I. What This Concept Expresses
"The vast power possessed by loving-kindness and the relief of suffering"—these nine characters thoroughly encapsulate the entire concept. But to explain it accurately and completely, we must first break down the four constituent characters: first 慈 (*maitrī*), then 悲 (*karuṇā*), then 大 (*mahā*), and finally 力 (*bala*). These four characters are not merely placed side by side; rather, they are nested layer by layer: if "power" (*bala*) lacks "loving-kindness and compassion" (*maitrī-karuṇā*) as its foundation, it is merely brute force; if "loving-kindness and compassion" are not supported by "greatness" (*mahā*), they are merely small personal affections; if "greatness" is not brought to fruition by "power," it remains merely a vision rather than a concrete reality.
1. 慈 (maitrī / mettā, "loving-kindness") — The Mind That Bestows Happiness
Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures give an extremely precise definition of 慈 (maitrī, "loving-kindness"): bestowing happiness (与乐)—wishing sentient beings to attain happiness and giving them happiness. From the *Āgamas* to the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra* and the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra*, this definition is repeatedly affirmed.
Here are two details that are often overlooked:
First, loving-kindness is not equivalent to mundane affection. Mundane "love" carries defiled attachment—"I like this person, so I want them to be well," where the center of gravity is oneself. *Maitrī*, on the other hand, is the pure wish for the other person to be well, where the center of gravity is the other. Fascicle 27 of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra* states that *maitrī* takes non-ill-will as its root and belongs to pure, 善心所 (kuśala-manasikāra, "wholesome mental factors"), rather than an emotion driven by defiled attachment.
Second, loving-kindness is not an emotional impulse. In the classification of the Mahāyāna Yogācāra school, "immeasurable loving-kindness" (慈无量, *maitrī-apramāṇa*) is a wholesome mental factor associated with 定 (samādhi, "meditative concentration"). It can manifest as surging waves (the ecstatic joy of a mother seeing her child recover from illness) or as a deep and stable presence (radiating goodwill equally toward all sentient beings during meditative absorption). The former is the wave of *maitrī*; the latter is its true essence.
2. 悲 (karuṇā, "compassion") — The Mind That Relieves Suffering
The definition of 悲 (karuṇā, "compassion") is equally precise: relieving suffering (拔苦)—wishing sentient beings to be free from suffering and being willing to take actual action to alleviate their pain.
Here too are two details often overlooked:
First, compassion is not equivalent to grief or pity. "Grief" means suffering along with the other person, dragging oneself down; "pity" means looking down condescendingly and thinking the other person is pitiful while standing idly by; *karuṇā*, however, is the wish for the other to be free from suffering, combined with a willingness to step into the suffering to do something about it. The *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra* states that *karuṇā* takes non-harmfulness as its root—it is an intention that unifies three layers: "unable to bear the suffering of sentient beings, unwilling to inflict suffering on sentient beings, and wishing to relieve the suffering of sentient beings."
Second, why great compassion precedes great loving-kindness. Loving-kindness and compassion are often mentioned together, but why is there a sequence? Nāgārjuna provides an extremely lucid explanation in Fascicle 27 of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra*: the main idea is that sentient beings in the midst of suffering feel a far more urgent need to escape suffering than to seek happiness—the cry to "relieve suffering" is more easily heard, while the invitation to "bestow happiness" is harder to receive. When a 菩萨 (bodhisattva, "bodhisattva") resolves their mind, they must first enter deeply into places of suffering before they can lead sentient beings out from them.
There is a passage in the *Contemplation Sutra* (*Guan Wuliangshou Jing*) that explicitly highlights this status:
「佛心者，大慈悲是也。」 *“The Buddha’s mind is precisely great loving-kindness and compassion.”*
—Great compassion is not a mere emotion of the Buddha, but the very quality of the Buddha-mind itself.
3. 大 (mahā, "great") — Immeasurable, Vast, Non-Discriminative
This character 大 (mahā, "great") is the key to the entire term, as well as the place where errors are most easily made.
