not the words mike... compassion is beyond words...it just is....merle Hi ED,
Zen has always been suspect in Buddhist circles for being a bit.... well, mean when it comes to compassion. I think it's human to feel compassion for people, in exactly the same way as defined by the examples you gave us. I never want to lose that side of my personal nature. However, when we think of an act or a thought as compassionate, we are ultimately deluding ourselves. First, there is no I nor 'other' to feel compassion for. And second, labeling an emotion is necessarily limiting and clearly not the emotion experienced itself. Although it is useful, to a degree, to read those definitions it is much better to sit silently and be the experience those words evoke. Mike --- On Wed, 13/6/12, ED <[email protected]> wrote: >From: ED <[email protected]> >Subject: [Zen] Re: The Self Illusion >To: [email protected] >Date: Wednesday, 13 June, 2012, 8:46 > > > > >Hi Bill and All - >Three definitions of compassion from the Internet are: >"Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others." >"A deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering. >"The humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do >something about it" >What would a typical Buddhist or zen definition of compassion be? >--ED > >--- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote: >> >> Sheng Yen was a great monk. His word about compassion brings the question of >> the results of zen practice. Does it bring about inhuman characteristics of >> no compassion? He also said, 'sit down and shut up'. But that does not rule >> out the ensuing compassion. >> >> Anthony >
