DDB: 大悲 | great compassion

Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

大悲

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: great compassion

Senses:

Great pity (Skt. mahā-karuṇā). A mind that seeks to save the suffering; applied to all buddhas and bodhisattvas; especially to Avalokitêśvara 觀音. 〔法華經 T 262.9.23b26〕 Great compassion differs from ordinary compassion in eight ways, which are explained in the Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra.

With respect to its nature [自性異], ordinary compassion is absence of hatred, whereas the great compassion is absence of ignorance.
With respect to its aspect [行相異], ordinary compassion takes on the form of one suffering, the ordinary suffering, whereas the great compassion takes on the form of threefold suffering.
With respect to its object [所緣異], ordinary compassion is concerned with the beings of one kāma-dhātu 欲界 only, whereas the great compassion is concerned with the three dhātus 三界.
With respect to its sphere (bhūmi) [依地異], ordinary compassion is of the sphere of the ten dhyānas: the four dhyānas, the four stages cross to the four dhyānas, middle and the kāma-bhūmi, whereas the great compassion is of the sphere of the fourth dhyāna only.
With respect to its support [依身異], ordinary compassion arises in śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, buddhas as well as sentient beings (pṛthagjana), whereas the great compassion arises only in the Buddha.
With respect to its acquisition [證得異], ordinary compassion is obtained through detachment from kāma-dhātu and the third dhyāna, whereas the great compassion is obtained through detachment from Bhavâgra only.
With respect to its saving (others) [救濟異], ordinary compassion only gives rise to the sympathy for the act of saving (others), whereas the great compassion gives rise to the sympathy and accomplishes the act of saving.
With respect to compassion [哀愍異], ordinary compassion is an unequal compassion, for it sympathizes only with beings who are suffering, whereas the great compassion is an equal compassion, turned towards beings equally. 〔大毘婆沙論(卷三十一,卷八十三) 倶舍論(卷二十七)〕

[g.xing]

mahākaruṇā, 'great pity;' (Skt. mahā-kṛpā; atikāruṇika, adhimātra-kāruṇika, karuṇā, kāruṇika, kāruṇya, kṛpā, kṛpā-karuṇā, kṛpā-kāruṇya, kṛpâtmaka, kṛpālu, parama-kāruṇya, mahā-kāruṇika, mahā-kṛpa) [Charles Muller; source(s): Soothill, Hirakawa]

Also included in the 140 distinctive characteristics of a tathāgata 百四十不共佛法. [Charles Muller]

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[Dictionary References]

Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 706

Bulgyo sajeon 151a

Zengaku daijiten (Komazawa U.) 814c

Iwanami bukkyō jiten 544

Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 926d

Fo Guang Dictionary 858

Ding Fubao

Kankoku bussho kaidai jiten 81

Buddhist Chinese-Sanskrit Dictionary (Hirakawa) 0327

Han'guk bulgyo inmyeong sajeon (Yi) 63

Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)2361c, (v.9-10)1152b

Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 1159-3

Sanskrit-Tibetan Index for the Yogâcārabhūmi-śāstra (Yokoyama and Hirosawa)

The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

Entry created: 2001-07-15

Updated: 2009-08-11