Robert Thurman: Expanding your circle of compassion

Traducător: milena moraru Corector: Brandusa Gheorghe

I want to open by quoting Einstein's wonderful statement,

Vreau sa incep prin a cita declaratia minunata a lui Einstein,

just so people will feel at ease that the great scientist of the 20th century

astfel incat sa va simtiti confortabil ca marele om de stiinta al secolului 20

also agrees with us, and also calls us to this action.

este de acord cu noi si ne cere sa actionam.

He said, "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, the 'universe,' --

El a spus: "O fiinta umana este parte a unui intreg denumit de noi univers,

a part limited in time and space.

a parte limitata in timp si spatiu.

He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings,

El se percepe, cu gandurile si sentimentele lui,

as something separated from the rest,

ca fiind ceva separat de rest,

a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.

acea separatie fiind un fel de iluzie optica a constiintei sale.

This delusion is a kind of prison for us,

Aceasta iluzie este un fel de inchisoare pentru noi,

restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.

restrangandu-ne la dorintele noastra proprii si la afectiune pentru cateva persoane apropiate noua.

Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion,

Sarcina noastra e sa ne eliberam din aceasta inchisoare prin largirea cercului nostru de compasiune

to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

pentru a imbratisa toate creaturile vii si intreaga natura in frumusetea ei."

This insight of Einstein's is uncannily close to that of Buddhist psychology,

Viziunea lui Einstein este ciudat de apropiata de psihologia budista,

wherein compassion -- "karuna," it is called --

in care compasiunea, numita karuna,

is defined as, "the sensitivity to another's suffering

este definita ca: "Sensibilitatea fata de suferinta altuia

and the corresponding will to free the other from that suffering."

si vointa corespondenta de a-l elibera pe celalalt de acea suferinta."

It pairs closely with love, which is the will for the other to be happy,

Se apropie mult de conceptul de dragoste. Care este dorinta ca celalalt sa fie fericit.

which requires, of course, that one feels some happiness oneself

Care cere, bineinteles, ca o persoana sa se simta fericita

and wishes to share it.

si sa vrea sa impartaseasca aceasta fericire.

This is perfect in that it clearly opposes self-centeredness

Este perfect in sensul ca opune, in mod clar, egocentrismului

and selfishness to compassion, the concern for others,

si egoismului, compasiunea, grija fata de ceilalti,

and, further, it indicates that those caught in the cycle of self-concern

si, mai mult, indica faptul ca cei captivi in ciclul grijii fata de sine

suffer helplessly, while the compassionate are more free

sufera iremediabil, in timp ce cei ce practica compasiunea sunt mai liberi

and, implicitly, more happy.

si, in mod implicit, mai fericiti.

The Dalai Lama often states that compassion is his best friend.

Dalai Lama afirma adesea ca compasiunea e cel mai bun prieten al sau.

It helps him when he is overwhelmed with grief and despair.

Il ajuta cand este coplesit de tristete si disperare.

Compassion helps him turn away from the feeling of his suffering

Compasiunea il ajuta sa alunge sentimentul ca suferinta sa

as the most absolute, most terrible suffering anyone has ever had

este cea mai mare si dureroasa suferinta pe care a incercat-o cineva

and broadens his awareness of the sufferings of others,

si sa devina mult mai constient de suferinta altora,

even of the perpetrators of his misery and the whole mass of beings.

chiar si a celor care i-au provocat aceasta suferinta si a tuturor fiintelor.

In fact, suffering is so huge and enormous,

De fapt, suferinta este atat de mare,

his own becomes less and less monumental.

incat a sa devine din ce in ce mai putin monumentala.

And he begins to move beyond his self-concern into the broader concern for others.

Si el incepe sa se miste dincolo de grija fata de sine, catre grija extinsa fata de ceilalti.

And this immediately cheers him up,

Si el incepe imediat sa se bucure,

as his courage is stimulated to rise to the occasion.

iar curajul sau e stimulat sa se ridice la inaltimea ocaziei.

Thus, he uses his own suffering

De aceea, el foloseste suferinta sa

as a doorway to widening his circle of compassion.

ca o poarta pentru a-si largi cercul de compasiune.

He is a very good colleague of Einstein's, we must say.

El este un bun coleg al lui Einstein, trebuie sa spunem.

Now, I want to tell a story,

Acum vreau sa va spun o poveste

which is a very famous story in the Indian and Buddhist tradition,

foarte cunoscuta in traditia indiana si budista,

of the great Saint Asanga

cea a marelui Sfantului Asanga,

who was a contemporary of Augustine in the West

care a fost contemporan cu Sfantul Augustin din Vest,

and was sort of like the Buddhist Augustine.

si a fost un fel de Sfant Augustin budist.

