Expert: Justin Choo - 5/19/2008

Question
QUESTION: I'm confused about something and I hope you can help. How can one practice the concept of non-attatchment and yet have commpassion for other living beings at the same time?

Also, the Buddha had great compassion for humanity, but how could he possibly have been happy then? It's like caring about the destitute in war-torn countries - the more you care and try to help, the greater the sorrow that comes with it because you know that no matter how many people you save, there will always be a million more that you can't. It's not really possible to feel great compassion and not have great sorrow at the same time is it, how could the Buddha have risen over that?

Sorry if my questions are rude or offensive in any way, that isn't my intention! Thanks so much in advance

ANSWER: Hi Kav,

Thank you for asking me; and you are definitely not rude in asking such a thoughtful question.

Happiness and compassion are two very distinct feeling.

In common term, the basis of happiness is the presence of specific factors which make us happy.  The most classic example will be having lots of money.  Once this condition is present, the person will immediately feel a sense of happiness.  After a certain period, this condition of just having money is no longer the main factor for his happiness.  He will have to seek new factors to experience new happiness, like having a new house,  new cars, and other things.  Once these are fulfilled, the law of diminishing returns sets in.  These conditions which previously generate lots of happiness are now stale.  If no new conditions are satisfied, then the person will no longer experience the happineess again.  In short, "happiness" is a "conditioned" experience.  Without the prerequisite condition, happiness will not appear.  "Non-attachment" is just like the doctor who concentrates on the job to be done.

"Compassion" is defined in the dictionary as "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it". It is love without conditions. Another term is spiritual love or universal love. There is nothing to do with whether you like the person or not. You still can show compassionate love to the person even though you do not like him. For example, in a disaster; you save one life.  You will feel a sense of happiness for what you had done for this specific action.  But you cannot be happy for the whole scenario.

The recent tragic disasters in Myanmar and China bring attention to the four distinct display of compassion, happiness, non-attachment and love.  The Compassion shown by the relief workers; the Happiness felt by everyone whenever someone is saved; the Non-attachment concentration of the paramedics and doctors working on the injured, and the Love displayed by the bond of blood-relations of mother-father-siblings.  On the other hand, there is Sorrow in the overall scenario.  

To-day is Vesak Day, the thrice blessed day for the Buddhists.  It always falls on the first full moon day in the month of May.  It was on this day that the Buddha realized the true nature of this existence.  The two recent tragedies bear witness to this realization.

Have a happy, contented and peaceful day!

Smile from justinchoo :-)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks much for ur prompt answer, but I have 1 more question - So the Buddha was NOT immune from sorrow was he? I dont mean the sorrow that comes with craving. I mean the genuine sorrow that comes with the pity you feel for people in the clutches of suffering (like the people involved in the disaster in myanmar).
Even if he did free himself from the shackles of greed, fear, ignorance, he still had a heart. He must have felt a distinct pang of sorrow (or pity) as he looked at the world around him and saw the suffering of his fellow man. Am i right in thinking that he was only truly liberated from this kind of sorrow only AFTER he passed away and attained Nirvana? Again, thanks in advance :)

Answer
Hi Kav,

Welcome back.  All of us ordinary mortals will experience the emotion of sorrow when we face sorrowful events, no matter how much compassion and non-attachment we may display.  As I said before, compassion is more of the desire to alleviate people's sorrow.  The sorrowful feeling that we experience simply demonstrates our lack of mental cultivation.  We succumb to this human emotion.  As for the Buddha, he had surpassed this stage of primitive emotion.  That was his enlightenment, the complete eradication of the three roots of greed, hatred and delusion.   

Smile from justinchoo :-)