"Great" does not mean "bigger" or "stronger"—it certainly does not mean "I have more compassion than others." In the context of Buddhist scriptures, "great" has at least three layers of meaning:
- Immeasurability in quantity (apramāṇa): The object has no boundaries—it is not directed only toward relatives, not only toward likable people, not only toward human beings, and not even only toward sentient beings. Why are "immeasurable loving-kindness" and "immeasurable compassion" called 无量 (apramāṇa, "immeasurable")? Because they are uncountable and boundless. - Impartiality in quality: The degree does not alter based on the recipient—toward enemies, toward the lowly, toward the ugly, and toward foes, great compassion is never discounted. - Constancy in time: It is not something present when emotions arise and absent when they subside, but rather thought after thought in continuous succession, with every mind-moment never regressing.
4. 力 (bala, "power") — Power Capable of Concrete Operation
This is the character most easily overlooked, yet it determines whether the entire concept is "alive."
"Power" (力, *bala*) is not an abstract adjective, but a potential energy capable of generating concrete effects. In the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* and the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra*, 大慈悲力 (maitrīkaruṇābala, "power of great compassion") is a concept with a specific referent—it denotes:
- Ability to move the mind: Able to drive bodhisattvas to rescue sentient beings without weariness; - Ability to break through obstacles: Able to break through the attachments, 烦恼 (kleśa, "afflictions"), and 业力 (karmabala, "karmic force") of sentient beings, making them willing to accept deliverance; - Ability to sustain constancy: Able to maintain 不退转 (avaivartika, "non-retrogression") across vast spans of time (non-retrogression = power unwaning); - Ability to transform: Able to transform suffering into the 道 (mārga, "path"), and bad conditions into wholesome conditions.
What is compassion without "power"? It is a weak emotion—seeing suffering brings tears, heartache, and vows, but after weeping, one turns and walks away because there is no actual energy to support and carry it out. When Buddhist texts say "loving-kindness and compassion must carry power," it is because if compassion lacks power, it ultimately becomes nothing more than a self-injurious sentimentality.
Where does this power come from? It comes from three aspects: the 三昧力 (samādhibala, "power of concentration"), the 愿力 (praṇidhānabala, "power of vows"), and the 智慧力 (prajñābala, "power of wisdom")—these three mutually nourish each other.
5. The Four Characters as One: Its Position in the Path to Liberation
Viewing the four characters together:
The Power of Great Compassion = The power capable of concrete operation that arises from the immeasurable, unhindered mental activity and practice of bestowing happiness and relieving suffering.
In the entire 解脱道 (vimuktimārga, "path to liberation"), it serves as:
- The Starting Point: The reason a bodhisattva generates 菩提心 (bodhicitta, "mind of awakening") is not because they first "realized some principle," but because they "cannot bear to see the suffering of sentient beings"—great compassion is the seed of bodhicitta. - The Motive Power: Across the endless three great incalculable eons from initial resolve to Buddhahood, what sustains the journey? It is not meditative concentration (which leads out of the three realms but does not liberate sentient beings), nor is it wisdom alone (which benefits oneself but struggles to benefit others); it is the power of great compassion—it provides the ultimate rationale for "why one must press forward." - The Hallmark of Completion: The state of Buddhahood is not simply a matter of "wisdom reaching its peak." The *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* and the *Lotus Sūtra* repeatedly clarify: A Buddha is one who, "by virtue of the power of great compassion, abides constantly in the world to deliver sentient beings"—without the power of great compassion, one is not an ultimate Buddha.
In other words, the power of great compassion is not a byproduct of cultivation, nor an appendage that grows only after one completes concentration and wisdom—it is the root, the momentum, and the mark of completion of spiritual practice.
A Small Metaphor
The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra* uses the "mother metaphor" to illustrate loving-kindness and compassion: A mother sees her child drowning; she is overcome with unbearable anguish, but she does not stand on the shore weeping—she leaps in to save the child. "Weeping on the shore" is grief and sympathy; "leaping in to save" is compassion. And the power of great compassion means that after this mother leaps in, she still possesses the physical strength to lift the child onto the bank, and enough stamina to pull herself up as well—this "still possessing physical strength" and "having stamina" is precisely power (*bala*).
