Inner Tranquility and Compassion

One of the most significant questions that lies beneath our existence is-What is the purpose of our existence? I believe that it is to remain happy. Happiness is what every human longs for right from the time they are born. It is what the world is chasing.

If you take a look at my first post, you will find that I deem happiness to be the state of just being; the state of inner tranquility. From my experience, I have felt that the greatest amount of inner tranquility comes from the development of compassion. The more love and compassion we show to others, the greater our own sense of happiness becomes. The reason being, the need for love is one of our most basic needs. Love and compassion are feelings that we treasure above all. However independent a person might be, but at the end of the day he depends on the support of others. We are all interdependent on one another.

Most of us have a tendency to get attached to the people we love. We tend to magnify their goodness and overlook their negativity and thus, these people appear good to us. The love and compassion we are talking about must not be mixed with the feelings of desire and attachment. Compassion is not a sentimental response but it is an unyielding allegiance. A person who is truly compassionate does not show consideration to selected people but towards all other fellow beings. This feeling of compassion does not change even if others behave negatively.

Developing this kind of compassion is one of the most difficult tasks. First of all, we must acknowledge that all beings want happiness and their right to obtain it is as much as one’s own self. Once we develop this feeling we instinctively experience a sense of empathy towards all individuals. Although, developing compassion isn't easy, but given time and persistence, it is possible.

Compassion does not only contribute to achievement of individual happiness and tranquility but also towards improvement of the human community as a whole. It is the key to a happier world.

“I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.”

--Dalai Lama