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Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c9.s6: Karuṇā and Maitrī

Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hīnayāna c9.s6

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Karuṇā and Maitrī

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An important difference between the Hinayānists and the Mahāyānists in regard to the disciplinary rules consists in the great stress laid by the latter upon Karuṇā (compassion) and Maitrī (love). It should not be supposed that the Hinayānists were totally without them, but they did not emphasise them as much as the Mahāyānists did. These are included in the brahmavihāras, and the Hinayānic monks are enjoined to practise them among various forms of meditation.¹ In the Nikāyas we often come across the following passage in connection with the Brahmavihāras: so mettāsahagatena cetasā ekam disaṃ pharitvā viharati. Tathā dutiyaṃ etc. sabbāvantam lokaṃ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena avyāpajjhena pharitvā viharati² (a bhikkhu dwells with his mind full of love towards all beings of all quarters, the love-filled mind being large, profound, immeasurable and free from enmity and hatred). The Visuddhimagga dilates on this passage and explains by quotations from the Vibhaṅga and the Paṭisambhidāmagga that a person is said to practise the mettā-brahmavihāra when he can love all beings of the world as he loves a particular person (e.g., his son). The bhikkhus are expected to develop the feelings of amity (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), joy (muditā) and indifference (upekkhā) towards all beings and wish for their happiness. The Hinayānists deem it sufficient if the bhikkhus can develop that state of mind, though remaining physically inactive and dwelling in a monastery or forest. But the Mahāyānists look upon karuṇā and maitrī in quite a different light. The Śikṣāsamuccaya brings out its importance as a producer of Buddha by the simile of the growth of the fœtus in the womb. It says that bodhicitta is the kalala (embryo), kṛpā or karuṇā the arbuda (the 2nd pre-natal stage), maitrī the peśī (the 3rd pre-natal stage), āśaya the ghana (the 4th pre-natal stage). These, developed by bodhi-aṅga, form the Buddha-garbha (mature Buddha-womb³). In short, the Mahāyānists insist that mahākaruṇā should be the keynote of all bodhisattva practices¹. Śāntideva points out in the first kārikā of his work

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¹ These are included in the 40 kammaṭṭhānas, see Vis. M., p. 110. In the Prajñāpāramitās also, these four brahmavihāras are treated as forms of meditation.

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² Dīgha, III, pp. 223-4; Sum. Vil., pp. 115ff.; Vis. M., p. 111; see Mrs. Rhys Davids' paper "Divine States of Consciousness".

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³ Śikṣā., p. 103.

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¹ Śikṣā., p. 117: yat kiñcid Bhagavan bodhisattvānāṃ kāyakarma yat kiñcit vākkarma yat kiñcit manaskarma tat sarvam sattvāvekṣitam pravartate mahākaruṇādhipateyam.

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yadā mama pareṣāṃ ca bhayaṃ duḥkhaṃ ca na priyaṃ,
tadātmanaḥ ko viśeṣo yat taṃ rakṣāmi netaram.

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(When fear and pain are disliked by myself as well as others, why should I distinguish myself from others that I should seek protection for myself and not for others.) It is mahākaruṇā, *i.e.*, consideration for others' good that pervades the whole conception of bodhisattva practices². This has, we must admit, relaxed to a large extent the rigidity of disciplinary rules, a thing which would never be allowed by the Hinayānists. Maitrī is, in fact, a corollary to Karuṇā; it means that a bodhisattva must love all beings as he would love his own son³. Though the two expressions are very often mentioned together, it is mahākaruṇā that greatly appealed to the minds of the Mahāyānists. At any rate, we cannot but appreciate this ideal of the Mahāyānists, if we take into consideration their philosophy of Samatā (equality), for the proper exercises of mahākaruṇā and mahāmaitrī can really be effective in making the average mind develop gradually the thought of samatā (equality or sameness).

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² Śikṣā., p. 286: Mahākaruṇayā bhagavan bodhisattvānāṃ sarvabuddhadharmāḥ karatalagatā bhavanti.

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³ Śikṣā., p. 19.

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