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Grammatical Analysis
Karuṇā: [f.] compassion; empathy. Derived from the root kar (to do, make), implying an active psychological movement that runs to relieve distress, or from kirati (to scatter), because it scatters or breaks up the sorrow of others.
Orthodox Definition
Karuṇā is the second of the four divine abodes (brahmavihāra). It is defined as the wholesome mental state that arises when witnessing the suffering, helplessness, or affliction of other living beings, manifesting as the deep desire to see them liberated from that pain. Doctrinally, it is an expression of the mental factor of non-hatred (adosa-cetasika), acting as the direct antidote to cruelty and harmlessness (vihesā).
The Dhammasaṅgaṇī-aṭṭhakathā clarifies that true compassion must be clearly separated from its “near enemy,” which is worldly sorrow, grief, or sentimental pity (domanassa). Pity is an unwholesome state rooted in aversion, whereas true Karuṇā is balanced, clear, and structurally wholesome. Its “far enemy” is active cruelty, violence, and malicious intent.
When cultivated through samatha, compassion can serve as the focal object to secure the first three fine-material absorptions (rūpajhāna).
Quote
Karuṇābrahmavihārassa ‘‘cakkhuviññeyyānaṃ rūpānaṃ iṭṭhānaṃ kantānaṃ manāpānaṃ manoramānaṃ lokāmisapaṭisaṃyuttānaṃ appaṭilābhaṃ vā appaṭilābhato samanupassato pubbe vā paṭiladdhapubbaṃ atītaṃ niruddhaṃ vipariṇataṃ samanussarato uppajjati domanassaṃ.
As for the Brahmavihāra of karuṇā, “When one perceives the non-acquisition of visible forms cognizable by the eye, which are desirable, agreeable, pleasing, enchanting, and connected with worldly allurements, or when one recollects visible forms that were acquired in the past, have ceased, or have undergone change, sorrow arises.Yaṃ evarūpaṃ domanassaṃ idaṃ vuccati gehassitaṃ domanassa’’ntiādinā nayena āgataṃ gehassitaṃ domanassaṃ vipattidassanasabhāgatāya āsannapaccatthikaṃ.
Such sorrow is called house-rooted sorrow,” and so on, this house-rooted sorrow is an approximate enemy due to its nature of seeing misfortune.Sabhāvavisabhāgatāya vihesā dūrapaccatthikā.
Harm (vihesā) is a distant enemy due to its dissimilarity in nature.Tasmā tato nibbhayena karuṇāyitabbaṃ.
Therefore, one should cultivate karuṇā fearlessly from that (harm).— Dhammasaṅgaṇī-aṭṭhakathā
Textual References
- Sutta: Mahāgovinda Sutta (DN 19) – Discussing the systematic radiation of compassion to all quarters of the cosmos.
- Abhidhamma: Vibhaṅga (Appamaññāvibhaṅga section).
- Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter IX) – Outlining the exact technical progression to develop compassion without falling into unwholesome sorrow.