And Asanga lived 800 years after the Buddha's time.

Asanga a trait la 800 de ani dupa Buddha.

And he was discontented with the state of people's practice

Si el era nemultumit de felul in care oamenii practicau

of the Buddhist religion in India at that time.

religia budista in India, la acea vreme.

And so he said, "I'm sick of all this. Nobody's really living the doctrine.

Si el a spus: "M-am saturat. Nimeni nu practica cu adevarat doctrina.

They're talking about love and compassion and wisdom and enlightenment,

Toti vorbesc de dragoste, compasiune, intelepciune si iluminare,

but they are acting selfish and pathetic.

dar actioneaza in mod egoist si jalnic.

So, Buddha's teaching has lost its momentum.

Deci invatatura lui Buddha si-a pierdut avantul.

I know the next Buddha will come a few thousand years from now,

Stiu ca noul Buddha va veni peste cateva mii de ani,

but exists currently in a certain heaven" -- that's Maitreya --

dar exista acum intr-un rai, numit Maitreya.

"so, I'm going to go on a retreat and I'm going to meditate

Deci, ma voi retrage si voi medita

and pray until the Buddha Maitreya reveals himself to me,

si ma voi ruga pana cand Buddha Maitreya mi se va revela

and gives me a teaching or something

si ma va invata ceva

to revive the practice of compassion in the world today."

pentru a reinvia practica compasiunii in lume astazi."

So he went on this retreat. And he meditated for three years

Deci s-a retras. Si a meditat trei ani

and he did not see the future Buddha Maitreya.

si nu l-a vazut pe viitorul Buddha Maitreya.

And he left in disgust.

Si a plecat dezgustat.

And as he was leaving, he saw a man --

Si, cum pleca, a vazut un om --

a funny little man sitting sort of part way down the mountain.

un omulet nostim -- care statea la baza muntelui.

And he had a lump of iron.

Acesta avea o bucata de fier.

And he was rubbing it with a cloth.

Si o stergea cu o carpa.

And he became interested in that.

Asanga a devenit interesat.

He said, "Well what are you doing?"

A spus: "Ei bine, ce faci?"

And the man said, "I'm making a needle."

Si omul a spus: "Fac un ac."

And he said, "That's ridiculous. You can't make a needle

Asanga a spus: "E ridicol. Nu poti sa faci un ac

by rubbing a lump of iron with a cloth."

frecand o bucata de fier cu o carpa."

And the man said, "Really?" And he showed him a dish full of needles.

Si omul a spus: "Serios?" Si i-a aratat o farfurie plina cu ace.

So he said, "Okay, I get the point."

Asanga a spus: "Okay, am inteles."

He went back to his cave. He meditated again.

S-a intors in pestera. A meditat din nou.

Another three years, no vision. He leaves again.

Inca trei ani, nici o viziune. Pleaca din nou.

This time, he comes down.

De aceasta data, coboara.

And as he's leaving, he sees a bird making a nest on a cliff ledge.

Si cum mergea, vede o pasare construindu-si un cuib pe o stanca.

And where it's landing to bring the twigs to the cliff,

Si unde ateriza, pentru a aduce ramurele pe stanca,

its feathers brushes the rock -- and it had cut the rock

penele ei ating piatra, si taiasera piatra,

six to eight inches in. There was a cleft in the rock

15-20 de centimetri inauntru, era o crapatura in piatra

by the brushing of the feathers of generations of the birds.

datorita atingerii penelor generatiilor de pasari.

So he said, "All right. I get the point." He went back.

Deci a spus: "Bine. Am inteles." S-a intors.

Another three years.

Alti trei ani.

Again, no vision of Maitreya after nine years.

Din nou, nici o viziune a lui Maitreya dupa noua ani.

And he again leaves, and this time: water dripping,

Si pleaca din nou si, de data aceasta, apa cade

making a giant bowl in the rock where it drips in a stream.

facand o scobitura uriasa in piatra pe care apa curge suvoi.

And so, again, he goes back. And after 12 years there is still no vision.

Si, din nou, se intoarce. Si dupa 12 ani inca nu are nici o viziune.

And he's freaked out. And he won't even look left or right

Si este innebunit. Si nici nu se mai uita la stanga sau la dreapta

to see any encouraging vision.

pentru a vedea o viziune incurajatoare.

