Which is better and more important?
I heard that karuna is one of the basis or foundations for the perfections.
Why do you feel a need to compare?
metta is the foundation for karuṇā.
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Hello, Venerable Sir. Thank you for replying.
Should we cultivate metta or karuna more for Buddhahood?
If I remember correctly, karuna is one of the basis for the paramis including metta.
the 10 perfections in Theravada lists metta as one of the 10.
Are you influenced by Mahāyana more? because they place great emphasis on compassion.
Anyway, metta is the base, one wishes for happiness for all.
When with a metta mind, one sees others’ suffering, compassion is the automatic response.
When one sees others’ happiness, mudita is the natural response.
When one cannot help others in suffering, equanimity is the response to go for. So all 4 are linked.
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Thank you for the answer, Venerable Sir.
I was influenced by the Great Chronicle of the Buddhas. It says mahakaruna as one of the basic conditions of the paramis. It states that compassion and wisdom form the foundation of the paramis and they are a basic conditions of the aspiration for Buddhahood. I don’t know much about Mahayana as much as I know about Theravada, but I do like the concept of bodhisatta vow in Mahayana although it might not be exactly the same.
(6) Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa, tolerance to wrong-doings of others (or in terms of Abhidhamma, the group of consciousness and mental concomitants that arise in such a mode of tolerance headed by non-aversion, adosa) is the Perfection of Forbearance.
(a) It has the characteristic of bearing with patience. (b) Its function is to overcome both desirable and undesirable objects. (One, who is not endowed with endurance, adheres to greed when encountering pleasant, desirable objects; and to aversion, when encountering unpleasant, undesirable objects. One is then said to be defeated by both desirable objects and undesirable objects. One, who is endowed with endurance, stands firmly against keeping away from both greed and aversion. Forbearance is thus said to overcome all sense objects whether desirable or undesirable.) (c) Its manifestation in the yogi’s mind is patient, acceptance of both desirable objects and undesirable objects or non-opposition to them. (d) Its proximate cause is seeing things as they really are.
(7) Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa, speaking the truth and keeping one’s word is the Perfection of Truthfulness. (In terms of Abhidhamma, it is the mental concomitant of abstinence (virati-cetasika) or volition (cetanā-cetasika) or wisdom (paññā-cetasika) depending on circumstance.)
(a) It has the characteristic of veracity. (b) Its function is to make clear the truth as it is. (c) Its manifestation in the yogi’s mind is nobility, sweetness and pleasantness. (d) Its proximate cause is purity of deed, word and thought.
(8) Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa, an unshaken determination to pursue meritoriousness is the Perfection of Resolution. (In terms of Abhidhamma, it is the group of consciousness and mental concomitants arising in such a mode of resolution).
(a) It has the characteristics of unshaken determination in fulfilment of Perfections, Sacrifices, and Moral practices as requisites of Enlightenment. (b) Its function is to overcome all demeritoriousness that are opposed to the requisites of Enlightenment. (c) Its manifestation in the yogi’s mind is steadfastness in fulfilment of the requisites of Enlightenment. (d) Its proximate cause is the requisites of Enlightenment.
(9) Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa, service to the welfare and happiness of the world is the Perfection of [Loving-kindness](Loving Kindness: 1 definition). It is the mental concomitant of non-aversion, the adosa cetasika in terms of Abhidhamma.
(a) It has the characteristic of wishing prosperity to all beings. (b) Its function is to work for the welfare of beings in fulfilment of that wish; (or) its function is removing the nine causes of resentment[99]. (c) Its manifestation in the yogi’s mind is serenity. (d) Its proximate cause is seeing beings as agreeable. (No development of loving-kindness is possible if one looks at them as disagreeable ones.)
(10) Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa, the attitude of impartiality towards desirable and undesirable conditioned beings, discarding love and hate, is the Perfection of Equanimity. (In terms of Abhidhamma, it is the mental concomitant of equipoise (tatramajjhattatā), which arises in such modes.)
(a) It has the characteristic of taking up the mental position between love and hate. (b) Its function is to have an impartial view. (c) Its manifestation in the yogi’s mind is allaying both love and hate. (d) Its proximate cause is reflection that all beings are owner of their own deeds (kamma).
Each of the above descriptions of the Perfections begins with the qualifying words: “Founded on mahākaruṇā and upāya-kosalla ñāṇa.” These two attributes form the basic virtues, which are always present in the mental continuum of [Bodhisattas](Bodhisattva, Bodhisatta, Bodhi-sattva: 27 definitions) and only acts of dāna, sīla etc., thus founded on them constitute the pāramīs.
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Bhante,
I haven’t experienced equanimity throughout my life.
When I face difficult people, I used to ignore them, and I still do. I now understand that this is called khanti.
However, as you mentioned, I still have not experienced equanimity towards anyone.
I have experienced metta, karuna, and mudita many times,
but for those people I cannot help, my mind simply forgets about them in the next moment
Well, can try to think of them and see how you feel. Especially all the animals in slaughter houses due to be slaughtered.
Anyway equanimity is wider than just as a backup for compassion.
It’s when whatever happens, all the 8 winds of change, one feels it but does not react with greed or aversion, in any form, not even likes or dislikes.
Like a mountain in a stormy sea, firm, unmoved, feeling the beating of the waves.
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Do you think it’s spiritually harmful to avoid people I’ve had conflicts or disagreements with? Is it enough to forgive them in my heart, or do I need to reconcile with them?
Sometimes it’s not possible or needed. Anyway, highly dependent. See how open the other person is as well as how skillful one’s speech is.
If they keep on attacking oneself, one really have to put in more effort to reconcile the conflict.
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I really appreciate your help, Bhante!
Lately, I’ve been trying my best to not fight back when people insult me. I want to avoid making things worse. But after that, I just prefer to stay away from those people. It’s less stressful for me.
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It’s a good opportunity to practice forbearance, loving-kindness, and equanimity
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Yaah we practice khanti here …I ignore them as it helps me … otherwise I will get waves and waves of anger…
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