Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Compassion

 

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RIGHT INTENTION Cultivating Compassion Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on compassion, for when you develop meditation on compassion, any cruelty will be abandoned. (MN 62)  Suppose there were a pond with lovely smooth banks, filled with pure water that was clear and cool. A person scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, would come upon the pond and quench their thirst and their hot-weather fever. In just the same way, a person encounters the teachings of the Buddha and develops compassion, and thereby gains internal peace. (MN 40)

Reflection When lovingkindness encounters the suffering of another, it transforms into compassion. Compassion is defined as "the trembling of the heart in the presence of suffering," along with the urge to alleviate the suffering of other living beings. Actions that are motivated by compassion are always healthy, regardless of their outcome, and banish from the mind any impulse toward cruelty in that moment. Daily Practice The same metaphor is used to describe compassion as was used last week for lovingkindness: the cool, clear water of a forest pond encountered on a hot day by a person parched and thirsty. This conveys the sense that compassion is a naturally healthy mental state, providing a precious refuge from harsher emotions. See if you can experience the internal peace that comes from caring for the well-being of others. Tomorrow: Refraining from Malicious Speech One week from today: Cultivating Appreciative Joy Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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