Sorrow Deceiving as Compassion

revised on 2019-05-26

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Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw; 23rd February 1959

[The following six talks were connecting with refined dhammas. Each one lasted only 30 minutes. Sayadaw gave to his two closed disciples who were couple. The followings are not whole talk translation but only the main points. ]

Sorrow (soka) can come in and deceive as compassion (karuṇā). Worry, concerning, sorrow and sadness are not true compassion. Compassion is connecting with equanimity (upekkhā). Therefore, compassion, equanimity and wisdom are connected. It’s subtle and not easy to distinguish. Most people take sorrow (soka) as compassion (karuṇā). After the mind of compassion, altruistic joy (mudita) comes in and then falls into life continuum (bhavaṅga citta). Therefore, paṭiccasamuppāda (dependent arising) is not going on (not connected). If sorrow comes in, it connects with the dependent arising. (Here Sayadaw gave an important instruction). Whatever mind state arising makes an effort to know it. With this we are not deceived by the cunning mind. Whatever arising, contemplate impermanence. If you don’t contemplate for the compassionate mind, it doesn’t matter. But if you contemplate it you will develop the knowledge. In contemplation of the mind, yogi must distinguish the different states of the mind. With this one will know the arising and passing away of the mind. Concepts are also useful in their own. Knowing how to distinguish them will know the arising. By knowing the arising one you will know the passing away. Contemplate at this, it’s a concept. By knowing the passing away is discerning the impermanence. Do you know the benefit of names? If you reject conventional truth you don’t know how to contemplate (Mahasi Vipassanā is a good example.). Therefore, in the Satipaṭṭhāna Pali mentioned a word – pajānāti which means to know it. (Sayadaw gave some examples for the seriousness of sorrow.) It’s similar to a person hit by a thorny object and difficult to pull out. Such thing as can’t forget a deceased loved one for three years and three raining seasons. (This is a Burmese saying.)

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revised on 2019-05-26; cited from https://oba.org.tw/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4028&p=35562#p35562 (posted on 2018-12-14)

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• Content of Part 2 on "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of "Dhamma Talks by Mogok Sayadaw"

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• Content of Publications of Ven. Uttamo

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