Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Great Compassion

Great Compassion in Lamrim is the profound desire to free all sentient beings from suffering, seeing their pain as one’s own and striving for their ultimate happiness.

The first seven steps on the Great Scope of Lamrim focused on people, with the final step being the complete exchange of self with other. Lamrim teachings take this approach because it’s easier for people to relate to other people. When considering emotions like affectionate love, it can be challenging to generate much intensity for an earthworm.

Once practitioners arrive at the point where they can hold all humans to equally high regard, higher than they regard themselves, the next step is to extend that same caring and compassion to all living beings without exception, including earthworms.

Meditation on Great Compassion

Great Compassion is considered the very heart of the Mahayana Buddhist path. It goes beyond ordinary compassion and encompasses an unwavering dedication to alleviating the suffering of all sentient beings equally, without discrimination.

Practitioners of Great Compassion aspire for the complete freedom from suffering and the attainment of lasting happiness…