Teachings on Compassion from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Mirror of the Heart

During the second session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, held on April 11, 2020, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided essential teachings on the nature of compassion. He invites us to pause and look inward, asking: Have you truly embodied compassion in your daily life? It is a question that demands honest introspection. If you find that you have not yet attained this state, you must look deeper to understand the underlying causes. It is not enough to simply desire to be compassionate; one must actively identify the internal barriers that prevent this virtue from flowing freely through the heart.

The Three Shadows Upon the Soul

I have observed the reasons why many practitioners find it difficult to manifest this quality. There are three primary obstacles that cloud the heart and prevent the light of compassion from shining through:

• Selfishness: When your thoughts are dominated by self-interest, you cannot achieve the fullness of compassion. Habitual thinking patterns filled with self-serving desires prevent the manifestation of compassionate hearts and actions, or cause your compassion to be incomplete and fragmented.
• The "self," personal ego, and selfishness: Ego-attachment, self-view, and arrogance act as heavy veils that obstruct the arising of compassion. These tendencies mask the heart, making it difficult to sustain compassionate vows and actions.
• Lack of a true spiritual friend: Without the guidance of a true spiritual friend, one becomes overly subjective, believing one's own thoughts are always correct. When evil views go unnoticed, it is easy for compassion to deviate from the righteous path, ultimately causing harm to both oneself and others.

Returning to the Essence of the True Self

Compassion is the very essence of our true self. It is not an external acquisition but a fundamental quality that must be uncovered. It is an essential condition for one’s practice and for the ultimate goal of becoming an awakened being. By removing these obstacles, we allow our innate compassion to shine forth, guiding us back to the truth. This message was recorded by the Buddhist disciple Venerable HaiZe.