Compassion and Wisdom

Compassion and Wisdom

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There are two types of compassionate masters in the world: the motherly type and the fatherly type.

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A mother’s compassion provides warmth, love, support, and happiness. She may even give you false little toys—like a rattle drum, a rocking horse, or a wooden cow—or hand you a yellow leaf and say it’s gold. She doesn’t mind tricking you a little; her aim is to make you happy in the moment. A mother’s compassion generally takes the form of “giving,” with a focus on the present.

A father’s compassion is usually different. They do not indulge you, they do not go along with you, nor do they tolerate your bad habits. They often treat you seriously, do not joke around with you, and do not deceive you. They have no intention of temporarily making you happy with false little trinkets; instead, they only provide you with truth or reality. A father’s compassion typically takes the form of “taking away” or “withdrawing,” aiming for something ultimate rather than temporary.

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The compassion of Zen masters is fatherly in nature.

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Sometimes I prefer the fatherly approach; other times I favor the motherly one. It depends on the child’s situation. For children who are too unruly or have been entangled in stories for too long, I like the father’s way—fatherly compassion; for those who are deeply ignorant, asleep too long, or suffering too much, I prefer the mother’s way—motherly compassion.

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Behind compassion lies wisdom; if compassion lacks wisdom, it becomes merely a worldly form of parenting or treatment towards children. If wisdom lacks compassion, then it is just like glass flowers or snow lotus flowers—either completely useless in this world or hidden away in snow-capped mountains for thousands of years until someone finally uses them.

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Compassion and wisdom are like the two feet of a Buddha; relying on them allows all Buddhas to traverse through human realms. Compassion and wisdom are also like their two hands: with the right hand offering wisdom and the left hand offering compassion—providing wisdom to those lacking it and offering compassion to those devoid of love. Compassion and wisdom are like twin lotus flowers planted in the hearts of all Buddhas.

by – Taiwan Fearless Tathagata Ya Great Perfection Zen Meditation Center