Removing Evil With Compassion

Dalai Lama: In a Buddhist text called the Four Hundred Verses by Aryadeva, an Indian pandit, there is a verse which says that the Buddha sees the afflictive emotions as the faults, not the person who possesses them. It's more or less the case that there's no such thing as justified anger directed toward the person. There are no authentic grounds for being angry toward a person.

Yearley: Could one's anger toward a quality one thought had to be eliminated lead one to destroy the quality if it might involve destroying the person? For example, as I saw the concentration camp guard in Nazi Germany whose furious hatred was leading him to kill a person, I also realized he was a good father and a person who deserved to live. However I understood that the only way his hatred could be destroyed was to destroy the person.

Dalai Lama: This is justified in the following case: You recognize this evil propensity, or vice; you know it must be dispelled because of the ensuing harm that it would bring about; and – this is an extremely important point – out of great compassion arising from the wish to avert the great harm, you see that you must dispel the vice. Recognizing that there is no way to dispel that vice other than through an act of violence, then you may take the life of the person who bears that vice, without ever losing compassion for that person, and while being willing to take that act yourself.


What the above statements from the Dalai Lama mean is that when there is evil existing in the world, it is our responsibilities to confront it and resolve it with compassion.

So, if you have the opportunity to kill Adolf Hitler, it is justified to do that, out of compassion, to ensure that millions of people do not suffer due to his actions. Of course, there are consequences, from the karmic perspective, of killing someone but on the other hand, you also generate a lot of good karma and merits because of your act of removing this evil.

So, if you see evil, please do not turn the other cheek. You have to face up to it, with compassion and with equanimity for the good of your fellow human beings.

Giving With Wisdom

A long time ago there lived a Bodhisattva of great diligence who wanted to achieve Enlightenment as soon as possible.

In his practice, he emphasized the core principle of having no attachments even though he was very rich and prosperous. Therefore, he announced publicly that he would give away everything that he has.

Many people came to him and he gave generously - money, food and anything that anyone asked him for. Those who benefited from his generosity praised him for his kindness and his non-attachment to his wealth and property. The Bodhisattva was pleased.

One day, a rather disagreeable beggar came and asked him, "Is it true that you are ready to give away anything that people ask you for?"

The Bodhisattva replied, "Yes, I will give freely away everything I have, whatever you ask for."

The beggar then said to him, "Give me your right hand."

The Bodhisattva took a knife, cut off his hand, and gave it to the beggar with a smile.

The beggar then said. "I could never accept something given with the left hand. This is really improper!"

In that instant, anger arose in the Bodhisattva. "You are so ungrateful!" he shouted at the beggar.

And with that he abandoned the Bodhisattva path...

True giving is all about giving without attachment. Even if the recipient rejects your gift or treat it with disrespect, if you have given generously, with great wisdom, the response would not have mattered to you.

The karma would have be upon the recipient. If he is very grateful, he would have generated good karma. Being ungrateful and unappreciative would cause evil karma to be visited on the recipient.

So, the giver would have generated lots of merits if he gives with wisdom, gives without attachments and gives with equanimity...

Once the act of giving has taken place, the result of the giving is inconsequential to the given. That is giving with wisdom.

A Solid Rock

"As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise man does not waver before blame or praise."

- The Buddha

What the Buddha meant was that we should not allow the ego to be affected by praise or blame.

It is the ego that feels very happy when you are praised by someone.

And it is also the ego that feels hurt when someone expressed displeasure or blame on you.

Since both praise and blame are external to your ego, why should you allow your ego to feel anything at all?

You need to maintain a watchful mind and know that it is the ego that is feeling what you are feeling.

Maintain equanimity and just watch what arises in the ego.

Whether it is feelings of happiness because you are praised or feelings of hurt because you are blamed, just observe it and do not have any attachments to it.

Let it go and you will feel free - free from being driven by your ego.

And that is the path to true freedom...