Compassion is Mandatory

In our world today, compassion is mandatory. It is mandatory because there are so many diverse interests. Compassion is necessary for us to develop tolerance for different points of view.

Compassion is mandatory in order for us to develop non-discrimination. Many people still harbor discrimination towards people who are not like them.

There is a tremendous rise of antisemitism in many European countries today. There is tremendous animosity between Muslims and the rest of the world. There is tremendous unrest in Africa and other third world countries. The amount of discrimination has reached an intolerable level.

The development of compassion is mandatory if we are to live together in peace and harmony in this only home we have – planet Earth!

Otherwise, we are doomed to extinction.

Compassion Isn’t Incidental | September 18, 2014 When there isn’t enough compassion being generated (either for ourselves as individuals or in the world in general), we become unbalanced; we suffer from it as we would from a lack of fresh air and clean water. It is not an incidental element, it is mandatory. We will not survive without it. – Patricia Anderson, “Real or Pretend?”

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh says,

When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We practice in this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being loveable.

I think this is a better approach than the one that is predominant in the world today. You might say that compassion begins with yourself. To develop compassion for yourself, practice these phrases diligently:

I am safe from internal and external harm.
I have a calm, clear mind and a peaceful, loving heart.
I am strong, healthy and vital.
I experience love, joy, wonder and wisdom in this life just as it is.

Do you have any better ideas on how to develop compassion? I would really like to know.