And he comes to the town. He's a broken person.

Si se intoarce in oras. Este o persoana distrusa.

And there, in the town, he's approached by a dog

Si acolo, in oras, un caine se apropie de el,

who comes like this -- one of these terrible dogs you can see in some poor countries,

care vine asa, unul din acei caini groaznici pe care ii vezi in anumite tari sarace,

even in America, I think, in some areas --

chiar si in America, cred, in anumite zone,

and he's looking just terrible.

si arata jalnic.

And he becomes interested in this dog because it's so pathetic,

Si acest caine ii atrage atentia fiindca este atat de jalnic,

and it's trying to attract his attention. And he sits down looking at the dog.

si incearca sa ii atraga atentia. Si se aseaza si se uita la acel caine.

And the dog's whole hindquarters are a complete open sore.

Si posteriorul cainelui este o rana deschisa.

Some of it is like gangrenous,

Si o parte este atinsa de gangrena.

and there are maggots in the flesh. And it's terrible.

Si are larve in carne. Este groaznic.

He thinks, "What can I do to fix up this dog?

Se gandeste: "Ce pot face sa ajut acest caine?"

Well, at least I can clean this wound and wash it."

Ei bine, cel putin pot sa-i curat rana si sa-l spal."

So, he takes it to some water. He's about to clean,

Deci, il duce la o apa, este gata sa il curete,

but then his awareness focuses on the maggots.

apoi atentia ii este atrasa de larve.

And he sees the maggots, and the maggots are kind of looking a little cute.

Si vede larvele, si acestea par destul de dragute.

And they're maggoting happily in the dog's hindquarters there.

Si ele traiesc fericite pe posteriorul cainelui.

"Well, if I clean the dog, I'll kill the maggots. So how can that be?

"Ei bine, daca voi curata cainele, voi ucide larvele. Cum se poate asa ceva?

That's it. I'm a useless person and there's no Buddha, no Maitreya,

Asta e. Sunt o persoana nefolositoare si nu este niciun Buddha, niciun Maitreya

and everything is all hopeless.

si nu este speranta.

And now I'm going to kill the maggots?"

Si acum voi ucide larvele?"

So, he had a brilliant idea.

Deci, a avut o idee geniala.

And he took a shard of something, and cut a piece of flesh from his thigh,

A luat un ciob si si-a taiat o bucata de carne din coapsa

and he placed it on ground.

si a pus-o pe pamant.

He was not really thinking too carefully about the ASPCA.

Nu s-a gandit prea bine la ASPCA.(Societatea Americana pentru Prevenirea Cruzimii impotriva Animalelor).

He was just immediately caught with the situation.

Imediat a fost prins de aceasta situatie.

So he thought, "I will take the maggots and put them on this piece of flesh,

Deci s-a gandit: "Voi lua aceste larve si le voi pune pe aceasta bucata de carne,

then clean the dog's wounds, and then

apoi voi curata rana cainelui si, apoi,

I'll figure out what to do with the maggots."

o sa-mi dau seama ce sa fac cu larvele."

So he starts to do that. He can't grab the maggots.

Si a inceput operatia. Dar nu putea prinde larvele.

Apparently they wriggle around. They're kind of hard to grab, these maggots.

Se pare ca acestea se zbat. Sunt greu de prins aceste larve.

So he says, "Well, I'll put my tongue on the dog's flesh.

Deci a spus: "O sa-mi pun limba pe carnea cainelui.

And then the maggots will jump on my warmer tongue" --

Si larvele vor sari pe limba mea care este mai calda.

the dog is kind of used up --

Cainele e cam folosit.

"and then I'll spit them one by one down on the thing."

Si apoi le voi scuipa una cate una pe carne."

So he goes down, and he's sticking his tongue out like this.

Deci se apleaca si isi lipeste limba in felul acesta.

And he had to close his eyes, it's so disgusting, and the smell and everything.

Si trebuie sa inchida ochii, este atat de dezgustator si mirosul si tot restul.

And then, suddenly, there's a pfft, a noise like that.

Si, atunci, dintr-odata, aude un sunet ca acesta.

He jumps back and there, of course, is the future Buddha Maitreya

Se intoarce si il vede pe viitorul Buddha Maitreya.

in a beautiful vision -- rainbow lights, golden, jeweled, a plasma body,

Intr-o viziune minunata cu luminile curcubeului, aurit, acoperit de bijuterii, corp de plasma,

an exquisite mystic vision -- that he sees.

vede o viziune mistica superba.

