Generating genuine compassion is a simple practice, which benefits the practitioner as well as the recipient of that compassion, the community in which they each reside, the world, and indeed, the entire universe.
This is because compassion is not just something we "ought to develop", but is, I would suggest, who we are. His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama notes, "At the time of our birth, we have neither religion nor ideology nor culture. We acquire or learn about these later in our lives. But I believe no one is born free from the need for love. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind." (from Disarmament, Peace and Compassion)
This is why we strive toward becoming compassion for those who might be perceived as our adversaries, our enemies or our "biggest pains in the ass".
You see, when we show what we think is compassion toward someone we love, it's not pure loving-kindness... because our emotion investment in that person is a type of attachment. But those who have done nothing but attempt to harm us, discredit us, anger us... those are the ones who teach us to dig deeper, and find the source of who we are. They push us to become living dharma, not just mouthpieces for some lofty ideas. They are the grains of sand, which enter the depths of who we are, without whom, we could never generate the true pearl of Compassion.
Namasté!
- dharmacharya gurudas śunyatananda
http://dharmadudeunplugged.com
Copyright ©2008, Dharmacharya Gurudas Śunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato). All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire blog, including by-lines, contact information and this copyright remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.
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