Buddhism in Five Minutes - Elizabeth J. Harris
62. How Important is Compassion in Buddhism?
Buddhism in Five Minutes - Elizabeth J. Harris
Pyi Phyo Kyaw [+]
Shan State Buddhist University, Taunggyi, Myanmar
Pyi Phyo Kyaw is Dean of Academic Affairs and Lecturer in Theravada Studies at Shan State Buddhist University, Taunggyi, Myanmar. She is also a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, London, UK. She specializes in Burmese Buddhism, Abhidhamma (Theravada analytical philosophy), Theravada meditation, Buddhist business practices, and Buddhist ethics.
Description
Compassion (Pali and Sanskrit: karuṇā) is central to Buddhism, even to its very existence. Buddhism was founded when the Buddha decided to teach the Dharma, the truth that he had realized, out of compassion for all sentient beings caught in saṃsāra, the cycle of rebirth and inevitable suffering. Because understanding the Dharma is key to liberation from saṃsāra, the Buddhist tradition, which extols generosity, regards the gift of the Dharma as the highest gift of all.