Compassion in Action

Breathe in the world's pain, breathe out love, and let karuna (compassion) blossom in your life.

By Anne Cushman

By practicing in this way, absolutely everything that arises in our hearts--even rage or indifference--becomes a doorway to connection and compassion. And this compassion is the essential platform for taking action in the world. Ultimately, of course, meditation alone is not enough to effect change; to make a difference, our compassion must be manifested in action.

But by awakening the heart of compassion, we increase the likelihood that our actions will be skillful. Hanh writes, "If we use anger at injustice as the source for our energy, we may do something harmful, something that we will later regret. According to Buddhism, compassion is the only source of energy that is useful and safe."

The Gifts of Sorrow

We may sometimes wish that our lives were free of pain--that our dreams would not lose their luster, that our bodies would not undergo injuries, aging, and disease. But when we look closely, we probably wouldn't want to be the person we might be if we were spared these sorrows--a person that perhaps is more careless of the hearts of others or more oblivious to the gifts that life offers in every moment.

In Buddhist cosmology, the realm of the gods--a mythical world free of death, pain, and loss--is not the best place to become incarnate. It is our human realm, with all of its suffering, that is the ideal place for awakening our hearts.

And when our hearts awaken, even small gestures can have an immense effect. As Hanh explains, "One word can give comfort and confidence, destroy doubt, help someone avoid a mistake, reconcile a conflict, or open the door to liberation. One action can save a person's life or help him take advantage of a rare opportunity. One thought can do the same, because thoughts always lead to words and actions. With compassion in our heart, every thought, word, and deed can bring about a miracle."

Anne Cushman is a contributing editor at Yoga Journal and Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and the author of From Here to Nirvana: A Guide to Spiritual India.

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