--- On Thu, 4/11/10, billsm...@hhs1963.org <billsm...@hhs1963.org> wrote:
From: billsm...@hhs1963.org <billsm...@hhs1963.org> Subject: RE: [Zen] Re: FW: Quote from St. Thomas Aquinas To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, 4 November, 2010, 10:23 AM Mayka, What I meant to say was that if you are living in a world of illusions (maya) compassion is a badge of honor and something you need to cultivate and practice. If you are not living in a world of illusions there is no compassion, no honor, nothing to cultivate and nothing to practice. There is Just THIS! Says Buddha Bill, in Diamart Sutra From: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:zen_fo...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Maria Lopez Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2010 3:10 PM To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Zen] Re: FW: Quote from St. Thomas Aquinas Bill:I believe it is a normal and natural aspect of human nature, but like a lot of normal and natural aspects of human nature it doesn't function well while we are living in a world of illusion. Mayka: This statement is relative. I have received at moments more human warm, support from all those you think that live in an illusion that actually from the ones who they believe not to live in an illusion. Human warm, compassion, altruism...I go in complete agreement with your statement that are very natural qualities but disagree over this statement the distentions you made between illusion and reality. I have seen compassion in people living in the streets towards other companions living in the streets too. Some of these people are very tough and yet beneath that apparent hardness, there is compassion. The fact of not knowing or being aware of what is going on in one doesn't mean that compassion is illusory. Compassion or anger are very real to any human being. Mayka --- On Wed, 3/11/10, billsm...@hhs1963.org <billsm...@hhs1963.org> wrote: From: billsm...@hhs1963.org <billsm...@hhs1963.org> Subject: RE: [Zen] Re: FW: Quote from St. Thomas Aquinas To: Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, 3 November, 2010, 4:34 Ed, My remarks are embedded below: > [Bill! from a previous post] I understand 'compassion' to mean 'to be aware of the feelings of > others'. Merriam-Webster Online defines it as "sympathetic consciousness of > others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it". That definition > satisfies me. [Ed] The definition is consonant with ones I have seen in Buddhist texts. However, questions come to mind (as usual): o Is possessing 'compassion' a badge of merit, or is it a normal and natural aspect of human nature? [Bill!] Some, St. Thomas Aquinas for one and Buddhists for another example, believe that having compassion is a highly desirable quality. I believe it is a normal and natural aspect of human nature, but like a lot of normal and natural aspects of human nature it doesn't function well while we are living in a world of illusion. o Is not "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it" none other than a stipulation that a person not possess genes for autism? [Bill!] I don't know anything worthwhile to say about genes, but I don't see a lot of people displaying compassion - especially for people that are unknown to them, different from them or engaged in activities that are problematic for them. In other words I think compassion is the exception and not the rule. o And when we do experience compassion, is it not usually selectively directed toward persons we feel connected to in some way? [Bill!] Yes, this seems to be the case for most people. o For instance, do we feel compassion for the million-plus war-widows caused by the US/UK/Australian invasion of Iraq? [Bill!] I believe most Yanks/Brits/Aussies don't. They are taught to de-humanize the enemies of their particular country. I think a lot of Arabs do. ...Bill! __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5586 (20101102) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5587 (20101103) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5589 (20101103) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com
