LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Define compassion as a commitment to respond to the suffering of others
Show how compassion develops a greater sensitivity to the situation of others
Discuss how kindness is perfected in compassion
Explain the relationship of compassion and justice
Design a program that describes how one can help victims of calamities and
disasters, especially children
Participate and take a more active role in activities that demonstrate compassion
SUCCESS CRITERIA
Defined compassion as a commitment to respond to the suffering of others
Showed how compassion develops a greater sensitivity to the situation of others
Discussed how kindness is perfected in compassion
Explained the relationship of compassion and justice
Designed a program that describes how one can help victims of calamities and
disasters, especially children
Participated and take a more active role in activities that demonstrate compassion
DISCUSSION
Genuine and authentic compassion is more than just merely sympathizing with the misfortunes of others.
Compassion is a commitment rooted in active involvement to directly respond to the unfortunate situations
others find themselves in. It is not just passive pity but a discomfort that is seeking for a more urgent and
immediate response. Compassion brings about restlessness in one’s heart because a person is convinced something is not right.
The Face of Human Suffering
VOCABULARY
Sanskrit – an ancient language retained in India in a classical form as a language of literature and Hinduism
Pali – originally a language spoken by Sri Lankan monks with no alphabet of its own
BCE – stands for Before the Common (or Christian) Era
crave – a powerful desire for something
Buddhism is a religion whose traditions, beliefs, and practices are largely based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as “Buddha” (meaning “The Enlightened One” in Sanskrit and Pali). The Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. His insights are founded on the need to address and to end suffering (dukkha) by getting rid of ignorance (avidyā) and craving (ta hā), and thus attain the highest happiness (nirvaņa).
Fundamental to Buddhist teaching are the four noble truths and are regarded as central to the teachings of Buddhism; they are said to provide a unifying theme for all Buddhist thought. All of the teachings of the Buddha are contained within the teachings on the four noble truths.
These are: first – life is full of suffering (dukkha); second – suffering is caused by desire and ignorance (samudaya); third –suffering can be eliminated by following the eightfold path (The Way of Moderation) (nirodha); and fourth – the eightfold path consist of right vision, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation (magga).
The first of this truth is “life is full of suffering.” Because human nature and the world we live in is not perfect,
we inevitably have to face up to and deal with physical sufferings such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age,
and eventually death. At the same time, we are also confronted by psychological sufferings such as sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. There are other kinds of suffering, e.g. social suffering - poverty,
homelessness, malnutrition; and also natural catastrophes earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and typhoons. Suffering
is an unfortunate human condition that urgently seeks a human response.
Answer the following questions:
1. What do you think is the source of suffering? How would you differentiate one’s experience of suffering from
another?
2. What do you think suffering does to a human person? Explain briefly.
3. Given that suffering is a natural human condition, how do you propose one should deal with it? Discuss.
4. Do you feel suffering can be stopped? How? Explain.
5. If you were to choose one of the images that struck you most in The Faces of Suffering, what would this be?
Why?
6. When was the last time you experienced suffering? Describe the situation. How did you personally deal with it?
7. What will your answer be to Jake McDaniel’s question “If you could end one human suffering, what would it
be?”
Compassion is the ability to understand the condition or state of another person. To be compassionate is to empathize with others. However, compassion has an added element of having a desire to actively do something to reduce the suffering of another. Compassion makes you realize that the other person is just like you;
therefore, what you expect to be given, you must also give to others. It further means that you are fully present
for someone no matter the circumstances of his or her life are. Compassion makes us realize that we must avoid making judgments about people and their situations. Instead, we should commit ourselves in helping them to be free from their unfortunate plights.
Compassion has a unique quality, a quality so different that is often associated with the spiritual. It is cited in spiritual/religious texts as a virtue to be sought and developed. In Christianity, compassion is a commitment that eventually defines a lifestyle. Thus, compassion is a way of life.
CROSS - CURRICULAR LINK:
SOCIAL STUDIES: Kinds of Calamities
REAL LIFE APPLICATION
How will you show compassion in times of calamities?
EVALUATION
As a pupil, I am willing to commit myself and do the following as a way to express my intent to help those who are suffering.
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