翻譯名義集 4.109

4.109

[Karuṇā] Translated here as "compassion." Jingjue's commentary says: "Compassion means sorrowful pity." The Guanyin xuanyi says: "By contemplating the harmful evils of inherent nature, feeling grief and pity, one gives rise to great compassion, wishing to eradicate their suffering." Compassion also has three kinds, named identically to the three kinds of loving-kindness. The Guanyin xuanyi says: "If judged by verbal convenience, loving-kindness comes first and compassion after. This also matches the bodhisattva's original intention: wishing with great loving-kindness to grant happiness, and when they do not obtain happiness, next using great compassion to eradicate suffering. Hence loving-kindness comes first and compassion after. If judged by the order of application, first one eradicates suffering with great compassion, and only then grants happiness with great loving-kindness. Furthermore, in terms of practitioners, they first escape suffering and later receive happiness; hence compassion comes first and loving-kindness after."