compassion and loving kindness

To be awakened, is to be both wise and compassionate.

When the Buddha was approaching death, his companion Ananda exclaimed, “Alas! After all these years I am still a learner, still working out my own perfection. And the master is about to pass away from me — he who is so kind!” (Mahaparinibbana Sutta)

Stories like this show that people saw the Buddha as the embodiment of a deep care for others. He taught his disciples how they could be like this themselves, and loving kindness and compassion are important aspects of the Buddhist path.

Hatred is never overcome by hatred, but only by love. This is an eternal law.

The Buddha, Dhammapada

How can we become compassionate?

Kindness needs to be lived.

The first way to develop compassion is by practising ethics. The fundamental principle of Buddhist ethics is not harming others and acting towards them with kindness. Ethical reflection asks us to look at how we impact others in different areas of our lives: like how we work, what we eat, the way we relate to the natural world, and our chosen lifestyles. We can also make a positive practice of being generous, encouraging a sense of gratitude, forgiving others, and developing friendships.

Loving kindness meditation (metta bhavana) helps us develop feelings of compassion, care and friendliness in our direct experience.

Jvalamalini on the importance in her life of developing loving kindness (20 mins)

Compassion is woven into the awakened understanding of life

Overcoming the illusion that we are fixed, separate selves opens us to a wider perspective on life that includes a sense of our connections to each other and the whole of life. Compassion flows naturally when we feel ourselves to be part of life in this way.

Following the Bodhisattva Path

Mahayana Buddhism encourages us to live as a bodhisattva – a being on the path to Awakening who is motivated by compassion for all beings. This is ideal for all Mahayana Buddhists, and for Buddhists within Triratna.

The bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara, who has a thousand arms with which to help all beings

Many of the Buddha and Bodhisattva figures shown in Mahayana Buddhist art are transcendental embodiments of compassion. Reflecting on their compassion can touch us deeply. The seed of kindness and compassion in our own hearts can start to grow.

Compassion removes the heavy bar, opens the door to freedom, makes the narrow heart as wide as the world.

Nyanaponika Thera