II. An Audit in Daily Life
Now let us bring this concept into contemporary life. I will use four concrete scenarios, corresponding to the four components of the power of great compassion, so you can see where the actual difference between "compassion" and "the power of great compassion" lies.
Scenario 1: Scrolling on Your Phone and Seeing News of a Distant Disaster
In the evening, as you scroll on your phone, you see a news report about a distant earthquake: buildings collapsed, children trapped under the rubble.
Step 1: Has compassion (karuṇā) arisen? The initial reaction of most people is a tightening in the chest—"How terrible." This is the seed of compassion. But here lies a common misjudgment: we mistake "feeling bad" for "compassion." In truth, this is merely "grief" or "pity"—oneself being touched and feeling distressed, which is not necessarily the same as "wishing the other to be free from suffering." True compassion is the willingness to step inside.
Step 2: Has loving-kindness (maitrī) arisen? If the news report ends with "rescuers have saved some children" and you feel "that's wonderful"—this is loving-kindness (*maitrī*) at work: wishing for others to attain happiness. *Maitrī* is even harder to arise than *karuṇā*, because escaping suffering is more urgent than gaining happiness (Nāgārjuna's observation remains valid today—we are more easily moved by suffering than attracted by joy).
Step 3: What about greatness (mahā)? If you forget about it the next day after reading the news; if you are moved only by "cute children" but indifferent to "heinous criminals"; if your concern is "has the news story turned around?" rather than "how are the people doing?"—then your loving-kindness and compassion are not yet great enough. "Greatness" means continuity in thought after thought, without selecting targets, and without regressing due to fatigue.
Step 4: What about power (bala)? If, after reading the news, you do any of the following—actually donate money, write to inquire about rescue operations, forward the information to friends who might have the capacity to help, or continuously send blessings to these people in your heart for several days—power (*bala*) manifests. If compassion lacks power, it remains merely a brief firework of emotion.
Scenario 2: Long-Term Caregiving for a Sick Family Member
Your father has dementia, and your mother has been caring for him for five years. Recently, your mother says, "I can't hold on any longer."
This is the true touchstone of the power of great compassion—because the suffering here is not abstract, but something faced every day upon waking.
The test of compassion (karuṇā): The mother's suffering is real—the daily reality of "he no longer recognizes me." Can you refrain from turning your head away?
The test of loving-kindness (maitrī): Can you aim not merely to "solve his problems" (feeding, wiping his body, administering medication), but make "enabling him to feel loved" your goal? A person with dementia may not remember you, but they can feel your hug and the gentleness in your voice.
The test of greatness (mahā): When you are exhausted to the extreme, when you want to run away, when you resentfully ask "why me?"—the "great" in the power of great compassion is tested right here. Greatness means non-retrogression. It does not mean absence of exhaustion, but the ability to stand up again amidst exhaustion.
The test of power (bala): What "power" can you offer your mother? Taking over a shift for a weekend, listening for an evening, saying "you've worked so hard," helping her find respite resources—these are concrete manifestations of the power of great compassion. Power does not have to be supernatural; the most common appearance of compassionate power in the human world is simply "holding on a little longer for her."
Scenario 3: Dealing with a Colleague You Dislike in the Workplace
Colleague A targets you at every turn, and you desperately want to avoid him. Today he made a mistake and is waiting to be reprimanded by the boss.
The nuance of compassion (karuṇā): Can you "relieve suffering" for him? Not by covering up his mistake, but by wishing that he "will not make the same mistake again"—this is compassion. On a deeper level: his current harshness may be related to his own past experiences—can you see this layer?
The nuance of loving-kindness (maitrī): Can you "bestow happiness" upon him? Not by flattering him, but when he is in pain, can you refrain from looking on coldly or kicking him while he is down?
