New answers tagged compassion
1
You've already mentioned the relevance of SN56.11, so we might look at some finer points. For example, here we find a balance for our compassion:
AN4.95:3.3: But the person who practices to benefit both themselves and others is the foremost, best, chief, highest, and finest of the four.
And you've noted the importance of understanding good/bad deeds, so ...
0
This isn't quite what you were asking, but on the subject of "too much guilt instead of improving ourselves", there's SN 42.8 which includes --
Take some teacher who has this doctrine and view: ‘Everyone who kills a living creature, steals, commits sexual misconduct, or lies goes to a place of loss, to hell.’ And there’s a disciple who is devoted ...
2
You may be interested in AN 3.99, which states that by developing yourself in body, virtue and mind, a trifling evil deed that is done, will not bog you down:
"Suppose that a man were to drop a salt crystal into a small amount of
water in a cup. What do you think? Would the water in the cup become
salty because of the salt crystal, and unfit to drink?&...
1
I can recall these lines;
Seeing others as yourself; don't wish suffering on anyone.
One protects others by protecting oneself; one protects oneself by protecting others.
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