Boundless (Immeasurable) Compassion

The next Boundless Quality is Compassion. I’ve said a whole lot about that already, in Book 2, and you already have an excellent method for practicing it—Tonglen. What more could there be to say?

Well, a little. Okay: maybe a fair amount. I want to share a couple of stories that always touch me. I think of this first one when I feel overwhelmed with strong compassion. Sometimes all we feel we can do is sit and cry. And sometimes that is just the thing to do. Joanna Macy, a famous Buddhist environmentalist/activist, believes that if we bury/ hide from our grief over the world, we won’t be energized to get up

and DO something about it. When I look at the need for action in the world, and how many of us go about our days without doing much, I can see her point. Sometimes grief is appropriate.

One time a monk came to visit Geshe Tönpa. The monk knew four others that Geshe Tönpa had trained: three brothers, as well as another fellow named Khampa Lungpa. Wanting to catch up on the news, Geshe Tönpa asked, “What is Potowa doing these days?” He was one of the three brothers.

“He is teaching hundreds of people all of the time,” replied the monk.

“Oh, that’s so good to hear! Have you heard any news of Geshe Puchungwa?” He was another of the three brothers.

“As a matter of fact I have. He is constantly making beautiful statues, paintings, and other representations of the Buddha.”

“That’s also good to hear,” smiled Geshe Tönpa. “And Gönpawa? What’s he up to?”

“He only meditates all day—nothing else.”

“How wonderful! And what about Khampa Lhungpa? Do you know what he’s doing these days?”

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, he just sits alone all day with his prayer shawl over his head, weeping at the su ering of beings.”

At that, Geshe Tönpa took o his hat, put his hands together in front of his heart and began to cry deeply. When he regained his voice, he said, “This is the best news of all. He’s really practicing the Dharma. I could go on and on about his great qualities, but I know he wouldn’t want me to.”

Student Is it really just enough to cry and pray? Don’t we need to do something about the su ering in the world? LT I can’t speak for Geshe Tönpa, but I have some thoughts from listening to various masters and thinking a lot about this myself. I’m not being facetious but totally serious when I say “both/and.” First of all, we each have our own talents and leanings, not to mention karmic leanings and opportunities. Some people are very persuasive people and can change the world, the way Bill Wilson and Bob Smith did in starting Alcoholics Anonymous. Through the brave and strategic e orts of many demonstrators

and media people, the war in Vietnam was stopped. I mentioned Joanna Macy, who has spent most of her nine decades working tirelessly and strategically to ward off the worst environmental disasters. The Buddha was a gifted teacher but he didn’t stop there. In his time, he single-handedly started a movement that ended the caste system for many centuries. It’s worth mentioning that at another time in his life, all he did was meditate for years at a time.

Which brings me to an important point. Sometimes it’s time to do inner work; sometimes to work in our close community; sometimes to be active in the larger world. Without inner work, our relationships will probably suffer. Without healthy community, we’re probably not going to be as effective out in the world. We may not even pick the best strategies for outer work without doing inner work. Around and around it goes; those three areas supporting each other, forging a satisfyingly meaningful life.

Student So are you saying that a meditation retreat would make me a better activist? LT And vice versa! Inner work (including perhaps, some psychology) will help you aim your outer efforts better, fueled by wisdom and compassion rather than by old frustrations disguised as righteous causes. And the outer work will bring merit (positive karma and habits of mind) that will help you on the cushion. I’ve believed this for a long time, based on my own experience, so I was happy to hear Rinpoche say the same thing. Working on the community level helps in both directions because we learn a lot about ourselves in community. In the outer direction, we have exponentially more power to change the world if we do it in healthy partnership with others. And I don’t know of many people who have sustained a meditation practice without doing it in community sometimes too.