And he says, "Oh." He bows.

Si spune: "Oh." Se inclina.

But, being human, he's immediately thinking of his next complaint.

Dar, fiind om, se gandeste imediat la urmatoarea sa nemultumire.

So as he comes up from his first bow he says,

Deci, cum se ridica, spune:

"My Lord, I'm so happy to see you, but where have you been for 12 years?

"Stapane, sunt fericit sa te vad, dar unde ai fost in ultimii 12 ani?

What is this?"

Ce este asta?"

And Maitreya says, "I was with you. Who do you think was making needles

Si Maitreya spune: "Am fost cu tine. Cine crezi ca facea ace

and making nests and dripping on rocks for you, mister dense?"

si cuiburi si picura apa pe pietre pentru tine, domnule greu-de-cap?"

(Laughter)

(Rasete)

"Looking for the Buddha in person," he said.

"Uitandu-se dupa Buddha in persoana." a spus.

And he said, "You didn't have, until this moment, real compassion.

Si a spus: "Pana atunci, nu aveai compasiune adevarata.

And, until you have real compassion, you cannot recognize love."

Si pana nu ai compasiune adevarata, nu poti recunoaste dragostea."

"Maitreya" means love, "the loving one," in Sanskrit.

Stiti ca, in sanscrita, Maitreya inseamna dragoste, cel iubit.

And so he looked very dubious, Asanga did.

Si deci el arata foarte ciudat, credea Asanga.

And he said, "If you don't believe me, just take me with you."

Si a spus: "Daca nu ma crezi, ia-ma cu tine."

And so he took the Maitreya -- it shrunk into a globe, a ball --

Si l-a luat pe Maitreya -- l-a micsorat intr-un glob, o minge --

took him on his shoulder.

si l-a pus pe umar.

And he ran into town in the marketplace, and he said, "Rejoice! Rejoice!

Si s-a dus in piata orasului si a spus: "Bucurati-va. Bucurati-va.

The future Buddha has come ahead of all predictions. Here he is."

Viitorul Buddha a sosit inaintea tuturor previziunilor. Iata-l."

And then pretty soon they started throwing rocks and stones at him --

Si destul de curand au inceput sa arunce cu pietre in el --

it wasn't Chautauqua, it was some other town --

Nu era Chautauqua.Era alt oras --

because they saw a demented looking, scrawny looking yogi man,

fiindca ei au vazut un yoghin care arata ca un nebun,

like some kind of hippie, with a bleeding leg and a rotten dog on his shoulder,

un fel de hippie cu un picior care sangera si un caine putrezit pe umarul sau,

shouting that the future Buddha had come.

strigand ca noul Buddha a sosit.

So, naturally, they chased him out of town.

Deci, normal ca l-au alungat din oras.

But on the edge of town, one elderly lady, a charwoman in the charnel ground,

Dar la marginea orasului, o femeie batrana, o femeie cu ziua intr-un cimitir,

saw a jeweled foot on a jeweled lotus on his shoulder and then the dog,

a vazut pe umarul sau un picior cu bijuterii pe un lotus cu bijuterii si apoi cainele,

but she saw the jewel foot of the Maitreya, and she offered a flower.

dar ea a vazut piciorul cu bijuterii al lui Maitreya si i-a oferit o floare.

So that encouraged him, and he went with Maitreya.

Si acest gest l-a incurajat si a mers mai departe cu Maitreya.

Maitreya then took him to a certain heaven,

Iar Maitreya l-a luat intr-un anumit rai,

which is the typical way a Buddhist myth unfolds.

in felul in care mitul budist se desfasoara de obicei.

And Maitreya then kept him in heaven for five years,

Si Maitreya l-a tinut in rai cinci ani,

dictating to him five complicated tomes

dictandu-i cinci tomuri complicate

of the methodology of how you cultivate compassion.

privind metodologia cultivarii compasiunii.

And then I thought I would share with you what that method is, or one of them.

Si atunci m-am gandit sa impart cu voi acea metoda sau una dintre ele.

A famous one, it's called the "Sevenfold Causal Method of Developing Compassion."

Una faimoasa, se numeste, "Metoda cauzala in sapte pasi pentru dezvoltarea compasiunii."

And it begins first by one meditating and visualizing that all beings are with one --

Incepe prin meditatie si vizualizarea faptului ca toate fiintele sunt cu tine,

even animals too, but everyone is in human form.

si toate -- chiar si animalele -- dar fiecare este in forma umana.

The animals are in one of their human lives. The humans are human.

