– Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche
Compassion is the beneficial thought that moves you to help other sentient beings. It arises when you see their misery and pain, and you feel from the depth of your heart that you want to remove that suffering.
Compassion can be divided into three types. The first is compassion that focuses on sentient beings, the second is compassion that focuses on ignorance, and the third is compassion without any focus. The first type of compassion is easy to understand; if we look closely at the painful situations that sentient beings experience, we feel compassion and want to change their miserable conditions.
The second kind of compassion is directed towards a deeper level; it is compassion for the ignorance that sentient beings have about the true nature of phenomena. Everything about their bodies, possessions, and emotions is constantly changing, but due to ignorance, sentient beings grasp and cling to their lives as it they will last for eons. Then, when things change, they suffer. This type of compassion focuses on ignorance as to the root of all suffering.
The third type of compassion is objectless compassion. The first two types of compassion have objects: the first has the suffering of sentient beings and the second has their ignorance, but the third type has no particular focus. It is the deepest level of compassion; it is the meditation of the absolute state of equanimity. With this kind of compassion, there are no distinctions between sentient beings and non-sentient beings; one’s compassion is equal for all. One simply rests in the absolute, natural state, without any particular ideas or judgments. This compassion arises from the realization of emptiness and is free from all desire and duality. This level of meditation is achieved gradually and it is not as easy to understand as the first two types of compassion.
Practicing compassion will bring about the recognition of emptiness as the true nature of the mind. When you practice virtuous actions of compassion on the relative level, you spontaneously realize the profound nature of emptiness, which is the absolute level. In turn, if you focus your meditation practice on emptiness, then your compassion will spontaneously grow.
These two natures, the absolute and the relative are not opposites; they always arise together. They have the same nature, they are inseparable like a fire and its heat or the sun and its light. Compassion and emptiness are not like two sides of a coin. Emptiness and compassion are not two separate elements joined together; they are always coexistent.
In Buddhism, emptiness does not mean the absence of apparent existence. Emptiness is not like a black hole or darkness, or like an empty house or an empty bottle. Emptiness is fullness and openness and flexibility. Because of emptiness, it is possible for phenomena to function, for beings to see and hear, and for things to move and change. It is called emptiness because when we examine things we cannot find anything that substantially and solidly exists. Everything we perceive appears through ever-changing causes and conditions, without an independent, solid basis. Although from a relative perspective things appear, they arise from emptiness and they dissolve into emptiness. All appearances are like water bubbles or the reflection of the moon in the water.
Buddhist logic analyzes objects, both physical and mental, to see whether a truly existent essence can be found. One can mentally break down a physical object until it is only atoms, and those atoms can be divided into subtle atoms, and those can be analyzed until there is nothing at all. Objects are designated as such only by the imagination. External objects do not exist the way we believe them to be – as solid, singular, and permanent. If we look deeper, whatever appears is not truly there; it is a sort of hallucination.
Once we understand the emptiness of outer forms, we should look at the mind itself. What is the mind? Where is it? In analyzing its various aspects, we cannot find the mind of the past or the future, or even the mind of the present moment. The mind is also empty of substantial existence; it cannot be grasped. Everything, including the mind, is ultimately illusory and imaginary.
This understanding of relative and absolute truth can be applied in practical ways. For example, when you find yourself getting angry at someone, if you look immediately at the nature of your mind, you will not be able to find any substantial anger or anyone who is getting angry. If you really see that anger is empty by nature, then the anger will dissolve itself. The best way to eliminate negative emotions is by recognizing their emptiness. This is approaching disturbing emotions on the absolute level. To approach them on the relative level by using compassion as an antidote can also be very helpful. After the emotional energy has subsided somewhat, you could think compassionately: “I shouldn’t feel angry because this person is acting out of ignorance. Because he doesn’t see clearly, he doesn’t know what is appropriate, and this conflict has arisen. I wish he could be free from all ignorance and suffering.”
Buddha explained the union of appearance and emptiness in the Heart Sutra. This text begins with the Buddha entering the samadhi of profound illumination, and by the power of that samadhi, Shariputra had the wisdom to ask Avalokiteshvara how a Bodhisattva should train in perfect wisdom. Avalokiteshvara explained that form is emptiness and emptiness is form; emptiness is not different than form, and form is not different than emptiness. Whatever we see is empty of inherent nature and yet it clearly appears. There is nothing solid to hold onto, yet things continue to manifest. If this is true, why do we cling to people and things as being real? It is because of wrong understanding. This mistaken view is what we need to break down so that we see whatever appears in an open and impartial way. It is extremely important to realize emptiness as the true nature of reality.
The great master Nagarjuna said that phenomena are actually nothing, that on the absolute level they are emptiness, yet on the relative level, they appear and function. Since all appearances are empty by nature, the relative and absolute aspects are inseparably united. One could never find emptiness without appearance or appearance without emptiness.
In terms of practice, the wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of others and cultivation of compassion are the relative practice, and meditation on great emptiness is the absolute practice. When you maintain the natural state of mind in meditation, then compassion and kindness spontaneously radiate. When you practice immeasurable compassion for others, then the emptiness nature of all phenomena becomes clear.