| Definition |
The wish for everyone to be free from suffering and from the causes for suffering. Great compassion as defined in Mahayana differs from other forms of compassion in the following ways:
(1) It is more than just compassion, which is the wish for others to be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
(2) It is more than the immeasurable compassion shared in common with Hinayana, which is aimed equally at all limited beings and wants to be able to free them all from the uncontrollably recurring suffering of samsaric rebirth.
Great compassion has in addition the moisture of heart-warming love toward all limited beings, from recognising them all as having been our kind mothers. And it leads
(a) to the exceptional resolve to take responsibility actively to help them and
(b) on to bodhichitta to aim to attain enlightenment in order to lead them all likewise to enlightenment.
(Definition drawn from a discussion with Doboom Rinpoche.) |