{"id":1984,"date":"2020-03-03T11:39:16","date_gmt":"2020-03-03T01:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dying-and-death-reflections.com\/?page_id=1984"},"modified":"2020-03-15T08:30:54","modified_gmt":"2020-03-14T22:30:54","slug":"altruistic-love-and-compassion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dying-and-death-reflections.com\/index.php\/altruistic-love-and-compassion\/","title":{"rendered":"Altruistic Love and Compassion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Altruistic love <\/em>and compassion<\/em> are the heart\nof Buddhist practice. They are considered to be the \u201cessence of the great\nvehicle,\u201d the \u201cpath traveled by all the buddhas of past and present, and which\nwill be traveled by all the buddhas of the future,\u201d the method \u201cwhich alone is\nsufficient, and without which nothing can be accomplished.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Buddhist sense, altruistic love<\/em><\/strong> is\ndefined as \u201cthe wish that all beings may find happiness and the causes of\nhappiness,\u201d and compassion<\/em><\/strong> as \u201cthe wish that all beings may be\nfree from suffering and the causes of suffering.\u201d These two can be summed up as\nunconditional kindness<\/em><\/strong> toward all beings in general that is ready\nto manifest at all times toward any individual in particular. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a way of being in the world for others that is\ncultivated until it permeates one\u2019s entire being. It does not mean catering to\nthe wishes and whims of others without discrimination, and it certainly does\nnot mean wishing success to those who pursue harmful goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should take into account the different elements of each\nsituation and ask, for example, what are the consequences, both short- and\nlong-term, what will really be for the good of this or that person, or if an\naction will help a small number of individuals or a large number. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love and compassion must be informed by wisdom<\/em><\/strong>.\nThis is based on understanding the immediate and ultimate causes of suffering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By suffering, we mean not just the obvious sufferings of\nwhich we are so often the victims or witnesses, such as disease, war, famine,\ninjustice, and poverty, but also their deep causes, namely, the mental poisons.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as our mind is clouded by confusion, hatred,\nattachment, jealousy, and arrogance, suffering, in all its forms, will always\nmanifest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhism teaches that the source of these mental poisons is\nignorance of the nature of beings and things, which creates a gulf between our\nperceptions and reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We take as permanent what is impermanent. What we take as\nhappiness is often only a cause of suffering, for instance, wealth, power,\nfame, and fleeting pleasures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things appear to us as inherently \u201cpleasant\u201d or \u201cunpleasant\u201d\nand beings as inherently \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad.\u201d The \u201cI\u201d that perceives them seems\nequally real and concrete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mistake leads to powerful reflexes of attachment and\naversion that inevitably lead to suffering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our love and compassion take on a new dimension when we\nunderstand that suffering is not inevitable and it is possible to stop the\nsuffering of beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his first teaching at the Deer Park near Benares, the\nBuddha expounded the four noble truths: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf The truth of suffering<\/strong><\/em>, which must be understood<\/em>; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf The truth of the causes of suffering<\/strong><\/em>, ignorance and the negative mental states that ignorance breeds, which must be eliminated<\/em>; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf The truth of the cessation<\/strong><\/em> of suffering, which we must attain<\/em>, and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25cf The truth of the path<\/strong><\/em>, which must be followed<\/em> in order to end suffering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When combined with joy at the qualities and successes of\nothers<\/em> and impartiality toward all beings<\/em>, love and compassion are\nthe basis of the mind of enlightenment, or bodhichitta<\/em><\/strong>, defined\nas the wish to attain buddhahood in order to liberate all beings from suffering\nand its causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This desire must be accompanied by a determination to do\neverything in one\u2019s power to remedy suffering, not just for a limited time, but\nfor as long as there are beings and those beings continue to suffer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can we cultivate love and compassion?<\/strong><\/em> The first step is to realize that deep down we want to be happy and want not to suffer, and that it is the same for all beings, including animals. This right not to suffer, so often disregarded, is perhaps the most fundamental of all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhist compassion ideally aims to put an end to all suffering, whatever it might be and whoever it affects. It is not based on any moral judgment and does not depend on how others behave. It is not limited to our loved ones or those who treat us favorably but embraces all beings without exception, be they friends, enemies, or strangers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Taken from Ricard, Matthieu. On the Path to Enlightenment: Heart Advice from the Great Tibetan Masters<\/em>. Shambhala. Kindle Edition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further Notes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Developing\u00a0bodhicitta<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0the mind of enlightenment, can be developed through the inspirational force of the four boundless attitudes<\/strong><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are loving kindness<\/em><\/strong>\u2014a strong attitude of wishing to have happiness for all beings, compassion<\/strong><\/em>\u2014a strong attitude of wishing that suffering does not come to any being, joy<\/strong><\/em> over the happiness of others, and evenness<\/strong><\/em> (or equalness<\/em>) toward all beings, with no distinctions of friends, enemies, and so on.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: Thondup, Tulku. Enlightened Journey: Buddhist Practice as Daily Life<\/em>. Shambhala. Kindle Edition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Reflection:
Bodhicitta<\/em> (Sanskrit) or Awakened Heart is the innermost nature of all beings that underlies all our experience. This term is used particularly when talking about our ability to Awaken, and how this nature can stir and propel us to seek a path that leads us and all beings out of sa\u1e43s\u0101ra<\/em>.
(Lama Shenpen Hookham) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"reddit\"<\/a>\"pinterest\"<\/a>\"linkedin\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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