Correlation between compassion and dependent origination

[Kyousui]

Is there any correlation between the two?
I'm wondering if compassion is a mental formation.

[tlsk]

Hey Tom,

That's an interesting notion. I suppose compassion could be considered one's recognition of one's oneness with another and all others, but I'll leave the final word to those with a little more study under their belts. As to the second part of your inquiry, I'm wondering if you could be a little clearer as to what you mean by "mental formation?"

I love these kinds of chats!

Gassho,
Taylor
SatTodayLAH

[Kyousui]

I think of mental formations as products of our mind. For instance, I am short in stature - that's a fact. That I'm not as good as others because of that is a mental formation.

[Jundo]

Hi Tom,

I am not sure if I can answer, and Zen folks typically avoid to get too technical in their responses to that kind of question of Buddhist philosophy. Let me try this, and maybe it is too simple:

Co-Dependent origination (in my interpretation) describes a mechanism where the human mind comes to divide the world into separate pieces, including the key division of "self" vs. "not myself". This is my version here, where I try to compare the process to modern ideas of early infant mental development as the child comes to have a self identity. I don't know if it is exactly the traditional model, but I think it works.

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7707-Buddha-Basics-%28Part-XIV%29-%C2%96-The-Twelve-Fold-Chain

Compassion involves our efforts to help the sentient beings get beyond the suffering of Dukkha caused by this "self" "not self" divide and the general selfish needs and judgments created in the above process.

So, that is the connection.

I suppose that our idea to "rescue the sentient beings" in such way is, technically, itself a mental formation (idea) that arises as part of the above process too.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Getchi]

I would say compassion is not an aggregate, but a process of recognition. By maintaining shikantaza practice, and metta practice, I think you cover everything up to the formless absorbtion s as well as becoming gradually dependant of co-origination.

IOW if compassionate action is wise, then wisdom is compassion itself.


Just a little thought



SAtToday/ LaH

Incidentally it was insight into myself that convinced me Gods attributes and my Parents place in my life from birth to 3 are very much inseperable.