Animalele sunt in una din formele lor umane. Toate fiintele umane sunt umane.

And then, among them, you think of your friends and loved ones, the circle at the table.

Si atunci, printre ele, te gandesti la prietenii tai si la cei pe care ii iubesti, cercul de la masa.

And you think of your enemies, and you think of the neutral ones.

Si te gandesti la inamicii tai si te gandesti la cei neutri.

And then you try to say, "Well, the loved ones I love.

Si apoi incerci sa spui, "EI bine, ii iubesc pe cei apropiati.

But, you know, after all, they're nice to me.

Dar, stii, una peste alta, ei sunt buni cu mine.

I had fights with them. Sometimes they were unfriendly.

M-am certat cu ei. Cateodata au fost neprietenosi.

I got mad. Brothers can fight. Parents and children can fight.

M-am suparat. Fratii se pot certa. Parintii si copiii se pot certa.

So, in a way, I like them so much because they're nice to me.

Deci, intr-un fel, imi place mult de ei fiindca sunt buni cu mine.

While the neutral ones I don't know. They could all be just fine.

Cat despre cei neutri, nu stiu. Ar putea fi in regula.

And then the enemies I don't like because they're mean to me.

Si apoi, pe inamici nu ii plac fiindca sunt rai cu mine.

But they are nice to somebody. I could be them."

Dar ei sunt buni cu cineva. As putea fi ei."

And then the Buddhists, of course, think that, because we've all had infinite previous lives,

Si, apoi, bineinteles, budistii cred ca, fiindca toti am avut un numar infinit de vieti inainte,

we've all been each other's relatives, actually.

budistii cred ca toti am fost rudele celorlalti, de fapt,

Therefore all of you, in the Buddhist view,

si toata lumea, deci toti dintre voi, in gandirea budista

in some previous life, although you don't remember it and neither do I,

intr-o viata anterioara, desi nu va aduceti aminte si nici eu,

have been my mother -- for which I do apologize for the trouble I caused you.

ati fost mama mea, si imi cer scuze pentru necazurile pe care vi le-am provocat.

And also, actually, I've been your mother.

Si, de asemenea, si eu v-am fost mama.

I've been female, and I've been every single one of yours' mother in a previous life,

Am fost femeie si am fost pentru fiecare dintre voi, mama ta intr-o viata anterioara,

the way the Buddhists reflect.

conform gandirii budiste.

So, my mother in this life is really great. But all of you in a way

Deci, mama mea din aceasta viata e extraordinara. Dar toti dintre voi, intr-un fel,

are part of the eternal mother.

sunteti parte a mamei eterne.

You gave me that expression; "the eternal mama," you said. That's wonderful.

V-ati uitat la mine cu acea expresie, mama eterna, ai spus. Este minunat.

So, that's the way the Buddhists do it.

Deci, asa gandesc budistii.

A theist Christian can think that all beings, even my enemies, are God's children.

Un teist, crestin, crede ca toate fiintele, chiar si inamicii mei, sunt copiii lui Dumnezeu.

So, in that sense, we're related.

Deci, intr-un fel, suntem inruditi.

So, they first create this foundation of equality.

Deci, ei creeaza mai intai aceasta fundatie a egalitatii.

So, we sort of reduce a little of the clinging to the ones we love --

Deci, reducem un pic agatarea de cei pe care ii iubim --

just in the meditation -- and we open our mind to those we don't know.

doar in meditatie -- si ne deschidem mintea catre cei pe care nu ii cunoastem.

And we definitely reduce the hostility and the "I don't want to be compassionate to them"

Si reducem in mod sigur ostilitatea si "Nu vreau sa-mi arat compasiunea fata de ei."

to the ones we think of as the bad guys, the ones we hate and we don't like.

catre cei despre care cred ca sunt rai, cei pe care ii uram si nu ii placem.

And we don't hate anyone, therefore. So we equalize. That's very important.

De aceea, nu uram pe nimeni. Deci egalizam. Este foarte important.

And then the next thing we do is what is called "mother recognition."

Si apoi urmatorul lucru pe care il facem se numeste recunoasterea mamei.

And that is, we think of every being as familiar, as family.

Adica, ne gandim la fiecare fiinta umana ca la o ruda, la familie.

We expand. We take the feeling about remembering a mama,

Extindem. Luam sentimentul despre reamintirea mamei,

and we defuse that to all beings in this meditation.

si il difuzam fata de toate fiintele umane in aceasta meditatie.

And we see the mother in every being.

