Is the Buddha's Compassion Also Illusory?

The Buddha's compassion manifests in two forms. The first is the innate great compassion, which since beginningless kalpas has continuously shown mercy and benefited sentient beings, particularly benefiting others. Although this mind does not actively generate feelings of compassion, nor does it perceive sentient beings as worthy of pity or suffering, its actions are selflessly in accordance with sentient beings, ultimately benefiting and caring for them. This is the compassion inherent in the Buddha's Tathagatagarbha, the immaculate consciousness.

The Buddha's other form of compassion is cultivated through practice after enlightenment. It is the pity for sentient beings expressed through the Buddha's conscious mind, specifically through the wisdom of sublime observation. This mind arises with the emergence of the Buddha's conscious mind and the wisdom of sublime observation, and ceases when that wisdom temporarily subsides. It is subject to birth and cessation, not eternally existent. Since it is not an enduring mind but an illusory manifestation born from the Buddha's immaculate consciousness, it is ultimately illusory.

Both forms of the Buddha's compassion remain unwavering. In contrast, the compassion arising from a bodhisattva's conscious mind still fluctuates, while the occasional compassion in an ordinary being's conscious mind entirely shifts with circumstances. It is not constantly present, cannot endure perpetually, lacks ultimate realization, and is devoid of wisdom. When the Buddha generates compassion, it does not drift with changing circumstances, does not perceive phenomena as ultimately real, and makes no distinctions among objects. It is truly unconditional great compassion and identical-body great pity—free from any differentiation or partiality toward "you," "me," "him," or "it," regarding all sentient beings with perfect equality.

Sentient beings, however, often treat others unequally, centering on the self and expanding outward bit by bit. The further removed others are, the less compassion arises toward them, or none at all. Some individuals feel not even a trace of compassion toward their closest kin. Thus, sentient beings are heavily burdened by selfishness and egoism, seldom considering others—or not considering them at all—incapable of adopting others' perspectives. This stands far removed from the Buddha's unconditional great compassion.