Compassion (karuṇā)
Subsumes: Non-cruelty (avihiṃsā, Harmlessness)
Parent topic: Divine Abidings
94 excerpts, 7:03:02 total duration

All excerpts (95) Questions about (37) Answers involving (30) Stories (9) Quotes (8) 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]


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]