The nuance of greatness (mahā): The hardest part is not being compassionate toward family, but being compassionate toward people you dislike. This is greatness—non-discrimination of targets.
The nuance of power (bala): Here, the expression of compassionate power may be very small—not sending a sarcastic message, not joining the criticism when the boss scolds him, softly asking "are you okay?" afterward—small, but genuine. This is the subtle manifestation of the power of great compassion in the concrete jungle.
Scenario 4: You Yourself Are Suffering
Heartbreak, unemployment, loss of health—you yourself are the subject of suffering.
At this time, compassion tests you in reverse: Can you be compassionate toward yourself?
Many people assume "compassion is only for others," while being extraordinarily harsh toward themselves—"Why am I still sad?" "I should be stronger," "Others have it much worse than me, I have no right to hurt"—none of these are compassion; they are self-aggression.
Loving-kindness toward oneself: Allowing oneself to be sad right now, without judging this sadness. Compassion toward oneself: Acknowledging one's pain, willing to do something for oneself (resting, seeking friends, seeing a doctor). Greatness toward oneself: Knowing that this pain is not eternal, giving oneself time. Power toward oneself: Making a small decision—"I won't stay up late tonight," "I'll have a good lunch tomorrow"—this is power.
When Buddhist texts speak of 自利利他 (svārtha-parārtha, "benefiting oneself and benefiting others"), these are not two separate stages. Rather, once compassion is genuine, it necessarily encompasses both self and others. A person who is not compassionate toward themselves will sooner or later burn out in the pursuit of "benefiting others."
III. Why Contemporary People Need It
Contemporary people are in particular need of the concept of "the power of great compassion." I would like to raise three reasons.
1. We Do Not Lack Emotion, But We Lack the Power to Convert Emotion into Action
A defining feature of contemporary society is highly developed emotion paired with extremely scarce power.
We like, share, and weep over news of distant suffering on social media, yet very few are willing to alter their lifestyle for it. We feel pity for stray animals, but few are willing to adopt or commit long-term. We feel for overworked colleagues, but few dare to stand up and ask, "Should we really be doing this?"
Why? Because compassion has not been trained into a "power." Our emotions are like a vast expanse of water without channels, without structure, and without endurance.
The concept of the power of great compassion tells us: If compassion lacks "power," it ultimately becomes self-injurious—you feel responsible for all the suffering in the world yet lack the capacity to solve any of it, eventually dragged down by "compassion fatigue."
The wisdom of the Buddhadharma is not about "making you softer-hearted," but "giving your soft heart a direction, a structure, and the power to endure."
2. Our "Self" Is Too Rigid; We Need the Power of Great Compassion to Melt It Open
Contemporary urban life has a distinct feature: everyone is reinforcing the boundary of "me"—my name, my achievements, my image, my interests, my boundaries. All institutions (performance evaluations, social media, personal branding) are helping us reinforce this shell.
This is not inherently wrong—appropriate personal boundaries are healthy. The problem is that when this shell becomes too hard, it becomes a breeding ground for suffering—because it is so hard, any touch causes pain; because it is so hard, it cannot feel the pain of others; because it is so hard, one lives like an isolated island.
The power of great compassion is a "power that dissolves rigidity"—it is not weakness, but wise flexibility. When your heart is sufficiently vast and resilient, you can feel both your own pain and the pain of others—and you will discover that the two are interconnected.
Neuroscience has made related observations: in individuals practicing loving-kindness meditation, activity changes in the prefrontal cortex and insular cortex—the former associated with cognitive regulation, the latter with empathy. This indicates that compassion training indeed alters brain plasticity. But we must remember: these are observations of correlation and plasticity, not science "proving" the Buddhadharma. The languages and levels of the two are distinct, and science can only offer indirect side-corroboration. The Buddhist view of compassion carries an orientation toward 出世间智慧 (lokottara-prajñā, "supramundane wisdom"), something modern psychology may not fully encompass.
3. The Power of Great Compassion Is the Spiritual Foundation of Contemporary Ethics
The ethical foundations of modern society—whether liberalism's "respect for the individual" or communitarianism's "common good"—face a common problem: the lack of a deep driving force capable of mobilizing people for sustained goodness.
