A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Wisdom and Compassion
In Buddhism, compassion (karuna) is a key virtue and practice in Buddhism which results in enlightenment. It is an active, sympathetic reaction to the suffering of all sentient beings and is intimately associated with wisdom (Prajna). Compassion in Buddhism is not cultivated as a passive feeling, but as an intentional state of mind leading people to efforts aimed at alleviating others' suffering and one's own.
The Four Immeasurable
Meditation exercises involving the "Four Immeasurable," sometimes referred to as the Four Sublime States or the Brahmaviharas, cultivate compassion.
- Loving-kindness (Metta): The proactive desire for the happiness and well-being of all beings.
- Compassion (Karuna):The desire for all beings to be free from suffering and its causes. It is the sympathetic response that emerges when one observes another's suffering.
- Sympathetic Joy (Mudita): Taking true pleasure in other people's joys, accomplishments, and virtues without feeling envious or jealous.
- Equanimity (Upekkha): Keeping a balanced, even-minded attitude toward all beings, devoid of attachment and aversion.
Key Roles of Compassion in Buddhism
- Wisdom balancing: Wisdom and compassion are sometimes compared to a bird's two wings or eyes, both of which are essential for advancement on the road to enlightenment. While compassion inspires the endeavour to free others from suffering, wisdom acknowledges the nature of reality and suffering.
- The Ideal of the Bodhisattva: The Bodhisattva represents the highest form of compassion in Mahayana Buddhism. Enlightened beings who promise to delay their own ultimate enlightenment in order to aid all other sentient beings in achieving liberation are known as Bodhisattvas. This unwavering dedication is driven by unbounded compassion.
- Overcoming the self: y developing compassion, one can replace the idea of a distinct, individual self with a sense of interconnectedness. Practitioners overcome self-centeredness and recognize that everyone's well-being is connected to their own by putting the welfare of others first.
- Developing altruism: Buddhist compassion differs from pity, which sometimes carries a condescending or passive-sad tone. Rather, it is an active, intelligent altruism that aims to identify and eliminate the underlying causes of suffering, which are frequently ignorance and negative emotions like hatred and greed.
- Transforming negative emotions: Compassion is a technique used to combat and cleanse negative mental states like cruelty and malice. Personal distress or pity, which is a worldly sadness rooted in attachment, is the "near enemy" of compassion, whereas cruelty is its "far enemy."
Compassionate Practices
Buddhists cultivate and enhance their compassion through a variety of meditation techniques:
- Metta meditation is the practice of extending loving-kindness to oneself, loved ones, neutral people, challenging people, and ultimately to all sentient beings. Compassion is established by this practice.
- Meditating on the equality of oneself and others in seeking happiness and avoiding pain is one method Shanti deva describes. Realizing this common humanity makes easing other people's suffering just as crucial as easing one's own.
