10th October 1999

Living with compassion

By Ven. Soma

In the Discourse on Loving Kindness, in the Karaniya Metta Sutta it is said that when spreading loving kindness towards all beings through meditation, a person can focus on any pair of words that encompass all beings.

When spreading kindness a person must bear in mind not to insult or degrade another being. This could arise because of hostile thoughts towards another.

The person who develops loving kindness should thus transmit it in all directions, towards all beings with no barriers.

The discourse on loving kindness, 'metta' or 'maithri', thus developed demonstrates that a serene loving mind allows one to live at peace not only in this life, but also in the next, freed from all bonds of sorrow.

Killings take place because of a lack of loving kindness. Not only the slaughter of animals, but the remaining four precepts too are broken due to a lack of loving kindness and compassion.

The five precepts were given as the principles of humanity.

Spreading kindness towards all beings and developing the wish that no harm should befall another is known as 'maithri'.

If some being, human or animal is suffering and the thought to allay its pain and the wish to help it occurs, this is compassion.

Just as loving kindness should be reflected in the mind, the body and words, compassion too should emerge through these three channels.

While developing 'maithri' and compassion, one must also not envy others' fortunes and learn to rejoice in others' happiness. This is what is embodied in the quality of 'muditha'.

The person who develops 'maithri' and compassion will never look upon a being or an object with possesiveness. This person will not even look upon an enemy with hatred. Being purged of hatred is known as "upekha". Thus linked to loving kindness, 'metta', and compassion, 'karuna' are the qualities of 'muditha', sympathetic joy and 'upekha', equanimity. These are known as the 'Sathara Brahma Viharana' or the Four Supreme Abodes.

Together with observing the first precept, the supreme abodes will enable one to observe the remaining four precepts. This is why when describing the Noble Eight Fold Path, 'samma sankappa' (Right Thought) follows, 'samma ditthi' (Right Perception). The Buddha preached that no one in this world can change the Three Fold Infallible Natures of anicca, dukka and anathma. Therefore one must develop Right Perception. The development of righ Perception is defined in ten ways. We will examine these the following week.