- "Respect for the individual" gives us justice, but can hardly give us sacrifice; - "The common good" gives us responsibility, but can hardly give us compassion.
The power of great compassion provides a spiritual motive source transcending utilitarian calculation—not for reward, not for duty, not for self-actualization, but because "being unable to bear the suffering of sentient beings" itself becomes the reason to press forward.
This is why the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* states, "All sentient beings are the roots of the tree, while all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are its flowers and fruits." The existence of a bodhisattva is not for attaining Buddhahood, but for the sake of sentient beings; attaining Buddhahood is simply cultivating the power for sentient beings to its ultimate completion. This ethical perspective resonates deeply with contemporary individuals quietly giving of themselves in charity, education, healthcare, social movements, and other fields—they do not need philosophers to tell them why they do it; they have long known.
IV. Common Misinterpretations and Clarifications
Misinterpretation 1: "Compassion Is Simply Being Soft-Hearted"
Clarification: Compassion is not soft-heartedness, but the capacity to bear suffering without being crushed by it.
Soft-hearted people are easily dragged down by the suffering of sentient beings, collapsing along with them—this is not compassion; it is grief. Compassion is soft-heartedness equipped with strength—seeing suffering, bearing it, yet remaining standing oneself.
The *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra* uses the "mother metaphor" to illustrate compassion: parents seeing their child drowning are soft-hearted—but they do not stand on the shore weeping; rather, they leap in to save the child. This "leaping in to save" is power (*bala*).
Misinterpretation 2: "The Power of Great Compassion Belongs Only to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; Ordinary People Cannot Speak of It"
Clarification: The power of great compassion is a seed inherently possessed by 凡夫 (pṛthagjana, "ordinary beings"); the difference lies only in "awakened vs. unawakened" and "fully grown vs. undeveloped."
Sutras and treatises such as the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, *Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra*, and *Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna* all explain that within the heart/mind of every sentient being resides the 如来藏 (tathāgatagarbha, "Buddha-matrix"), which contains the seeds of compassion. That you feel sad right now upon seeing suffering is precisely this seed.
The difference between ordinary beings and Buddhas is not "having or lacking compassion," but: - The compassion of ordinary beings is arising and ceasing, selective, and defiled by self-interest; - The compassion of Buddhas is constant, unselective, and pure and undefiled.
It is not that ordinary beings cannot speak of compassion, but rather that they must recognize that their compassion is not yet great enough, not yet powerful enough, and not yet non-regressive—this is the starting point of spiritual practice, not a reason for self-abasement.
Misinterpretation 3: "The Power of Great Compassion Is Equivalent to Supernatural Powers or Superpowers"
Clarification: Power (*bala*) is not necessarily 神通 (abhijñā, "supernatural power"). In the human realm, the most common compassionate powers are "ordinary" powers:
- A hug, - A bowl of warm rice, - An act of listening, - Saying "I am here," - Courage to speak out against injustice, - Courage to admit one's own weakness.
Of course, in the realm of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the power of great compassion can manifest as various unimaginable realms—such as the thirty-two manifestations of Avalokiteśvara in the "Universal Gate Chapter" of the *Lotus Sūtra*. However, this is not the direction ordinary beings should pursue or cling to—clinging to supernatural powers in itself violates the purity of compassion.
The *Diamond Sūtra* says, "One should give rise to the mind without abiding anywhere"—supernatural powers are likewise: their function should arise without abiding anywhere.
Misinterpretation 4: "Being Compassionate Toward Oneself Is Selfish"
Clarification: This is a deviation arising from misinterpreting Buddhism as "asceticism."
The Buddha himself experienced physical fatigue (recorded in the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, where the Buddha accepted a massage from his attendant to relieve back pain); the Bodhisattva Precepts also emphasize the "precept of gathering wholesome dharmas"—that one must also accumulate roots of goodness, merit, and virtue for oneself. Without self-compassion, compassion for others cannot last long—because you run out of energy.
