Compassion (karuṇā)
Skillful qualities / Divine Abidings / Compassion
Part of key topic Skillful Qualities
Subsumes: Non-cruelty (avihiṃsā, Harmlessness)
105 excerpts, 7:53:23 total duration

All excerpts (106) Most relevant (65) Questions about (39) Answers involving (38) Stories (11) Quotes (12) Readings (3) Texts (2) References (1)

Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 10 – Apr. 28, 2001

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9. Quote: “I thought of him as the world’s most compassionate sadist.” — Paul Breiter [Compassion] [Fierce/direct teaching] [Ascetic practices] [Ajahn Chah] // [Teaching Dhamma]


Remembering Ajahn Chah Weekend, Session 34 – Apr. 29, 2001

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12. Quote: “You’re living of the karma of the Buddha.” — Ajahn Chah. Quoted by Jack Kornfield. [Ajahn Chah] [Almsround] [Kamma] [Buddha] [Jack Kornfield] // [Liberation] [Compassion] [Culture/Thailand] [Gratitude] [Monastic life] [Ajahn Chah lineage]


Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock, Session 1 – Jun. 2, 2011

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4. Story: Ajahn Chah asks Ajahn Sumedho if he might go back to America as a monk. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Sumedho] [Culture/West] [Monastic life] [Tudong] // [Almsfood] [History/Western Buddhist monasticism]

Quote: “You mean to say there are no kind people in America?” — Ajahn Chah to Ajahn Sumedho [Compassion]


Questions and Answers with Dharma Realm Buddhist University – Nov. 18, 2014

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25. “So what about the Bodhisattva practice?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Bodhisattva] // [Theravāda] [Mahāyāna] [Thai Forest Tradition] [Generosity] [Ajahn Chah] [Upatakh] [Teaching Dhamma]

Sutta: AN 4.17-20: Practice that benefits self, others, both or neither.

Quote: “What are the mind states of an enlightened being?” “Only compassion.” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Arahant] [Compassion] [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Wat Pah Nanachat]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 1 – Nov. 22, 2014

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7. “In the context of deep love—like between spouses or between parent and child—what is the application of the concept of non-attachment? What does it mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Family] [Relinquishment] [Relationships ] // [Characteristics of existence] [Compassion]

Quote: “A really loving gift is giving that person the autonomy to be a human being but to really care for them.” [Generosity] [Self-reliance] [Human] [Compassion]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 5 – Nov. 26, 2014

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5. “There is a borderline between being fierceful (in a wholesome way) and being aggressive. I can’t say anything about Dhamma teachers as I have never experienced Thai Ajahns, but a few yoga teachers I’ve studied with in my opinion were rather just exercising their power over students. How to tell the difference between a teacher who genuinely means well to their students while acting fierce-fully from someone on a power trip?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Teaching Dhamma] [Fierce/direct teaching ] [Abuse/violence] // [Truth] [Compassion] [Generosity] [Personality ]

Recollection: On the surface, Ajahn Liem appears disinterested in the human condition. [Ajahn Liem] [Wat Pah Pong] [Leadership]

Recollection: Ajahn Chah could be very forceful, but the bigger picture was compassion. [Ajahn Chah] [Compassion]

Quote: “What is the mind of an enlightened being like?” — “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Wat Pah Nanachat] [Compassion]

Sutta: AN 4.243: ‘But Ānanda, since when has Anuruddha been involved in disciplinary issues in the midst of the Saṅgha?’ [Buddha/Biography] [Great disciples] [Conflict]


Desire or Aspiration, Session 1 – Jun. 14, 2015

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10. “Any advice for cures for burnout? I’m in a helping profession and feel depleted and exhausted. I need help getting the balance between giving and receiving.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Depression] [Work] [Health] [Generosity] [Compassion ] // [Culture/West] [Idealism] [Commentaries] [Selfishness]

Quote: “Compassion in the English language means ‘to suffer with.’ If you end up suffering with too much, you end up burnt out.” [Compassion ] [Language] [Suffering]

Quote: “Don’t think you’re a ten-wheeled dump truck when all you are is a wheelbarrow.” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah]

Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 291: Classical cultivation of goodwill and compassion, first to yourself. [Goodwill] [Compassion ]

Quote: “Our ability to be with others and to help and to give is dependent on our being kind and compassionate to ourselves.” [Compassion ] [Spiritual friendship] [Self-reliance]


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11. “Is sexuality and wanting an intimate connection with another considered a negative desire?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Sensual desire] [Relationships] [Desire] [Unskillful qualities] // [Food] [Clear comprehension] [Compassion] [Selfishness] [Discernment] [Precepts] [Trust]

Quote: “It’s not so much a matter of thwarting desire, but understanding how desire works so we can build those bonds of trust and care.” [Compassion]


The New Ajahn Chah Biography, Session 1 – Apr. 21, 2018

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1. Quote: “One of the main characteristics of Luang Por Chah was his loving kindness and compassion.” — Ajahn Liem. Quoted by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Liem] [Ajahn Chah] [Goodwill] [Compassion] // [Personal presence] [Equanimity]


The Path of Practice, Session 2 – Jun. 16, 2019

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5. “Years ago I considered the Buddha someone wbo practiced harm reduction. But having worked in the field, I’ve started to have a lot of conflict around when people request paraphanelia to help them use [drugs]. The idea is to keep them alive, but now it’s become very complicated because people are still dying. Is this a violation of right livelihood? Could you speak about wisdom and compassion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Intoxicants] [Health care] [Death] [Right Livelihood] [Discernment] [Compassion] [Gratitude] // [Right Intention] [Crime] [Politics and society]

Quote: “As a person who is trying to help, you have to learn harm reduction to yourself.” [Compassion] [Depression]


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 1 – Oct. 13, 2023

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2. “Tibetan Buddhism seems to have a stronger emphasis on compassion and emptiness as a practice. Can you talk about this from the perspective of the Ajahn Chah lineage, including steps as to how it is done?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Vajrayāna] [Compassion] [Emptiness] [Ajahn Chah lineage] // [Ajahn Chah] [Eightfold Path]

Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 3 – Oct. 15, 2023

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8. “Could you comment on the phrase in the Metta Sutta, “Not born again into this world?”” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rebirth] [Sutta] // [Goodwill] [Skillful qualities] [Gradual Teaching] [Not-self] [Views]

Reflection: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 37

Quote: “What is the mind of an Arahant like?” – “Only compassion” — Ajahn Mahā Boowa [Ajahn Mahā Boowa] [Arahant] [Compassion]