by Rev. Elizabeth Rowley Hogue
In the tapestry of spiritual practice, karuna (compassion) and upeksha (equanimity) weave threads of profound connection and inner peace, guiding us toward a life of love and balance. These qualities transform suffering and foster harmony within ourselves and the world.
Karuna is the Sanskrit and Pali word for compassion, and is the intention to relieve suffering without being consumed by it. Thich Nhat Hanh clarifies, “We do not need to suffer to remove suffering from another person. Doctors, for instance, can relieve their patients’ suffering without experiencing the same disease.” This distinction is vital: compassion requires clarity and strength, not shared pain. By practicing mindful breathing, deep listening, and deep looking, we connect with others’ suffering, as the Lotus Sutra’s Avalokiteshvara does, “looking with the eyes of compassion and listening deeply to the cries of the world.” Such presence alone offers relief. Ernest Holmes echoes this, stating, “Love begets tolerance; tolerance begets understanding, an understanding which can put itself in the other person’s place.” Compassion, rooted in love, fosters forgiveness and dissolves judgment, uniting us in shared humanity.
Thich Nhat Hanh shares a poignant reflection: “The Buddha’s smile is possible because he possesses the calm and strength to transform suffering.” Similarly, we can nurture karuna by staying grounded, ensuring “the ocean of tears cannot drown us.” Holmes reinforces this, describing the universe’s impulsion as “love, beneficence; it is kindness, it is compassion; it is sweetness, truth, beauty—friendly toward us.” Through compassion, we become vessels of healing, offering empathy without sacrificing our own well-being.
Upeksha, or equanimity, complements karuna by fostering balance and freedom. Thich Nhat Hanh explains, “Upeksha means equanimity, nonattachment, nondiscrimination, even-mindedness, or letting go. You climb the mountain to look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other.” True equanimity is not indifference but a spacious love that embraces all without clinging. It is “the ground of wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love.” Holmes aligns with this, urging us to “stop trying, stop struggling; begin to be calm, to trust in the higher laws of life.” Equanimity arises from faith in the universe’s goodness, where “peace comes from the absence of fear, from a consciousness of trust.”
Holmes further teaches, “If one sees only unloveliness in others, it is because unloveliness is a strong element in himself.” Equanimity invites us to release judgment and see others through the lens of love, recognizing our shared essence. Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes the interconnectedness of the Four Immeasurable Minds, noting that “true equanimity has to have love, compassion, and joy in it.” Together, Karuna and Upeksha cultivate a balanced heart, one that can hold suffering with care and release attachment with grace.
By cultivating compassion and equanimity, we transform suffering into connection and chaos into peace, creating a world where love is the guiding force. Let’s stop trying, stop struggling, and begin to be calm, trusting in the higher laws of life.
And so it is.
Rev. Elizabeth Rowley Hogue is an independent columnist for the Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email her at revelizabeth@awakeningways.org