Vedem mama in fiecare fiinta umana.

We see that look that the mother has on her face,

Vedem privirea mamei,

looking at this child that is a miracle

acea privire catre copilul ei care este un miracol

that she has produced from her own body, being a mammal,

pe care ea l-a creat din propriul corp, fiind un mamifer,

where she has true compassion, truly is the other, and identifies completely.

pentru care are compasiune adevarata, realmente e celalalt si ea se identifica complet cu acesta.

Often the life of that other will be more important to her than her own life.

Deseori viata celuilalt va fi mai importanta pentru ea decat viata ei.

And that's why it's the most powerful form of altruism.

Si de aceea este cea mai puternica forma de altruism.

The mother is the model of all altruism for human beings,

Mama este modelul de altruism pentru fiintele umane,

in spiritual traditions.

in traditiile spirituale.

And so, we reflect until we can sort of see that motherly expression in all beings.

Si deci, reflectam pana cand putem vedea acea expresie a mamei in toate fiintele.

People laugh at me because, you know, I used to say that

Oamenii rad de mine fiindca, stiti, obisnuiam sa spun ca

I used to meditate on mama Cheney as my mom,

obisnuiam sa meditez la mama Cheney ca mama mea,

when, of course, I was annoyed with him about all of his evil doings in Iraq.

cand, bineinteles, ma enervau lucrurile rele pe care le facea in Irak.

I used to meditate on George Bush. He's quite a cute mom in a female form.

Obisnuiam sa ma gandesc la George Bush. E o mama draguta intr-o forma feminina.

He has his little ears and he smiles and he rocks you in his arms.

Are urechile acelea mici si zambeste si te strange in brate.

And you think of him as nursing you.

Si te gandesti la el ca si cand ar avea grija de tine.

And then Saddam Hussein's serious mustache is a problem,

Si apoi mustata lui Saddam Hussein este o problema.

but you think of him as a mom.

Dar te gandesti la el ca la o mama.

And this is the way you do it. You take any being who looks weird to you,

Asta trebuie sa faci. Iei orice fiinta care iti pare ciudata

and you see how they could be familiar to you.

si vezi cum ar putea sa iti devina familiara.

And you do that for a while, until you really feel that.

Si faci asta pana cand simti realmente asta.

You can feel the familiarity of all beings.

Poti sa simti familiaritatea tuturor fiintelor.

Nobody seems alien. They're not "other."

Nimeni nu pare strain. Nu sunt "celalalt".

You reduce the feeling of otherness about beings.

Reduci sentimentul de diferenta fata de celelalte fiinte.

Then you move from there to remembering the kindness of mothers in general,

Apoi te muti de aici la rememorarea blandetii mamelor in general,

if you can remember the kindness of your own mother,

daca-ti poti aminti blandetea mamei tale,

if you can remember the kindness of your spouse,

daca-ti poti aduce aminte de blandetea sotiei tale,

or, if you are a mother yourself, how you were with your children.

sau, daca tu esti o mama, la cum te purtai cu copiii tai.

And you begin to get very sentimental; you cultivate sentimentality intensely.

Si incepi sa devii sentimental, cultivi sentimentalismul in mod intens.

You will even weep, perhaps, with gratitude and kindness.

Vei plange, poate, cu gratitudine si blandete.

And then you connect that with your feeling that everyone has that motherly possibility.

Si atunci te conectezi cu sentimentul ca oricine are aceasta posibilitate materna.

Every being, even the most mean looking ones, can be motherly.

Fiecare fiinta, chiar si cele mai rele, poate fi materna.

And then, third, you step from there to what is called "a feeling of gratitude."

Si apoi, in al treilea rand, ajungi la sentimentul de gratitudine.

You want to repay that kindness that all beings have shown to you.

Vrei sa rasplatesti bunatatea pe care toate fiintele ti-au aratat-o.

And then the fourth step, you go to what is called "lovely love."

Si, apoi, al patrulea pas, ajungi la ceea ce se numeste dragoste.

In each one of these you can take some weeks, or months, or days

Fiecare pas ia cateva saptamani, luni sau zile

depending on how you do it, or you can do them in a run, this meditation.

in functie de cum il faci, sau poti sa faci toate etapele acestei meditatii odata.

And then you think of how lovely beings are when they are happy,

Si atunci te gandesti cat de incantatoari sunt oamenii cand sunt fericiti.

when they are satisfied.

cand sunt satisfacuti.

And every being looks beautiful when they are internally feeling a happiness.

Si fiecare fiinta arata minunat cand se simte fericita in adancul sufletului.

