dharmatalks

Generating genuine compassion is a simple practice, which benefits the practitioner as well as the recipient of that compassion, the community in which they each reside, the world, and indeed, the entire universe.

This is because compassion is not just something we "ought to develop", but is, I would suggest, who we are. His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama notes, "At the time of our birth, we have neither religion nor ideology nor culture. We acquire or learn about these later in our lives. But I believe no one is born free from the need for love. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind." (from Disarmament, Peace and Compassion)

This is why we strive toward becoming compassion for those who might be perceived as our adversaries, our enemies or our "biggest pains in the ass".
You see, when we show what we think is compassion toward someone we love, it’s not pure loving-kindness… because our emotion investment in that person is a type of attachment. But those who have done nothing but attempt to harm us, discredit us, anger us… those are the ones who teach us to dig deeper, and find the source of who we are. They push us to become living dharma, not just mouthpieces for some lofty ideas. They are the grains of sand, which enter the depths of who we are, without whom, we could never generate the true pearl of Compassion.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

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“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Prince of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

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Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2010, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.