Working for the welfare of others
The other aspiration of the altruistic intention (Bodhichitta) is the whish to bring about the welfare of other sentient beings. Welfare, in the Buddhist sense, means helping others to attain total freedom from suffering, and the term ‘other sentient beings’ refers to the infinite number of beings in the universe. This aspiration is really the key to the first, namely the intention to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is founded in genuine compassion towards all sentient being equally. Compassion here means the wish that all others beings should be free of suffering. So it is said to be at the root of all altruistic activity and of the altruistic intention as a whole.
Daily Wisdom from the Dalai Lama
2 responses to “Daily Wisdom from the Dalai Lama”
-
Compassion towards all beings equally– now there’s a goal worth striving for! So often one’s compassion seems to be selective…
-
I completely agree! I always try and include/remind myself of the altruistic outlook especially in my daily prayers, this seems to be the only way for me to keep a stance on my selfish/selective ways of thinking!
-
hilitehead 
Leave a reply to Mark Armstrong Cancel reply