Compassion

"Kindness is to be shown by a noble person either towards a sinner or to a virtuous person or even to a person who deserves death, for, there is none who never commits a wrong." Sita in the Valmiki Ramayana

“Compassion is the root of virtue; the root of evil is self-righteousness. Cease not to be compassionate as long as the breath of life flows in the body.” Tulsidas

“The vile are ever prone to detect the faults of others, though they be as small as mustard seeds, and persistently shut their eyes against their own, though they be as large as Vilva fruit.” Garuda Purana

“The conduct of saints and the wicked is analogous to that of sandal-wood and the axe. The axe cuts down a sandal-tree, while the sandal-tree in its turn perfumes the axe by imparting its virtue (fragrance) to it.” Tulsi Ramayana

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Our tradition is a gift to us and a blessing of beauty for everyone in our world. Let us become the active embodiments of that beautiful blessing.

The highest teachings of our Hindu tradition do not condone or implore us to treat others exactly as they treat us. Our tradition calls us to respond to others on the basis of our own highest ideals of compassion ( daya), generosity (dana), self-control (dama) and forgiveness (kshama). Although, these are not easy ideals to practice in individual and social contexts, the ideal is not perfection but sincere striving. “Those who love God,” teaches the Ramayana, “devote themselves ceaselessly to the wellbeing of others; they identify with and care for the suffering.”

Let us not be led by those who insist that we lower our ethical visions by telling us that our ideals are impractical and that we will destroy ourselves by fidelity to our values. Let us not be led by those who insist that we treat others exactly as others treat us. They are not speaking from the deepest divine source of our tradition. Let us not be cowed into fear by those who preach and tell us that our tradition will be destroyed unless we give up on its most fundamental ethical values. Let us not be deceived by those who say that compassion (daya), and forgiveness (kshama) are symptoms of weakness and not strength. Let us be guided always by the heights of our ideals even when we fail.

Let us not believe those who shout in loud and hateful voices that our tradition can only be defended by conceding its highest ethical ideals and who call on us to hate, denigrate, and demean entire religious communities for the violent actions of a few. What is left to defend when our hearts are infected with the virus of hate and untruth and when all that is humane, benevolent, and life-giving in our tradition is destroyed in the name of saving it? If our tradition needs to be defended, let us do so thoughtfully and mindfully by ensuring our fidelity to its highest teachings and virtues.

Do not listen to those who want to find justifications for ignoble sloganeering and approve disingenuous explanations for violence. We do not want them to be the exemplars of our tradition for future generations. They are not the future of our tradition and must not be the teachers of our children. We have a moral responsibility to choose which voices in our tradition speak authentically and faithfully to its highest teachings for the good life for all.

Our tradition is a gift to us and a blessing of beauty for everyone in our world. Let us become the active embodiments of that beautiful blessing.