825427d0   
   XPost: talk.religion.buddhism, alt.zen, alt.philosophy.zen   
   From: usagi@tsukino.ca   
      
   On 10/05/2011 08:54 AM, Namidsu wrote:   
   > Universal Compassion   
   >   
   > What is Compassion?   
   >   
   > Most of us know intrinsically what the meaning of the word   
   > “compassion” is, or else we have a pretty good general idea. Merriam-   
   > Webster.com defines compassion as "sympathetic consciousness of   
   > others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it."   
   > Dictionary.com defines it in a similar way: "a feeling of deep   
   > sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune,   
   > accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering." But oddly,   
   > to me these definitions are not completely accurate. Compassion   
   > definitely includes sympathy for another’s distress or suffering, but   
   > in my opinion it doesn’t stop there.   
   >   
   > The word "compassion" comes from the roots "com-" which means “with”   
   > and "passion" which means “feeling” or “to feel.” Hence the simplest   
   > etymological definition of compassion is "to feel with"--to feel what   
   > another is feeling with that other. But somehow I find this definition   
   > a little insufficient also. Although its etymological roots do not   
   > specify this explicitly, to me compassion is not just empathy for what   
   > another is feeling, but also encapsulates a spirit of love,   
   > forgiveness, and generosity toward the other. And once again, I   
   > propose an amendment even to this expanded definition. Compassion in   
   > my opinion can very legitimately be this selfless sentiment directed   
   > towards oneself as well.   
   >   
   > But even now I am still not completely satisfied where we’ve arrived.   
   > For I believe compassion is not just a feeling--It is an act. It is   
   > not just a feeling of generosity, love, forgiveness, and empathy   
   > toward oneself or another, but also the act of loving, forgiving,   
   > giving to, and empathizing with oneself or another. So, generally   
   > speaking, we have come to define compassion as the following: "A   
   > feeling of love, forgiveness, generosity, and empathy toward oneself   
   > or another, coupled with the kinetic act of loving, forgiving, giving   
   > to, and empathizing with oneself or that other." And by generosity and   
   > giving, I here am referring not only to the act of giving a physical   
   > gift, but also or conversely of giving of oneself.   
   >   
   > Why is Compassion Important?   
   >   
   > Why is compassion so important? Of course I can only say that   
   > compassion is important to me. I have no idea whether or not   
   > compassion is important to you, but I think I can safely assume that   
   > if you are reading this right now, then you must have at least an   
   > inkling of an interest in the subject.   
   >   
   > Compassion is important, to me, because in my opinion compassion is   
   > the single-most therapeutic trait for healing the suffering of   
   > ourselves, the people we love, our acquaintances, and the world as a   
   > whole. In other words, compassion equals salvation on a spiritual   
   > level. Moreover, all of the great “enlightened ones” stressed the   
   > value of compassion--although they may have used differing   
   > vocabularies--from Jesus to Gandhi to the Buddha. And all of the   
   > world’s great religions, at least in some subschools or subsects,   
   > stress compassion as the highest ideal of human existence.   
   >   
   > Compassion is really “the one thing the world needs.” Crime is caused   
   > when people selfishly break the law to get what they want without   
   > regard for the welfare of others. Hunger and starvation are caused by   
   > a general stinginess by those who have wealth. War is an expression of   
   > a fundamental unlovingness between societies. And the decaying   
   > environment is the result of an overall apathy toward nature. All of   
   > the problems that plague humanity stem from a fundamental deficit of   
   > human compassion.   
   >   
   > What is Universal Compassion?   
   >   
   > This treatise is about compassion, obviously. However, it is really   
   > about a special type of compassion. This type of compassion is called   
   > "universal compassion." And what do I mean by this? The word   
   > “universal” means that it applies to all people and all beings   
   > indiscriminately. So to practice universal compassion is to have   
   > compassion for all people and all beings, without exception.   
   >   
   > The word “universal” also implies that this type of compassion is   
   > unconditional, that is, that it applies in all situations,   
   > regardlessly. Whether a person is your best friend who just gave you a   
   > new book, or whether that person is a thief who has just stolen your   
   > car, or whether that person is a member of a group or society that is   
   > hostile toward your own, to have universal compassion means that you   
   > love that person, no matter who that person is and no matter what that   
   > person has done.   
   >   
   > Obviously this is not an easy task. After all, it got Jesus crucified.   
   > But if you want to be a spiritually enlightened being--that is, if you   
   > want to help “save the world” or bring about world peace--universal   
   > compassion is the most essential teaching. It is the true path of the   
   > enlightened master.   
   >   
   > Note to reader: From this point on in this discourse, whenever I speak   
   > of compassion, unless otherwise stated I implicitly am referring to   
   > just this type of compassion--universal compassion. After all, real   
   > and true compassion is inherently universal in nature. A compassion   
   > that is selective in who it loves or why is not wholly pure and is a   
   > somewhat self-centered type of love.   
   >   
   > Compassion in Buddhism   
   >   
   > As stated above, compassion is the most essential teaching in all   
   > humanistic religions. Buddhism is no exception. In Buddhism,   
   > compassion is represented by the word "karuna." The term “mahakaruna”   
   > means "great compassion," and can also be thought of as meaning   
   > "universal compassion."   
   >   
   > In general, Buddhism is a philosophy directed at the ego, the “I” or   
   > “me” that seems to be at the center of conscious experience. In many   
   > sects of Buddhism, this ego or self is seen as nothing more than a   
   > convention of thought and speech. It is a tool for talking about the   
   > one in the mirror, and otherwise has no reality or existence. The root   
   > of all suffering is seen to be a self-centered craving that arises   
   > from identifying with this imaginary self. The aim of the adherent is   
   > to purge all his or her thoughts of the self, and to attain a peaceful   
   > realization that nature or the world as a whole is itself self-less   
   > and devoid of ego.   
   >   
   > Obviously all religions don’t agree on every point. That is one of the   
   > things that makes each one unique. But the Buddhist teaching of "no-   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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