Page 167 - Mystic Pathways through the Bible

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V. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
The fth Beatitude describes another attribute of an enlightened Sage—mercy or compassion. Any person treading the path of spirituality becomes merciful. But the meaning of true mercy or compassion must be properly understood.
The Sanskrit term is karuna. In the Vedic scriptures, God is described as Karuna Sagar, which means “Ocean of Compassion.” To the extent that an aspirant on the spiritual path develops this Divine quality of compassion or mercy, to that extent he is closer to God.
But what does compassion imply? The translation of the Sanskrit term karuna is a blend of the English terms compassion, mercy, benevolence, and magnanimity. Karuna implies that you are ready to forgive anyone who has harmed you, that you are not eager to judge others harshly, and that you have a tender heart that understands the sufferings of others and an eagerness to alleviate their pain.
What Compassion Is Not
Mercy or compassion is de nitely not pity in the ordinary sense. If you analyze your mind, you will realize that when you begin to pity others, there is a