Sunday, October 30, 2005

Compassion is based on some sense of "soft spot"

Compassion is based on some sense of "soft spot" in us. It is as if we had a pimple on our body that was very sore -- so sore that we do not want to rub it or scratch it....That sore spot on our body is an analogy for compassion. Why? Because even in the midst of immense aggression, insensitivity to our life, or laziness, we always have a soft spot, some point we can cultivate -- or at least not bruise. Every human being has that kind of basic sore spot, including animals. Whether we are crazy, dull, aggressive, ego-tripping, whatever we might be, there is still that sore spot taking place in us. An open wound, which might be a more vivid analogy, is always there.... We are not completely covered with a suit of armor all the time. We have a sore spot somewhere, some open wound somewhere. Such a relief! Thank earth!

-- Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, From: TRAINING THE MIND AND CULTIVATING LOVING-KINDNESS, Shambhala

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