Supreme compassion is like a skillful mother nurturing her child.
Abandoning comfort, it engages in the benefit of others.
Therefore, generate the courage of altruistic thought.
This is my heart’s advice.
Supreme Compassion — what is that? Each and every sentient being has some level of compassion. Even wolves and hawks, who constantly try to take others’ lives, have compassion for their own offspring. In taking another’s life, they are acting to protect their own family. Having a mind that wants to free others from their suffering is called “compassion”. Supreme compassion extends to all sentient beings, including one’s bitter enemies. It is more than just sympathy; it is a mind that is willing to exchange one’s own happiness for another’s suffering. When you practice loving-kindness, you wish for all sentient beings to have happiness, but in reality they have suffering and they create the causes of more suffering. Considering that they are victims of suffering, allow strong compassion to arise in you.
A skillful mother will raise her child well. Physically and mentally she will undergo a lot of hardship and will give up her own comfort to protect her child. Compassion is like that: looking at each sentient being as if he or she were your own child. When a child is in pain and crying at night, the mother will abandon her own comfort and sleep. If the child is swept away by water, she will jump in to save her. Whatever the circumstance, the mother will risk her life for her child’s safety and happiness. In the same way, Bodhisattvas possessing great great compassion will sacrifice their lives for others’ benefit. Where there is that kind of compassion, one has no fear or hesitation to sacrifice oneself for others, and one joyfully acts for others’ benefit. This is the real courage of altruistic thought.
Before we act, though, we must develop this though in our minds and practice it. This is what Milarepa did. He spent all his time in the mountains cultivating these qualities. Then, after he actualised them, he came back into the world and benefited sentient beings without any doubt or fear about doing so. He had such great skill! Thus, we too must come to actualise it within our minds before we put it into action for others.
To practice compassion, sit down and take a deep breath. Exhale all your tension and calm your mind. Look at your own suffering or that of one who is close to you. How long to be free from that suffering! Develop such strong determination that no one can take it away from you! Next, expand this mind to include your loved ones. Cultivate enough compassion to free them all from suffering. Then encompass your town or city, even those enemies who destroy your happiness and bring you suffering. In your mind, cultivate sincere compassion wishing that each person were free from suffering. Again, expand that mind to include people in your state, country, and the whole world. Eventually, extend yourself towards all sentient beings everywhere, not just human beings. This doesn’t take much time; it costs nothing. It only requires your interest, mindfulness, and awareness. This heals the wounds in your mind and brings a smile to your face. This is the way to give rise to unfabricated peace and joy.
an excerpt from: A Complete Guide To The Buddhist Path
by our most precious Guru, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche
