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4 EASTERN HORIZON | LEAD ARTICLE

Drepung Loseling Monastery, Karnataka, India. Thangkas painted on the walls of the monastery

The Soothing Rays of

Moonlight: Loving-kindness and

Compassion, the Foundations for

Genuine Peace and Happiness

By Geshe Palden Drakpa

The great Indian Buddhist master, Acharya Chandrakirti that the author so respectfully offers the praise to
says in his Madhyamakāvatāra: loving-kindness and compassion at the outset of the
Compassion alone is seen as the seed text. Likewise, it is fitting for us to make concerted
Of a Victor’s rich harvest, as water that nourishes it, efforts to give birth to loving-kindness and compassion
And as the ripened fruit that is the source of long with a similar energy of appreciation, conviction, and
enjoyment. aspiration as that of the author.
Therefore, at the start I praise compassion.
Therefore, in this journey of cultivating loving-kindness
Thus, concerning the Buddha’s rich-harvest-like and compassion, it is imperative that we first correctly
excellent qualities, loving-kindness and compassion identify these qualities. Let’s deal with these in terms
are like the fresh seeds that are indispensable at the of their (a) nature, (b) classifications, (c) causes giving
beginning in giving birth to the yet un-born sprout- rise to them, (d) the measure of giving birth to them, (e)
like initial qualities. In the middle, they are like the supportive reasoning (for the possibility of developing
nourishing water that is poured repeatedly over the them infinitely), (f) modes of cultivation, and (g) the
plant-like qualities of the six far-reaching practices steps of cultivating familiarization with them.
such as generosity to grow fuller. In the end, they are
like the fully-ripened-fruit-like nectar of teachings of As for their nature, great compassion is a deep-felt
the Victor’s rich harvest that is ready for the disciples natural wish for all the sentient beings to be completely
to enjoy for a long time to come. It is in those senses free from all shortcomings and faults. Whereas, great