Buddhism teaches, “Great is the loving-kindness that is unconditioned; great is the compassion that shows the one essence of all.” Although we may think “unconditioned compassion” is only the state of buddhas and great bodhisattvas, it is actually possible for all of us to achieve it, if we are willing. Most of us find it easy enough to help someone we are close to, such as our parents, spouse, children, relatives, or friends. However, the teaching “great is the loving-kindness that is unconditioned” in Buddhism involves caring for and helping those who are not so close and even those outside our social circle. Confucianism also teaches, “Respect the elders in other families, as you would your own; care for the children of others, as you would your own.” If we can realize this through our cultivation, we can all become buddhas or bodhisattvas, and this mundane world will also become a pure land.
In the Buddhist scriptures, there is a story about bhikshus (fully ordained Buddhist monks) who were tied up with grass. Because the bhikshus were compassionate and followed the precepts to a tee, they would not damage the trees or grass, let alone kill a person or animal. One day, the bhikshus were passing by a forest on their alms round, and were ambushed by a group of bandits. The bandits easily robbed them of all their belongings by tying their hands and feet with the grass. This is because the bhikshus could not bear to damage the grass and harm the beings living inside, so they remained still and unmoving as the bandits took all their belongings. The bhikshus’ sympathies for all sentient beings, as well as their compassionate protection of all plants, are true manifestations of the teaching: “great is the loving-kindness that is unconditioned; great is the compassion that shows the one essence of all.”
In this modern world our society is disorderly, and this disorder comes from people’s unsettled minds, violent tendencies, and disrespect toward other living beings. In Buddhism there is a famous quote: “For hundreds of thousands of kalpas, they have been served in bowls of meat stew. Their resentment is as deep as the sea, their hatred difficult to dissolve. Trying to understand the reason for all the tribulations of the wars in the world, we can just listen to the screams from the slaughterhouse at midnight.” So, if we want to improve our society and deepen our spiritual connections with others, we must respect all living beings. This includes not only respecting our own lives, but also the life of every fellow human being and every animal, as well as the plants that support our lives. In fact, if there were no trees and no grass in this world, the human race would not survive. Therefore, in order to create a harmonious world, and for each and every one of us to have peace of mind and be granted a piece of pure land to lead our lives, we should embrace the spirit of unconditioned compassion. Put simply, this involves respecting all life—be it humans, animals, or plants—and not carelessly cause harm.
Effortless Composure in the Changing World, p.308