoughts. It is neither attempting to selfishly benefit one’s own friends and family, nor currying favors. The highest level of compassion should be completely selfless and equal for all.

Compassion is the actual practice of our ethics, not the standard by which we measure others.

Compassion is not limited to only providing kind words of praise and encouragement. Sometimes circumstances may require us to exercise forcefulness in order to prevail over atrocities that are being committed. This is more difficult, but nevertheless a practice of great compassion. In today’s society, many people often misinterpret the meaning of compassion and let forgiveness and magnanimity be reduced to leniency and indulgence, disrupting social order in the process.

Compassion is sometimes misused in a degenerative manner that may even result in or encourage crime. For example, randomly freeing live animals might result in their death; giving away money arbitrarily might foster greed. Therefore, the practice of compassion must be directed by wisdom; otherwise, well-meaning intentions can be completely ruined.

Compassion should not be static but rather a continuous sublimation of care and good will. The Flower Ornament Sutra [Avatamsaka Sutra] says,

“One only wishes for the liberation of all sentient beings from suffering, but does not hope for one’s own serenity.”

True compassion, then, lies in the willingness to be burdened by the concerns of the world and also to be delighted by the happiness of all humanity. There are many unfulfilled dreams in this world, and when we practice compassion, we sometimes come up short ourselves. However, only compassion can restore peace and harmony amidst conflict; only compassion can create the affinity needed to succeed in any endeavor. Compassion is truly the inexhaustible treasure of life!

From All in a Thought, written by Venerable Master Hsing Yun.

Image from Pixabay.

More Featured Articles

Three Levels of Patience
Prajna allows us to truly know how life comes and goes, and it is only with prajna that we can have the strength to face the realities of life. To survive in this world we need both wisdom and power to alleviate our hardships and overcome adverse situations.Patience gives us both wisdom and strength.Buddhism speaks of three levels of patience.The first is patience for life, Read more
What is Meditation?
One of the great advantages of sitting meditation is that you can take it with you wherever you go. Whether you are in a forest deep in the mountains or beside a stream among the grass and reeds, you can develop meditative concentration just by sitting down and crossing your legs.But what is meditation? Does it come from sitting, standing, or lying down? Huineng, the Read more
Take Delight in Shared Joy
Sharing joy with others is not only a virtue, it is also a delightful experience.To take delight in shared joy is to give willing support to those who are compassionate in helping the needy; it is to give genuine praise to those who have dedicated themselves to the highest achievements in life. If we want to be successful in this world, we must cultivate the Read more
The Medicine of Buddhism
The occurrence of a disease is closely related to one’s mental health, physical health, spiritual health, behavior, habits, living environment, and even the society and culture in which one lives.  Harmonizing all of these elements and engaging in specific practices can help to bring about optimum health and prevent illness.  Gaining awareness about the cause of illness and conducting our lives in a manner that Read more
Healing the Mind
People suffer from a variety of diseases of the mind, such as being greedy, judgmental, or quick to anger. The Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra says, “There are four kinds of diseases of the body, which are due to excessive wind, heat, phlegm, or other causes. There are also four kinds of diseases of the mind, which are greed, anger, ignorance, and pride.” Truthfully, it Read more
Overcoming Greed
Greed is a basic disease of all sentient beings. In our realm, the desire realm (kamadhatu), the force and effects of greed can be felt especially strongly. Greed is based on ignorance and cannot function without it. The fundamental ignorance that enables greed to function is the belief in a self that exists separately and independently from other sentient beings. This belief leads to nothing Read more
Transcend the Ordinary and the Sacred
What, exactly, is the meaning contained within this gong’an? For instance, some have asked, what are people like? This is a very difficult question to answer because if there are things they are like, then there are things they are not like. If we answer that people are like ghosts, then there are also people among ghosts. If we say ghosts are like people, then Read more
Walking, Standing, Sitting, and Resting
"Walk like the wind, stand like a pine, sit like a bell, and rest like a bow."This basic etiquette not only applies to Buddhists; everyone should practice it as well in daily living.When we first meet a person, we can tell the level of his/her education and cultivation by his/her manners. We know how refined a person is by the way he/she speaks and conducts Read more
Turning Around and Going Ahead
On the path of life, sometimes we need to go straight ahead, other times we have to make turns in order to reach our goals. If we do not turn around when we need to, we will not “see the other shore.” But when we need to move ahead and we do not, we will miss a prime opportunity. When we have to make a Read more
The Virtue of Giving
If we want to understand what the Dharma teaches us about building affinity and living in harmony with others, we must first understand the four great all-embracing virtues. The Buddha teaches that for us to realize our true capacity of connecting with and serving our fellow citizens, we have to first build a good rapport, and the four virtues are tools to that end. The four Read more
Take Deep Joy in the True Dharma
“True Dharma” means those teachings which are right, correct, and do not deviate from the Middle Way.The word “Dharma” has several different meanings. One meaningof “dharma” is “phenomena.” In this sense, “dharma” includes phenomena as large as the universe and as small as a mustard seed. “Dharma” also refers to the truth, the teachings of the Buddha. The Dharma the Buddha taught is what allows people Read more
True Stature
True stature is not created by form or ornament; words spoken out of jealousy and greed oppose it. Only when evil has been stopped at its roots, and when there is wisdom without anger is there true stature.— Dharmapadavadana Sutra The False Stature of This WorldEveryone wants to be well regarded by others. However, in seeking true stature, people too often waste their time in Read more