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

Lamp Offering
Offering lamps at Buddhist temples and stupas is a common practice. The Flower Adornment Sutra says, "The lamp of wisdom can break through all forms of darkness." As such, lamps represent the light of wisdom that pierces through the darkness of ignorance. This empowers sentient beings encumbered by confusion. The Buddhist practice of offering lamps originates from the actions of a poor girl named Nanda. Read more
Diminishing Mental Afflictions
We all have our share of headaches and heartaches. Physically, we all have to face aging, sickness and death. Mentally, we have to deal with problems arising from greed, hatred and ignorance. The Chinese have a saying that aptly describes our predicament: “Heaven and hell sometimes end; the threads of sorrow continue forever.” Our afflictions are as deep as the dark blue sea and are Read more
Friendship
In the Buddha's teachings, there are four kinds of friends: friends who treat you like a flower, friends who act like a balance, friends who are like the mountains, and friends who are like the earth.Friends who treat you like a flowerWe all enjoy flowers, especially when they are fresh. We put them in vases to decorate our homes, we give them to our loved 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
The Buddhist Tradition of Protecting the Environment
Most people regard the Buddhist religion as conservative and passive. Many think that Buddhism only teaches people to meditate, recite mantras and be vegetarians. They do not associate the religion with active and progressive ideas such as environmental protection. In truth, Buddhism is a religion that embodies the spirit of environmental protection and it has a long history of being active in such matters, well Read more
How is a Life of Perfect Wealth Attained?
The Sumati Sutra discusses fulfilling both worldly and supramundane needs. Sumati’s first three questions are regarding obtaining an elegant appearance, obtaining wealth, and keeping a harmonious family life—all of these are concerned with success in this life. Being satisfied in this way ensures that a bodhisattva will not be hindered, and can freely walk the bodhisattva path.Rewards and blessings are not stolen, forcibly taken, or Read more
Ridding Ourselves of Stress
In this modern world, people are constantly saying, "Life is too stressful!" Why are people so stressed out? How can we rid ourselves of stress? Students feel stressed because of heavy schoolwork; parents feel stressed because they have too many chores and family obligations; policemen feel stressed because they have too much work; and workers feel stressed and are unhappy because their work hours are Read more
Speaking with Kind Words
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
To Live in Hope
When there is hope, there is a future. The worst tragedy in life is to live without hope for the future. When there is hope, there is a future. One of the mottoes of the Buddha's Light International Association is "to give others hope." That is the highest act of benevolence. On the other hand, to disappoint and render others hopeless is the cruelest act.People live Read more
Repentance
It is only through loving-kindness and compassion that we can find room in our hearts to forgive others. It is only through our willingness to let go of resentment that we can find a way to magnanimity.  Read more
Healing Afflictions
What are people supposed to do when they are troubled by afflictions? Some people are troubled by very specific things, others encounter poverty, and many have poor relations with other people. Some individuals are disturbed the moment they hear even the slightest comment they do not like, or they become angry when they see someone doing something they do not approve of. This sort of Read more
The Calamity of Fire
If someone who holds firmly to the name of Avalokit­esvara were to find themselves in a fire, no matter how big, they need not fear being burned by it because of the Bodhi­sattva’s awe-inspiring spiritual powers. Specifically the passage describes one who “upholds the name.” The Chinese character chi (持), “uphold,” means to hold firmly to or mindfully maintain something. One who upholds the name Read more