慈悲为成佛之本
慈悲是佛道之根本。
所以者何?
菩萨见众生老病死苦、身苦心苦、
今世后世苦等诸苦所恼,
生大慈、悲,救如是苦,
然后发心求阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。
龙树菩萨
《大智度论》
The Root Of Accomplishing Buddhahood Is Compassion
Loving-kindness and compassion are the roots of the Buddha path. Why is that so? Bodhisattvas see sentient beings with ageing, sickness and death suffering, having physical suffering and mental suffering, in this life and later lives with these sufferings and by all other sufferings those afflicted, give rise to great loving-kindness and compassion to save them from such sufferings, after that giving rise to the mind to seek Anuttara Samyak Saṃbodhi.
Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva
(The Treatise On Perfection Of Great Wisdom)