Their face doesn't look like this. When they're angry, they look ugly, every being,

Fata lor nu arata asa. Cand sunt furiosi, ei arata urati, fiecare fiinta,

but when they're happy they look beautiful.

dar cand sunt fericiti arata minunat.

And so you see beings in their potential happiness.

Deci vezi fiinte potential fericite.

And you feel a love toward them and you want them to be happy, even the enemy.

Si simti dragoste pentru ei si vrei sa fie fericiti, chiar si dusmanul tau.

We think Jesus is being unrealistic

Si, de fapt, este foarte logic sa vrei --

when he says, "Love thine enemy."

credem ca Isus e nerealist cand spune sa iti iubesti dusmanul.

He does say that, and we think he's being unrealistic

El spune asta si noi credem ca este nerealist

and sort of spiritual and highfalutin. "Nice for him to say it, but I can't do that."

si spiritual si bombastic: "Dragut din partea lui ca spune asta, dar nu pot face asta."

But, actually, that's practical.

Dar, de fapt, este practic.

If you love your enemy that means you want your enemy to be happy.

Daca iti iubesti dusmanul inseamna ca vrei ca dusmanul sa fie fericit.

If your enemy was really happy, why would they bother to be your enemy?

Daca inamicul era intr-adevar fericit, de ce s-ar mai deranja sa iti fie dusman?

How boring to run around chasing you.

Cat de plictisitor sa te urmareasca.

They would be relaxing somewhere having a good time.

S-ar relaxa undeva si s-ar distra.

So it makes sense to want your enemy to be happy,

Deci are sens sa vrei ca dusmanul sa fie fericit

because they'll stop being your enemy because that's too much trouble.

fiindca vor inceta sa-ti fie dusmani fiindca e prea mare deranjul.

But anyway, that's the "lovely love. "

Dar, oricum, asta e dragostea incantatoare.

And then finally, the fifth step is compassion, "universal compassion."

Si, in sfarsit, al cincilea pas este compasiunea, compasiunea universala.

And that is where you then look at the reality of all the beings you can think of.

Aceasta are loc cand te uiti la realitatea tuturor fiintelor la care te poti gandi.

And you look at them, and you see how they are.

Si te uiti la ele si le vezi asa cum sunt.

And you realize how unhappy they are actually, mostly, most of the time.

Si iti dai seama cat de nefericite sunt de fapt in majoritatea timpului.

You see that furrowed brow in people.

Vezi aceasta frunte brazdate la unii oameni.

And then you realize they don't even have compassion on themselves.

Si apoi iti dai seama ca ei nu au compasiune nici macar pentru ei.

They're driven by this duty and this obligation.

Sunt condusi de aceasta datorie si obligatie.

"I have to get that. I need more. I'm not worthy. And I should do something."

"Trebuie sa obtin asta. Am nevoie de mai mult. Nu valorez nimic. Ar trebui sa fac ceva."

And they're rushing around all stressed out.

Si se grabesc stresati.

And they think of it as somehow macho, hard discipline on themselves.

Si se gandesc la asta ca la ceva macho, o disciplina dura pe care si-o aplica.

But actually they are cruel to themselves.

Dar, de fapt, ei sunt cruzi cu ei insisi.

And, of course, they are cruel and ruthless toward others.

Si, bineinteles, ei sunt cruzi si necrutatori cu ceilalti.

And they, then, never get any positive feedback.

Si apoi, ei nu primesc nici un feedback pozitiv.

And the more they succeed and the more power they have,

Si cu cat reusesc, cu cat mai multa putere au,

the more unhappy they are.

cu atat mai nefericiti sunt.

And this is where you feel real compassion for them.

Si pentru asta simtim compasiune reala pentru ei.

And you then feel you must act.

Si simti ca trebuie sa actionezi.

And the choice of the action, of course,

Si aceasta este motivatia --

hopefully will be more practical

Si alegerea actiunii, bineinteles, va fi, din fericire, mai practica

than poor Asanga, who was fixing the maggots on the dog

decat aceea a nefericitului Asanga care aranja larvele pe caine,

because he had that motivation, and whoever was in front of him,

fiindca el era motivat si ar fi vrut sa ajute

he wanted to help.

pe oricine era in fata lui.

But, of course, that is impractical. He should have founded the ASPCA in the town

Dar, desigur, nu e practic. Ar fi trebuit sa infiinteze ASPCA in oras

and gotten some scientific help for dogs and maggots.

si ar fi primit consultanta stiintifica referitoare la caini si larve.

