From Sadness to Hope – the Power of Compassion

May the supreme and precious awakening mind
Arise where it has not yet arisen.
And where it has declined or does not exist,
May it flourish and keep growing.

“It is clear that the greater your sense of altruism, the more you work
for the welfare of others, the greater will be your own satisfaction.
And when you come to die you’ll be able to go with confidence. As you
dedicate yourself to working for others, your own interests will
incidentally be fulfilled. Selfishness and self-centredness, on the
other hand, lead to anxiety and suspicion, poor health and a decline in
well-being.” ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Although the Buddha had spoken about suffering when he taught the Four
Noble Truths, that is no grounds for feeling depressed. Rather we should
examine what gives rise to suffering and take on the challenge of
overcoming it. He said that helping others who suffer to cope and
overcome their grief described is a great gift of kindness.

His Holiness clarified that we experience two levels of pain, physical and mental, and that while physical pain tends to have a physical cause, mental suffering usually derives from our own way of thinking. For this the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva, offers practical advice:

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

Source: dalailama.com
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