Taoist works on compassion

[TheWhiteRabbit]

I was reading some texts the other day...

made me wonder:

Does Taoism have any text that focus on compassion?

[mat black]

From the Scripture in Forty Nine Chapters The Heavenly Lord Shakra, also known as the Jade Emperor says:

 

Chapter 23: Kindness and Compassion

The Heavenly Lord said:Kindness and compassion are the true nature of you all living beings. You should always treat all beings with kindness and compassion and should not have the heart to hurt them. You should regard the sufferings of others as if they were happening to yourself, and wish to save and protect the living beings and make them all peaceful and happy.

 

All living beings are trapped in sins and sufferings due to their foolishness and ignorance; however, if you do not save them and pull them out from the sufferings, you are as foolish and ignorant as them.

 

You should always practice with your great compassionate hearts, and then you will achieve the unsurpassed Tao naturally.

 

Chapter 36: The Greatest Power

Wonderful Practice Real Person asked the Heavenly Lord:

What is the greatest power in the world?

 

The Heavenly Lord said:

The power of kindness and compassion is the most vast and great power. The hearts of kindness and compassion can melt all; the practices of kindness and compassion can tame all. Vicious ones cannot compete with it, and atrocious ones cannot fight against it -- wherever it proceeds, it is always invincible. Thus, this power is vast, great, and boundless.

 

Source:

http://home.comcast.net/~taoistresource/0018.html

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Very very cool.

I was immersing myself in some of the buddhist texts, but this is very good. Ill have to print that book out so I have a hard copy.

Thank you Mat Black!

[mat black]

Very very cool.

I was immersing myself in some of the buddhist texts, but this is very good. Ill have to print that book out so I have a hard copy.

Thank you Mat Black!

Pleasure mate

My take on it is that compassion is found consistently throughout the Buddhist texts because it is so fundamental in order to awaken to the ultimate truth.

As the venerable master Hsuan Hua says:

"Buddhism talks about kindness and compassion. What is kindness? It means being kind to those with whom one has no affinity. That is, you should be kind and compassionate to people who feel no affinity with you, no matter how they treat you.

There's also the great compassion of being one with all. How can we have great compassion? Great compassion is a feeling of pity and sympathy. When we see others suffering, we also suffer. This is known as commiserating with the world's people.

We should practice kindness, compassion, joy and giving, because by being kind we can make living beings happy, and by being compassionate, we can sympathise with living beings and alleviate their suffering and afflictions.

We should love people as much as we love ourselves."

~Hsuan Hua~

 

 

Works on compassion are in Taoist sources as well, though it seems to be less common. Here's some more from Taoist sources that I found.

 

"Who can enjoy enlightenment and remain indifferent to suffering in the world?

This is not in keeping with the way.

Only those who increase their service along with their understanding can be called men and women of Tao"

 

"When you percive that an act done to another is an act done to yourself, you have understood a great truth."

~Hua Hu Ching~

 

Extolling the Lotus, verse 2:

"Our original pure immaterial seed

Is crystal clear throughout all time.

Because it dislikes mental and material greed

It bides for a time deep in the mud.

It always intends to help people out,

Ever determined to overcome selfishness.

Of the many who try to take it,

How many really know what it is?"

~The book of Balanace and Harmony~

Edited March 26, 2009 by mat black

[WhiteTiger]

Mat Black, I've personally find what you offer to the boards lately very nice additions... You have earned my respect (Different then being virtuous and just giving respect because it is intern respectful to yourself)

 

I'm wondering why would you put intention behind your post?

 

Edited some out for after some time past I thought my words were well... not very compassionate.

Edited March 26, 2009 by WhiteTiger

[mat black]

Mat Black, ........................

I'm wondering why would you put intention behind your post?

Sorry, I don't understand the question.

[Mak_Tin_Si]

Taoism do have cultivations that talks and teaches about compassion which are the basic study of precepts and commandments. When you first got into the stage of being a "taoist that accepted precepts", your master would give you the precepts and commandments which allow you to be attuned to the deities' energy and also cultivate the precepts's method. Compassion is one of them.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Pleasure mate

My take on it is that compassion is found consistently throughout the Buddhist texts because it is so fundamental in order to awaken to the ultimate truth.

As the venerable master Hsuan Hua says:

"Buddhism talks about kindness and compassion. What is kindness? It means being kind to those with whom one has no affinity. That is, you should be kind and compassionate to people who feel no affinity with you, no matter how they treat you.

There's also the great compassion of being one with all. How can we have great compassion? Great compassion is a feeling of pity and sympathy. When we see others suffering, we also suffer. This is known as commiserating with the world's people.

We should practice kindness, compassion, joy and giving, because by being kind we can make living beings happy, and by being compassionate, we can sympathise with living beings and alleviate their suffering and afflictions.

We should love people as much as we love ourselves."

~Hsuan Hua~

Works on compassion are in Taoist sources as well, though it seems to be less common. Here's some more from Taoist sources that I found.

 

"Who can enjoy enlightenment and remain indifferent to suffering in the world?

This is not in keeping with the way.

Only those who increase their service along with their understanding can be called men and women of Tao"

 

"When you percive that an act done to another is an act done to yourself, you have understood a great truth."

~Hua Hu Ching~

 

Extolling the Lotus, verse 2:

"Our original pure immaterial seed

Is crystal clear throughout all time.

Because it dislikes mental and material greed

It bides for a time deep in the mud.

It always intends to help people out,

Ever determined to overcome selfishness.

Of the many who try to take it,

How many really know what it is?"

~The book of Balanace and Harmony~

 

I think thats really cool. I talked to Wilson Yong in passing a few days ago, and he was talking to me about this exact subject. Technically he is not my teacher, yet. Perhaps in the future I can visit for training (he does not teach online)

But he was talking about how most of the very spiritual people take the Bodhisattva vow. I was very inspired by this, especially as he said they do their best so as to not have any negative thought. In fact some of them wont even respond if put into bad situation or show kindness in turn.

Very inspirational.

[contrivedname!]

for a daoist work check out the liezi (wade-giles: lieh tzu). in my opinion this work is buddhist influenced as well