Compassion is a far greater and nobler thing than pity. Pity has its roots in fear and carries a sense of arrogance and condescension, sometimes even a smug feeling of “I’m glad it’s not me.” As Stephen Levine says: “When your fear touches someone’s pain it becomes pity; when your love touches someone’s pain, it becomes compassion.” To train in compassion is to know that all beings are the same and suffer in similar ways, to honor all those who suffer, and to know that you are neither separate from nor superior to anyone.
---Sogyal Rinpoche
1 comment:
Keith:
Our son, Alex Baer, was killed in an alcohol-related auto accident in August. Our family is standing for leniency for the young woman driving the car. I cannot intellectualize it well, nor am I interested in arguing it. But I have set up a blog, and would love to hear your thoughts on compassion. I am going to steal your Rinpoche quote. Hope that's okay. I also have Mother Teresa and Carl Jung's thoughts on my blog.
You can find us at
http://atthehearth.wordpress.com
Thank you,
Susan
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