If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
~ Dalai Lama
It was with surprise, but then a cosmic chuckle, that I awoke to this beautiful cloud filled morning. Now, whenever there are clouds, I think “Oh Goodie!”, a chance for something spectacular! Today being no exception 🙂
As my writing stems from each day’s meditation, streaming from the moment of the now, I cautioned myself not to be too tied up in ‘pre-writing’ today’s post. There are Four Heavenly Abodes, and I want to talk about the remaining two. So as I thought yesterday of Metta, Mudita, and my mind turned to Karuna or Compassion, I paused to reflect on what would give rise to this state of awareness …
Compassion, by it’s nature, means that some form of sadness or pain has entered our life.
All 13 Dalai Lamas are said to be the human manifestation the Bodhisattva of Compassion. One only needs to read anything about our 13th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, to see this in action. Tenzin’s words and work are filled with great love and compassion for all of humanity. His biography is fascinating, and even though he was forced to flee his homeland of Tibet, his words continue to offer only peaceful resolution. He is now approaching 80 years old. Meeting the Dalai Lama is on my bucket list, so it’ll need to be soon I’m afraid.
The Dalai Lama notes: “Compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive — it’s not empathy alone — but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is lovingkindness).”
True compassion has no expectation of reward, even a simple “thank you,” attached to it. Expecting a reward maintains the idea of a separate self and a separate other.
This brings me to a small passage I have written in a little notebook I keep.
It’s called “Near Enemies” ….
Attachment is to Love.
Pity is to Compassion.
Indifference is to Equanimity, Balance of Mind, an Open Heart.
It’s already been noted that compassion arises from wisdom, just as wisdom arises from compassion. If you’re feeling neither especially wise nor compassionate you may feel the whole project is hopeless. But the nun and teacher Pema Chodron says, “start where you are.” Whatever mess your life is in right now is the soil from which enlightenment may grow.” And it starts with compassion for self. Just as the other two abodes. As your self-compassion strengthens, you may then offer compassion readily to others.
So what did give rise to Karuna – Compassion – in my practice this morning? As I thought about how I feel when my heart aches for humanity, that I am one in all of this human suffering ….
Spencer arrived home yesterday with what may be a broken heal bone. It’s very swollen and bruised, and was causing him both physical, mental and emotional pain. While we put ice on it to deal with the physical pain, I worked with lavender candles and asked him to settle into his breath to help relieve the additional pain and agitation that his mind was creating. He finally relaxed, and I was able to use reiki or hand-heart energy to help disperse some of the energy that was throbbing from his knee, to his ankle, and all through his foot. Karuna in action ….
I awoke, thinking immediately and compassionately of him. And just as I envisioned yesterday, the sky would need to be a blanket of clouds, embracing me, holding me, just as the heart of compassion holds the pain of others. So there’s my cosmic giggle … The universe allowed me to sit in compassion, to write this post in the now, under this gorgeous cloud filled sky.
The circumstances are a bit surreal … Is this life I’m leading but a creation of my mind and heart’s intent … ?
Well if it is, let there be more metta, more mudita, and more karuna. My heart is open and can hold it. I hope yours is too ♥
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On Compassion: http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/compassion.htm
Dalai Lama Biography: http://www.dalailama.com/biography/a-brief-biography
