Compassion is an emotion that is a sense of shared suffering, most often combined with a desire to alleviate or reduce the suffering of another; to show special kindness to those who suffer. It essentially arises through empathy, and is often characterized through actions, wherein a person acting with compassion will seek to aid those they feel compassionate for.
At times when we are able to do good to others, why do we feel proud? The opportunity to serve others should be treated as an opportunity for self-improvement. This is a reason to feel lucky for being able to help someone in need. Instead of pride, what we ought to feel is gratitude for the opportunity to improve ourselves and thus progress further on the path of spiritual attainment.
Compassion comes from humility which in turn originates from selfless action. It is not so easy to pursue selfless action. One has to practice it repeatedly like meditation. And this practice cannot be successful until we remove fear from the mind. Selflessness grows from fearlessness. If there is compassion, there can be no violence. Fearlessness, sacrifice and non-violence all lead to internal and external peace.
Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, forgiveness, said the Dalai Lama. In the Indian context, dharma, karuna, seva is seen as duty, a harmonious co-participation between the elements and objects of our universe, thus naturally encompasses service.
Love and compassion are the two key components of the Four Noble States of Mind revealed by the Lord Buddha. In their eagerness to live a moral life, some Buddhists may regard love and compassion as a moral or ethical norm to live up to, or as a lofty ideal to ‘advocate’. Apparently, this normative perception stems from the Buddhist interpretation of love as ‘bring happiness to sentient beings’ and of compassion as ‘relieve sentient beings of sufferings’.
The main benefit is that compassion helps you to be more happy, and brings others around you to be more happy. If we agree that it is a common aim of each of us to strive to be happy, then compassion is one of the main tools for achieving that happiness. It is of utmost importance that we cultivate compassion in our lives and practice compassion every day.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa asks, who are you to show mercy to others? The all-merciful has been rather generous to you to give you the ability and a full-fledged opportunity to utilize it selflessly. Hence, it is the compassion for other, not mercy which we should be trying to feel. If we start thinking in this manner then the selfish attitude of the rest of society cannot disturb us or de-motivate us from pursuing what we believe in.
We believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives. We are not talking about the short-term gratification of pleasures, but something that will bring true and lasting happiness. The key to developing compassion in our life is to make it a daily practice. Meditate upon it in the morning, think about it when you interact with others, and reflect on it at night. In this way, it becomes a part of your life.
Imagine yourself to be like a tree. The tree does not judge anyone; its nature is to give and it continues to do what it is supposed to do. Even if someone hurts the tree after enjoying the shadow it offers and its flowers and fruits, it remains indifferent. Its satisfaction lies in the fact that it has accomplished its assignments. It does not matter even if an undeserving person has taken full advantage and at the end hurt you. What matters is maintaining the right state of mind with equanimity.
Compassionate practices can be done anywhere, anytime. At work, at home, on the road, while travelling, while at store, while at the home of a friend or family member. By sandwiching your day with a morning and evening rituals, you can frame your day properly, in an attitude of trying to practice compassion and develop it within yourself. And with practice, you can begin to do it throughout the day, and throughout your lifetime.
This article is an ‘Ashirvachana’ given by His Holiness Sri Balagangadaranatha Mahaswamiji, 71st Pontiff of Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahas stana Math.