Buddhist Compassion Permeates the Ten Directions and Includes All-Things!
Author’s Note: Whilst practicing Buddhist and Daoist meditation, I have experienced a complete “transcendence” of any experienced physical and psychological “pain” (of various sorts) for the duration of the seated meditation practice (as the Caodong School of Chinese Ch’an routinely practices martial arts – “pain” is an ever-present reality that must be cheerfully accommodated – be it of exertion, injury, or occasional illness). Breaking the “moment-to-moment” experience of continuous pain – this (organic) meditative experience permeates into everyday life when the monastic is standing, walking, sitting, or lying-down - when not formally engaged in the act of seated meditation. Indeed, modern medicine works on the principle that the correct presentation of various chemical compounds will have a positive affect upon the cells and nerve-fibre of the human-body. In-short, modern medicine “breaks” the moment-to-moment experience of pain and can be considered a “replacement” for meditative practice. During the 6th century CE, the Christian St Benedict, when writing his famous “Rule”, demanded limited sleep, vegetarianism, and no alcohol for fit monks. However, if a monk was ill, he could rest in a hospital ward, and eat a little meat and drink an allotment of alcohol – to build his strength until fully healed.
The Buddha’s “Rule” (Vinaya Discipline) was formulated over a thousand-years prior to St Benedict’s equivalent. As the Buddha teaches the transformation of perception through the act of meditation – it is meditation that is taken to be a “cure-all” for his monastics (within China, Buddhist monastics must be “vegetarian”). Of course, as the Buddha advocated an integration of “wisdom”, “loving-kindness”, and “compassion” – an ill monk is to be carefully cared for by those monks who are able-bodied and not existing in the state of “illness”. A monastic who is unable to walk – is unable to beg his daily food. In such a situation, a designated monk is permitted to carry his bowl and collect his share of waste-food when visiting the local villages. In China, where begging is not allowed, the monks grow and farm their own food. When a monk cannot present himself to receive his daily share at mid-day in the equivalent of a refectory – another (authorised) monk performs this task. Monks must also (lovingly) “wash” the body and clothes of the severely ill monks without complaint or comment – including the shaving of the face and head. These acts of meditative “attentiveness” is important if a monk can no longer attend the toilet under his own volition. Guarding and caring for a dysfunctional body might also involve the process of “dying” – which sees the (karmic) life-processes slowly permeating out of material existence.
Bad smells, harsh scenes, and angry outbursts are to be met with the compassionate “indifference” of the empty mind ground, which emits boundless loving-kindness! The illnesses of others are an important (karmic) opportunity to strengthen one’s enlightened awareness and limitless compassion. Outside of the Buddhist monastery, Buddhist monks might well be called upon to assist the ill members of the lay-community. Disability (physical and psychological) grants yet another frequency of cultivated-care. Disabled people possess special requirements of continuous care as their maladies will never cure or repair. Disability of the young, mature, and elderly can act as a spark for the development of universal compassion. Whatever the case, the Abhidhamma (the Buddh’a Dhamma as taught to monastics by monastics) – teaches the correct management of the past moment, the present moment, and the future moment. On top of all this, it is not uncommon for the various Sanghas of Asia to possess monks who are qualified medical doctors who are responsible for treating monastics and the laity – whilst liaising with the government authorities with regard to the provision of medical care for each locale. Every said above applies to Buddhisy monks and nuns – despite nuns having to follow a greater number of prohibitive vows. Buddhist compassion is boundless and operates equally toward animals, insects, plants, and all living-being in the ten-directions and throughout the time-periods of the past, present, and future! ACW (23.12.2024)
In the old days, it is likely that many ordinary people lived in a world with limited (or no) medical treatment. Even where apothecary ("wound treatment") did exist within various cultures - its efficacy was often weak (compsred to modern medicine) and limited to the nobility. Many people had to exist whilst experiencing certain and continuous levels of psychological and physical pain caused by injury and illness. Today, when experiencing toothache, depression, or something similar to a broken-bone – modern medicine assures (in one-way or another) pain-killing is available. This treatment (usually in pill or liquid form) relieves the negative stimulus and allows the human-body and mind to experience a “break” from the pressure the pain causes. Of course, "pain" as a concept exists on many different levels – from the very subtle to the blatantly intense - and cannot be trivialised. Although a contemporary Buddhist monastic usually has access to modern medicine - the rules of the Vinaya Discipline - if followed to the letter, would require the individual to psychologically "transcend" the pain being experienced - as it is happening in real time. Some individuals choose to attempt to "meditate" their way through illnesses and injuries - looking for the fabled ability of the mind and body to "heal" itself.
Of course, the body has evolved to heal itself across a certain frequency of dysfunction. However, historical evidence suggests that human-beings have lived incredibly "short" existences - from as low as 10-20 years around one-hundred thousand years ago. Even when humanity developed sophisticated culture, life expectancy extended to around 30-40 years (as in ancient India, China and Egypt, etc). As medicine has developed (and scientific thought has purified and optimised human society and culture) - the human life expectancy has extended accordingly. The Buddhist Vinaya Discipline evolved when human medicinal thinking was at a comparatively lower level of development. Yes - a strict meditational and behavioural pattern must be upheld - but modern medicine (as a form of wisdom) must be adapted. This is not a problem, as the power of the mind and body should still be fully cultivated. Untreated pain fluctuates throughout the day, varying in frequency as the sun rises, moves across the sky, and then sets (anyone who has experienced chronic pain understands this). This means the “intensity” and “texture” of the pain increases (and expands) and decreases (and withdraws) as the light-intensity waxes and wanes. At might, untreated pain can be “reduced” (or temporarily “transfigured”) if the mind and body is placed in a certain “static” position (literally and metaphorically).
Advanced meditators can enter a mind-body frequency of awareness that transcends pain - just as long as the “correct” physical and psychological position is maintained (Master Xu Yun [1840-1959] often treated illnesses and injury with prolonged bouts of isolated, seated meditation, rarely if ever accepting any formal medicine - or treatment outside of constructive rest). This "Samadhi" process can reduce pain overtime - and trigger the mind and body's natural healing properties. It is important to remember that the historical (Indian) Buddha allowed very little for the monastics to use other than rags as robes, waste food (and river water) as sustenance - including a razor-blade (for shaving) and perhaps a small supply of cow urine (thought to sterilise and heal - a belief still followed within modern Hinduism). Although the compassionate use of medicine is the essence of loving kindness - we must not forget that the practice of bare meditation allows for the removal of the subject-object dichotomy that formulates the experience of "pain" at its perceptual basis (the egotistical “I” which experiences “pain” – remove the “I” through meditative absorption - and there is no place for “pain” [in its conventional sense] to exist). This is not easy to do as the modern human - living in the developed world - expects pain to be immediately removed through medication.
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