Karuṇā

Karuṇā
() is generally translated as compassion or mercy and sometimes as self-compassion or spiritual longing. It is a significant spiritual concept in the Indic religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, is one of the fundamental virtues and qualities that a spiritual aspirant is encouraged to cultivate. Many Hindu deities are depicted as embodiments of compassion. Karuṇā is often linked with other virtues such as "Maitri" (loving-kindness) and "Ahimsa" (non-violence). Together, these virtues form the foundation of a righteous and spiritually fulfilling life. The word comes from the Sanskrit kara, meaning “to do” or “to make,” indicating an action-based form of compassion, rather than the pity or sadness associated with the English word. In Hindu mythology, the concept of "Karuṇā" or compassionate action is deeply embedded and is often illustrated through stories, characters, and teachings. Each avatar's story of Hindu pantheon is an embodiment of divine compassion in action.
Karuna is one of the nine primary rasas (aesthetic principles) in classical Indian arts and literature."Karuṇā Rasa," or the sentiment of compassion, is a pivotal theme in the Ramayana, one of India's principal epics. The narrative commences with the sage Valmiki observing a tragic incident involving a pair of krauncha birds (Sarus cranes), setting the emotional tone for the epic. Witnessing the male bird being killed by a hunter, leaving its partner in anguish, Valmiki is moved to curse the hunter through a spontaneous verse, which ultimately becomes the Ramayana's first shloka (verse). This moment, steeped in sorrow and compassion, not only initiates the composition of the epic but also symbolically prefigures the central narrative of love, loss, and separation experienced by the protagonists, Rama and Sita, embodying the essence of "Karuṇā Rasa." Following this, the god Brahma instructs Valmiki to write Rama's story, revealing the entire tale to him.
Buddhism
is important in all schools of Buddhism. For Theravada Buddhists, dwelling in is a means for attaining a happy present life and heavenly rebirth. For Mahāyāna Buddhists, is a co-requisite for becoming a Bodhisattva.
Theravada Buddhism
In Theravāda Buddhism, is one of the four "divine abodes", along with loving kindness (Pāli: ), sympathetic joy, and equanimity. In the Pali canon, Gautama Buddha recommends cultivating these four virtuous mental states to both householders and monastics. When one develops these four states, Buddha counsels radiating them in all directions, as in the following stock canonical phrase regarding :
Such a practice purifies one's mind, avoids evil-induced consequences, leads to happiness in one's present life, and, if there is a future karmic rebirth, it will be in a heavenly realm.
The Pali commentaries distinguish between and in the following complementary manner: is the desire to remove harm and suffering from others; while is the desire to bring about the well-being and happiness of others.
The "far enemy" of is cruelty, a mind-state in obvious opposition. The "near enemy" (quality which superficially resembles but is in fact more subtly in opposition to it), is (sentimental) pity: here too one wants to remove suffering, but for a partly selfish (attached) reason hence not the pure motivation.
In the Pāli Canon, Buddhas are also described as choosing to teach "out of compassion for beings."
Mahayana Buddhism
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, is one of the two qualities, along with enlightened wisdom (Sanskrit: ), to be cultivated on the bodhisattva path. According to scholar Rupert Gethin, this elevation of to the status of prajña is one of the distinguishing factors between the Theravāda arahant ideal and the Mahāyāna bodhisattva ideal:
Throughout the Mahāyāna world, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit; Chinese: Guan Yin; Japanese: Kannon; Tibetan: Chenrezig) is a bodhisattva who embodies .
In the Intermediate section of the Stages of Meditation by Kamalaśīla, he writes:
In Tibetan Buddhism, one of the foremost authoritative texts on the Bodhisattva path is the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra by Shantideva. In the eighth section entitled Meditative Concentration, Shantideva describes meditation on Karunā as thus:
Jainism
is associated with the Jain practice of compassion. For instance, is one of the four reflections of universal friendship—along with amity (Sanskrit: ), appreciation and equanimity (madhyastha)—used to stop (samvara) the influx of karma.
Miscellaneous
is a common first name throughout India, used for both genders.
See also
Notes
Sources
External links
— The network of Karuna-Shechen foundations in Europe, North America and Asia is raising funds for humanitarian projects in the Himalayan region.
Wholesome factors in Buddhism
Jain philosophical concepts
Sanskrit words and phrases
Buddhist philosophical concepts
Hindu philosophical concepts
Kindness