THE GIFT OF KANZEON: COMPASSION Ozmo Piedmont, PH.D.

In this holiday season, our thoughts return to the Christmas spirit symbolized by the giving of gifts. Because gifts are such an integral part of the celebrations, it is worthwhile to reflect upon the meaning of the gift. What does it mean to give a gift and what do we want it to express? The Buddha said, There are two kinds of gifts: the gift of material things and the gift of the Dharma. The greatest of these is the gift of Dharma.i The gift of Dharma is based on our capacity to give from the heart. For Buddhists, the Word Dharma means law, truth, or the teachings of the Buddha.ii Therefore, if our Christmas gift is able to demonstrate and teach the cosmic laws of the universe, then it can serve to reveal peace, joy and love, the essence of Christmas. Even the most insignificant gifts can reveal this treasure of the Divine within us. The treasure of Buddhism is to find the Eternal within ourselves. Through meditation and spiritual practice, one discovers the Divine, which is always present within us, but covered over by the mental defilements of greed, frustration, and confusion. Nevertheless, inside each one of us are the seeds of true joy, ready to sprout if we water them with love, compassion, altruism, and care. This is what the bodhisattva Knzeon symbolizes, the divine image of a woman standing on a lotus flower, pouring from her hands the universal waters of mercy and compassion. Bodhisattvas are very special enlightened beings in Buddhism, those that postpone their own final salvation, their entrance into Nirvana, in order to dedicate themselves to ending the suffering of all other sentient beings. They do this out of compassion for the world, seeing that they cannot leave behind their families, friends, and loved ones in the world of suffering, called samsara. Not until the last sentient being in the Universe has entered into Nirvana, that finally the bodhisattva allows him or herself to enter also. It is a symbol of infinite compassion, the personal sacrifice for the liberation and benefit of all in the universe. Kanzeon is an image of the celestial mother, pouring the waters of compassion over the earth. In fact, her name means She that answers the cries of the world. Knzeon is a beloved and valued image for the people of the Orient, which is not always portrayed in a feminine form. Her history begins in India as Avalokiteshvara, a celestial man represented with a thousand arms, each with an eye in each palm, symbolizing that he can manifest himself in an infinity of forms for the support and salvation of all those who ask for his help. When his image arrived to Tibet, his named changed to Chenrezig, and he began to be seen as a combination of more or less masculine and feminine characteristics combined, eventually becoming associated with the feminine image of Tara, also related to compassion and wisdom. Later, as
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her cult spread through the rest of China and the Orient, one sees her represented more and more as a beautiful woman, either young or mature, where she is now called Kwan-yin. Finally, upon arrival to Japan, her image is totally feminized, being known as Kanzeon. It is interesting to note that in many of these countries, much of her iconography shows traces of both genders at the same time, with long hair, flowing long robes, delicate features, but with a light mustache above her lip, and with or without breasts. It is a way of expressing symbolically that the Divine in us transcends all duality, and in this transcendence, we are one with the Infinite, where all psychological characteristics can be utilized in the realization of our Buddha nature: physical strength combined with emotional receptivity, the dynamic with the sensitive, compassion with wisdom. The goal of Buddhism is to find this balance inside ourselves, and to achieve the harmony of opposites, coming to experience directly our unity with the Unborn, Undying, Unchanging, Unformed, in That with is Eternal in each one of us. At the same time, the emphasis that the Asian culture puts on the image of the feminine in the form of Kanzeon and Kwan-Yin shows us the most accessible quality for the discovery of the Infinite in our minds and hearts, that which is known as compassion. Since Kanzeon responds to the cries of the world, she responds to the necessities of each person in exactly the way each needs in order to alleviate their suffering and to find peace. Perhaps this is the most important thing, to love others in every moment with every person in this same way, simply doing that which there is to do here and now, valuing one another, and opening ourselves to the inner peace. And the perfect time to practice this attitude, showing our love and support, is during Christmas. In stead of giving to others from the perspective of obligation, desire, or materialism, one can use the act of giving gifts as a spiritual practice, expressing the divine consciousness in our hearts that looks for the most adequate form to bring joy to others, showing our esteem and appreciation to our loved ones and friends. And like Kanzeon, one hopes that this act of giving and compassion extends itself beyond our own family circle. Because when one gives even to strangers, the homeless and unfortunate, this is the most pure expression of compassion, since without looking for recognition nor self benefit, we bring peace and joy to others, without considering whether the person deserves it or not. Thus we love unconditionally, and this love can ease all the pains of the world. This type of love is active, shown by acts of charity and caring. One can give time, food, or money to charitable organizations. But it is equally important to look throughout the year for that which doesnt cost anything materially, the gift of compassion: understanding, solidarity, patience, and acceptance. Instead of criticizing or judging others around us, we can take a moment to consider how to help them in the most natural way. At times a kind word, a smile, or a supportive gesture can alleviate much tension and stress in the workplace or the home. When the sensations of anger, irritation, impatience,
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and bother arise, it is the moment to allow compassion to manifest itself. The Zen Buddhist considers these moments of crisis very valuable for purifying our karma and liberating both ourselves and others from suffering. One can do this by way of practicing the three AAAs of spiritual practice, which refers to Abstaining, Attending, and Analyzing. The first step we take, when a situation stimulates in us a strong emotion, is to pause and not react instinctively, since this instinct is usually based on prior conditioning, which can reinforce egocentrism. It requires an inner strength to not react to the world based on the three poisons of mental defilements, known as the kleshas in Buddhism: greed, frustration, and confusion. The second step is to attend to the sensation, observing with full attention the emotion and the thoughts accompanying it, without trying to eliminate, repress, or nurture them more. In our act of observing with mindfulness, we end our identification with the object of our observation, the sensation of bother of frustration. In these moments of observation, one begins to perceive that the emotion begins to diminish little by little, since it is not being fed in any way, until finally it disappears. Now one can literally ask Kanzeon for help, looking for that which it is good to do in the present moment, that which can alleviate suffering and resolve the problem. This is the act of charity and compassion, that of not doing what is based on habitual ego instincts. In this moment, one is truly identifying with the Infinite, in the form of our Buddha nature, which has the face of Kanzeon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Upon receiving this inspiration and guidance of how to proceed, one gives oneself completely to the act, with total trust and without fear. Now is the time to take the third step, that of Analysis. It is the moment to reflect on what just happened, trying to understand our own patterns of karma. We consider whether our actions are in accord with the teachings of the Buddha expressed in his ethics of Dharma and the principle of compassion symbolized by Knzeon. In this analysis, one considers that which we have done well, and that which can be done better the next time the same pattern arises. This process can take a few seconds or a few days. However, it is an act of compassion and love, because now we are not victims of the tendencies that cause pain and suffering from the past. We have acted basing ourselves on the wisdom of the universe. And our actions are free of egocentrism and negative karma. If one can practice in this way in daily life, one awakens to the most pure aspect of oneself, that of infinite love. Thus, one lives each day as if it were Christmas, because each day becomes a gift of peace and compassion. Such a gift goes beyond any religion or dogma. It is the heart of the Universe and the face of Kanzeon.

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Bhikkhu anamoli. 1992. The Life of the Buddha. Pariyatti Editions: Onalaska, WA., USA. p. 200. Roshi Jiyu-Kennett. 1999. Zen is Eternal LIfe. Shasta Abbey Press: Mount Shasta CA., USA. p. 308.

OZMO PIEDMONT, PH.D. MEDITACIN BUDISTA ZEN Telfono: (33) 1523-7115. Web: meditacionbudistazen.blogspot.com Correo: ozmoofoz@gmail.com