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Rays of Dharma
well-to-do but devoid of religion is modal compassion; detecting one's own instincts of anger, greed, arrogance etc. and turning back from the same is self-compassion. As we should be compassionate to the persons in need of help, so should we be compassionate to ourselves. Do we ever think about what is going to happen to our soul? Is it not worth cultivating compassion for ourselves?
Lord Mahaveer's compassion for Chandkoshi became fruitful because he had compassion for himself. We should also be compassionate to those becoming angry or indulging in any other defiling instinct. Compassion for others will arise after we learn to be compassionate to ourselves. It is analogous to the compassion of a mother, who does not go against the interests of her son despite knowing his faults. Once we learn this, it will be easy to comprehend modal compassion. We would then help others in removing their faults, but will not disgrace them by publicly exposing the same. If we want to reform an offender, it is no use raising walls against him. That simply results in downgrading ourselves.
As divers dive deep into the sea and bring forth the pearls, a religious person should dive deep into one's life and bring forth the jewels of right perception, knowledge and character. It is of course tough and can be gained by undergoing spiritual pursuit for a long time. Observing austerities and expecting to get liberated thereby, does not help. 'Reap as you sow' is the rule. Law of Karma is inexorable; one acquires it in proportion to his inclination; no influence works there.
We have thus examined here the concept of external and internal compassion as well as of self-compassion. It would be clear that if we want to proceed towards liberation, we need to dive deep in our life, figure out the faults and try to remove the same compassionately. There will always be a lot of people who find faults at our back; we should rely upon our true well-wishers, who point out the same on our face. In order to be compassionate to the self as well as to others, it is necessary to have the right understanding. In absence thereof, the compassion will merely stay at the external level. 90
