[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: The Vision of Compassion

[Carolyn Gimian]

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

September 28, 2006

THE VISION OF COMPASSION

Taking the Mahayana approach of benevolence means giving up privacy and 
developing a sense of greater vision. Rather than focusing on our own 
little projects, we expand our vision immensely to embrace working with the 
rest of the world, the rest of the galaxies, the rest of the universes. 
Putting such broad vision into practice requires that we relate to 
situations very clearly and perfectly. In order to drop our 
self-centeredness, which both limits our view and clouds our actions, it is 
necessary for us to develop a sense of compassion. Traditionally this is 
done by first developing compassion towards oneself, then toward someone 
very close to us, and finally toward all sentient beings, including our 
enemies. Ultimately we regard all sentient beings with as much emotional 
involvement as if they were our own mothers. We may not require such a 
traditional approach at this point, but we can develop some sense of 
ongoing openness and gentleness. The point is that somebody has to make the 
first move.

 From "The Bodhisattva" in the SHAMBHALA SUN magazine, November 2006, page 52.

Of interest to our readers: Today's quote is excerpted from Chogyam 
Trungpa's presentation of the bodhisattva ideal in the November issue of 
the SHAMBHALA SUN. This issue also contains excerpts from DRAGON THUNDER: 
MY LIFE WITH CHOGYAM TRUNGPA by Diana J. Mukpo with Carolyn Rose Gimian and 
features an interview with Diana.

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All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by 
permission.

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Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications,  the Archive of his 
unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
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