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DISCOURSE 16
· 271 Please understand the difference between the ordinary kindness and the extreme kindness. If you get these thoughts on seeing a jiva in sorrow, “The poor creature is in distress. He is hungry! I will give him some money. Let him eat something". Then you are showing ordinary kindness because though you have money and means enough to satisfy his hunger completely, you give him only some money and you feel happy with that action. Do you know what extreme kindness impels you to do? You would satisfy his hunger completely spending one or ten rupees. The great acharya has mentioned in his grantha, entitled Shodashak four kinds of compassion or kindness.
(1) Kindness shown through ignorance; (2) Kindness shown to those in distress; (3) Kindness shown to others for their salvation; (4) Kindness shown for the welfare of all.
Understand these four kinds of kindness. Such an in-depth analysis of compassion is not found in any other grantha. Acharya Shri Haribhadrasoori has analysed compassion thus from the psychological point of view.
1. Mohyukta Karma or Kindness shown through ignorance
In this context, Moha means ignorance. Kindness can be shown through ignorance. Let us take the case of a mother. Her son is ill. The doctor has said, "Do not give him any sweets and do not give him any fried eatables". She has prepared sweets at home and the child asks for sweets. The mother has great affection for her son. On account of her affection or blinded by her affection for her son, she gives him sweets. This is called kindness shown through ignorance. The mother does not realise that her son's fever and illness would increase if he eats sweets. She gives him sweets on account of her ignorance of the principles of health. This is compassion born out of ignorance. The child weeps for sweets. The mother's heart melts away with kindness and she gives him sweets.
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