Research in modern psychology also supports this: individuals with strong self-compassion have a greater capacity for sustained helping behaviors, higher stress resilience, and lower burnout. Naturally, these are correlational studies rather than the totality of the Buddhadharma, but they serve as a side echo.
Misinterpretation 5: "Compassion = Empathy = Feeling What Others Feel"
Clarification: Empathy is feeling the emotion of the other person; compassion (*maitrī-karuṇā*) is wishing the other person to be free from suffering and taking action.
Key differences: - Empathy is passive; compassion is active. - Empathy easily leads to shared fatigue; compassion can wisely maintain a constructive distance. - Empathy may carry self-projection; compassion takes the actual suffering of the recipient as its object. - Empathy may degenerate into "perishing alongside the other"; compassion must carry power and direction.
This is why research by neuroscientists such as Tania Singer distinguishes between empathy (emotional contagion prone to fatigue) and compassion (a resilient drive rooted in vows). The power of great compassion spoken of in Buddhism is closer to the latter, yet extends beyond it—it carries an orientation toward supramundane wisdom, a point modern psychology may not fully cover.
Misinterpretation 6: "Great Compassion = Treating Everyone in the Exact Same Manner"
Clarification: The "greatness" of compassion lies in the immeasurability of the mind's capacity, not in the equal distribution of external actions.
Bodhisattvas possess 方便 (upāya, "expedient means"), assisting according to the spiritual capacities, needs, and inclinations of sentient beings. Giving food to the hungry, comfort to the grieving, a sharp reprimand to the arrogant, and the True Dharma to those with wrong views—all are compassion, though different in form.
The expedient teachings and various ways of taming beings by Bodhisattvas in the *Vimalakīrti Sūtra* and *Lotus Sūtra* are all manifestations of the power of great compassion—not an indiscriminate "you suffer, so I hug you," but a skillful 'whatever way to liberation is most effective for you.'
Yet the immeasurability of mind remains constant throughout—toward all sentient beings, never giving up on someone because they are currently unlikable, nor ceasing to care for them because they do not currently accept help.
The Final Misinterpretation: "Compassion Does Not Require Wisdom"
Clarification: Compassion without wisdom is spoiling, emotional impulsiveness, and 共业 (saṃbhūta-karma, "shared karma").
The compassion of the Buddhadharma must take 般若 (prajñā, "wisdom") as its essence—knowing that the root of sentient beings' suffering is 无明 (avidyā, "ignorance"), knowing that relieving suffering is not merely solving their immediate problem but helping them walk toward liberation, and knowing that sometimes "not helping" exhibits greater compassion than "helping." Great compassion must correspond with great wisdom; compassion alone is weakness, and wisdom alone is coldness—this is the 中道 (madhyamā-pratipad, "Middle Way") repeatedly emphasized in Buddhism.
The famous line from the *Diamond Sūtra*, "One should give rise to the mind without abiding anywhere," is precisely a golden teaching on the non-duality of compassion and wisdom—the mind does not abide in characteristics (*prajñā*), yet gives rise to its mind (*karuṇā*)—the two have never been separate.
Conclusion
The concept of the power of great compassion (*maitrīkaruṇābala*), in the final analysis, is a concept of vow, a concept of power, and a concept of mind.
It tells us:
- True compassion is not merely an intention, but a potential energy capable of accomplishing deeds; - True greatness is not merely quantity, but a capacity of mind without boundaries; - A truly powerful person is not someone without pain, but someone who can press forward while carrying pain, and enable others to press forward as well.
The *Contemplation Sutra* states: "The Buddha's mind is precisely great loving-kindness and compassion." When we try to practice these words in daily life—whether staying a second longer for a stranger, holding on for one more night when a family member collapses, withholding one sarcastic remark toward someone we dislike, or inflicting a little less self-aggression upon ourselves—we are step by step approaching the direction of that power of great compassion.
Not because we are striving to become Buddhas, but because this is the genuine path to reducing suffering in the world—including our own.