During the lifetime of the Buddha, there were those of the Brahmanical faith who hoped for eternal existence with Brahma, the creator God. A Brahman once asked the Buddha, “What can I do to ensure that I will be with Brahma after I die?” and the Buddha replied, “As Brahma is the source of love, to dwell with him you must practice the brahmaviharas —loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.”
As a Shin Buddhist, I was not familiar with the brahmaviharas since this grouping is not emphasized in our tradition. Shin Buddhism, rooted in the teachings of Shinran Shonin (1173–1263), reflects a Mahayana perspective in which wisdom and compassion are inseparably intertwined and stand as two of its most vital principles. According to Shin Buddhism, seeking wisdom is the most important issue, and it is out of wisdom that compassion arises.
Wisdom is direct insight into dependent origination—the truth that all things arise and pass away due to causes and conditions, without any permanent self. This realization of interdependence and emptiness forms the very foundation of wisdom. What matters most is that this understanding is not abstract but a living wisdom we experience as we recognize the truth of it in our own lives. Buddhism is first and foremost a path of self-examination and self-discovery. Enlightenment comes from insight into the true nature of oneself and all of existence.
When Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, attained enlightenment, he recognized that the self was only an assemblage of causes and conditions, without any permanent essence. After his awakening, Shakyamuni had no intention of sharing what he’d realized, as he thought the dharma was too subtle for most people to understand. Yet when he reflected more deeply on the truth of dependent origination—that all things arise through causes and conditions, without any permanent self—compassion arose. Seeing that all beings are interconnected in suffering, he could not remain silent. Out of compassion, he returned to the world of samsara to share the teachings, offering a path to liberation.
Shin Buddhism makes a distinction between two forms of compassion: small compassion and great compassion. Small compassion is the one we generally think of when we speak of compassion—the one we engage in as everyday people. It arises when we see another in pain and want to offer some relief. It is dualistic: There is a giver of compassion and a recipient of the act of compassion. One is aware of an act of kindness given. There is no doubt that this form of compassion can have a tremendous impact in the world and for oneself, yet our small compassion cannot be separated from our flawed human nature.
Shinran was unwavering in his recognition of the powerful nature of the ego. He taught that, no matter how well-intentioned we may be or how much we may wish it to be otherwise, it’s impossible to act selflessly. He said, “In this life, no matter how much pity and sympathy we may feel for others, it is impossible to help another as we truly wish; thus, our compassion is inconsistent and limited.”
He also said, “I am such that I do not know right from wrong and cannot distinguish false from true. I lack even small love and small compassion and yet for fame and profit enjoy teaching others.” Did he mean for us to not to even try to be compassionate?
I do not think so.
We must try to be compassionate at all times and with all beings. At the same time, we need to be aware of our limitations and attentive to how our ego operates in each circumstance. Everyday situations invite us to turn inward and discover what our actions show us about ourselves. Our pursuit of self-examination and self-understanding offers the key to unlocking wisdom.
In contrast to compassion that is still entrapped by ego, great compassion is always working to awaken sentient beings to truth and the attainment of enlightenment. All actions and activities that work toward realizing wisdom and spiritual transformation are deemed to be great compassion. From this perspective, it is only wisdom that offers ultimate liberation and happiness.
When Shinran Shonin talked about great compassion, he pointed to the boundless, limitless compassion that flows to us from ultimate reality. It is nondual, free of ego attachment, and is the gift of awakening calling to us at all times and in all situations, always working for our liberation. Arising from multiple causes and conditions, it reaches us from countless directions and in countless ways. Our task is to recognize great compassion, to appreciate the awakening being offered, and to respond with gratitude. Great compassion often arrives unbidden and unexpected—in the happy gathering of friends and family, on a walk in the woods, or in the laughter of a child.
Sometimes great compassion arrives in the form of a difficult situation, as it did twenty-two years ago when my husband and I discovered that our child had a problem with substance abuse. This wrenching experience tested us to our limits as we struggled to help our child, attempting many acts of small compassion over the years. Ultimately, I turned to the buddhadharma, returned to the temple, and immersed myself in the teachings—and great compassion led to a path of meaning, fulfillment, insight, and gratitude. The struggles remained, but through wisdom, a way forward to happiness opened up.
