Compassion

[blacktiger057]

This is just something that I thought about during one of my meditations.

Buddha has defined compassion as "love plus meditation." When your love is not just a desire for the other, when your love is not only a need, when your love is a sharing, when yourr love is not that of a beggar but that of an emperor, when your love is not asking something in return and is only ready to give- to give for the sheer joy of giving- then add meditation to it and the pure frangrance is released, the imprisoned splendour is released. That is compassion; compassion is the highest phenomenon.

I am going through a very deep awakening right now. I hope this inspires everyone to reach out towards others and love yourself as well. :D

[Korpo]

Hello, bt57.

For me it was the other way round. My compassion was strengthened and infused with new life through meditation. It has become more pure, but also more balanced - I sympathise now more with others, at the same I do not get "drawn in" as much, which enables me to function with compassion longer than before, when it quickly exhausted me.

I hope you find what you seek in your awakening - compassion is a good guide, no doubt! Please do always be as compassionate as you just said about yourself as well, and I think you will be just fine. :)

Take good care,
Oliver

[Tom]

According to Osho, Buddha taught compassion before meditation because he observed a tendency for people to remain isolated and keep what they learn to themselves once they reach their goal through meditation. Without a clear recollection of what it felt like to be miserable it is hard to then generate the tendency to want to help people who still need it by sharing what worked. If he could get the monks to generate compassion first then the tendency to reach out would remain even after they had reached enlightenment and were no longer capable of suffering even if they chose to do so.

[hasalameth]

I found a very good youtube clip on love and compassion teached by Buddha:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v35vaMntGL0


I know, the reverb effect kinda makes it sound a little bit silly, but it's allright. And if you feel like the chant in the end is somewhat lame, think that it probably sounds way cooler in it's original language :P

That last part about how we should protect all living beings as a mother protects her only child made me shiver of warmth inside. It's strange how all words of Buddha resonate some reaction within me.