GOOD QUESTION
GOOD ANSWER
Ven. S.
Dhammika
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[07]
Wisdom and Compassion
What do the terms wisdom
and compassion mean in Buddhism?
Some religions believe
that compassion or love (the two are very similar) is the most important
spiritual quality but they fail to develop any wisdom. The result is that
you end up being a good-hearted fool, a very kind person but with little
or no understanding. Other systems of thought, like science, believe that
wisdom can best be developed when all emotions, including compassion, are
kept out of the way. The outcome of this is that science has tended to
become preoccupied with results and has forgotten that science is to serve
man, not to control and dominate him. How, otherwise could scientists have
lent their skills to develop the nuclear bomb, germ warfare, and the like.
Religion has always seen reason and wisdom as the enemy of emotions like
love and faith. Science has always seen emotions like love and faith as
being enemies of reason and objectivity. And of course, as science
progresses, religion declines. Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches that
to be a truly balanced and complete individual, you must develop both
wisdom and compassion. And because it is not dogmatic but based on
experience, Buddhism has nothing to fear from science.
So what, according to
Buddhism, is wisdom?
The highest wisdom is
seeing that in reality all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent, and not
self. This understanding is totally freeing and leads to the great
security and happiness which is called Nirvana. However, the Buddha
doesn’t speak too much about this level of wisdom. It is not wisdom if
we simply believe what we are told. True wisdom is to directly see and
understand for ourselves. At this level then, wisdom is to keep an open
mind rather than being closed-minded, listening to other points of view
rather than being bigoted; to carefully examine facts that contradict our
beliefs, rather than burying our heads in the sand; to be objective rather
than prejudiced and partisan; to take time about forming our opinions and
beliefs rather than just accepting the first or most emotional thing that
is offered to us; and to always be ready to change our beliefs when facts
that contradict them are presented to us. A person who does this is
certainly wise and is certain to eventually arrive at true understanding.
The path of just believing what you are told is easy. The Buddhist path
requires courage, patience, flexibility and intelligence.
What is the point of
Buddhism if only a few can practice it?
It is true that not
everyone is ready for Buddhism yet. But to say therefore that we should
teach a religion that is false but easily understandable so everyone can
practise it is ridiculous. Buddhism aims at the truth and if not everyone
has the capacity to understand it yet, they perhaps will be ready for it
in their next life. However, there are many who, with just the right words
or encouragement, are able to increases their understanding. And it is for
this reason that Buddhists gently and quietly strive to share the insights
of Buddhism with others. The Buddha taught us out of compassion and we
teach others out of compassion.
What, according to
Buddhism, is compassion?
Just as wisdom covers the
intellectual or comprehending side of our nature. Like wisdom, compassion
is uniquely human quality. Compassion is made up of two words. 'co'
meaning together and 'passion' meaning a strong feeling. And this is what
compassion is. When we see someone is in distress and we feel their pain
as if it were our own, and strive to eliminate or lessen their pain, then
this is compassion. So all the best in human beings, all the Buddha-like
qualities like sharing, readiness to give comfort, sympathy, concern and
caring - all are manifestations of compassion. You will notice also that
in the compassionate person, care and love towards others has its origins
in care and love for oneself. We can really understand others when we
really understand ourselves. We will know what’s best for others when we
know what’s best for ourselves. We can feel for others when we feel for
ourselves. So in Buddhism, ones own spiritual development blossoms quite
naturally into concern for the welfare of others. The Buddha’s life
illustrates this very well. He spent six years struggling for his own
welfare, after which, he was able to be of benefit to the whole of
mankind.
Isn’t it selfish to say
that we are best able to help others after we have helped ourselves.
We usually see altruism,
concern for others before oneself, as being the opposite of selfishness,
concern for oneself before others,. Buddhism does no see it as either one
or the other but rather as a blending of the two. Genuine self-concern
will gradually mature into concern for others as one sees that others are
really the same as oneself. This is genuine compassion. Compassion is the
most beautiful jewel in the crown of the Buddha’s teaching.
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Update : 01-03-2002