And I'm sure he did that later. (Laughter) But that just indicates the state of mind, you know.

Sunt sigur ca, mai tarziu, asa a facut. Dar, stiti, asta indica doar ceea ce gandea.

And so the next step -- the sixth step beyond "universal compassion" --

Si, deci, pasul urmator, al saselea pas dincolo de compasiunea universala,

is this thing where you're linked with the needs of others in a true way,

care este acela cand te conectezi cu adevarat la nevoile celorlati

and you have compassion for yourself also,

si ai compasiune si pentru tine

and it isn't sentimental only. You might be in fear of something.

si nu ai, nu este doar sentimental. Ti-ar putea fi frica de ceva.

Some bad guy is making himself more and more unhappy

Un tip rau devine din ce in ce mai nefericit

being more and more mean to other people

si este din ce in ce mai rau cu altii

and getting punished in the future for it in various ways.

si va fi pedepsit in viitor pentru asta in moduri diverse.

And in Buddhism, they catch it in the future life.

Si, in budism, asta se intampla intr-o viata viitoare.

Of course in theistic religion they're punished by God or whatever.

Bineinteles, in religia teista sunt pedepsiti de Dumnezeu sau oricine altcineva.

And materialism, they think they get out of it just by not existing,

Si, in materialism, ei cred ca scapa doar fiindca nu mai exista,

by dying, but they don't.

murind, dar nu este asa.

And so they get reborn as whatever, you know.

Si, deci, ei renasc intr-o forma oarecare.

Never mind. I won't get into that.

Nu conteaza. Nu am sa ating subiectul.

But the next step is called "universal responsibility."

Pasul urmator este numit raspunderea universala.

And that is very important -- the Charter of Compassion

Si acesta este foarte importat -- Carta Compasiunii

must lead us to develop through true compassion,

trebuie sa ne determine sa dezvoltam compasiunea reala

what is called "universal responsibility."

care se numeste responsabilitate universala.

In the great teaching of his Holiness the Dalai Lama

Si asta inseamna ca invatatura Sfintiei Sale, Dalai Lama,

that he always teaches everywhere, he says

pe care el o predica oriunde, si el spune

that that is the common religion of humanity: kindness.

ca religia comuna a umanitatii este bunatatea.

But "kindness" means "universal responsibility."

Dar bunatate inseamna responsabilitate universala.

And that means whatever happens to other beings is happening to us:

Si asta inseamna ca orice se intampla altor fiinte ni se intampla noua,

we are responsible for that, and we should take it

ca sunt responsabili pentru asta si ar trebui sa ne-o asumam

and do whatever we can at whatever little level

si sa facem orice putem la orice nivel mare sau mic

and small level that we can do it.

la care putem actiona.

We absolutely must do that. There is no way not to do it.

Neaparat trebuie sa facem asta. Nu este nici un motiv sa nu o facem.

And then, finally, that leads to a new orientation in life

Si, apoi, asta duce la o noua orientare in viata.

where we live equally for ourselves and for others

in care traim in mod egal pentru noi si ceilalti

and we are

si cream acea fericire pentru noi,

joyful and happy.

si suntem fericiti.

One thing we mustn't think is that compassion makes you miserable.

Un lucru pe care nu trebuie sa il gandim e ca compasiunea ne face nefericiti.

Compassion makes you happy.

Compasiunea ne face fericiti.

The first person who is happy when you get great compassion is yourself,

Prima persoana care este fericita, cand primesti multa compasiune, esti tu,

even if you haven't done anything yet for anybody else.

chiar cand nu ai facut nimic pentru altcineva.

Although, the change in your mind already does something for other beings:

Desi schimbarea in mintea ta face deja ceva pentru alte fiinte.

they can sense this new quality in yourself,

Ei pot sesiza aceasta noua calitate in tine

and it helps them already, and gives them an example.

si ii ajuta deja si le da un exemplu.

And that uncompassionate clock has just showed me that it's all over.

Si acest ceas lipsit de compasiune tocmai mi-a aratat ca s-a terminat.

So, practice compassion, read the charter, disseminate it

Deci, practicati compasiunea, cititi carta, diseminati-o

and develop it within yourself.

si dezvoltati-o in voi.

Don't just think, "Well, I'm compassionate," or "I'm not compassionate,"

Nu va ganditi doar ca sunteti sau nu plini de compasiune

and sort of think you're stuck there.

si ramaneti blocati acolo.

You can develop this. You can diminish the non-compassion,

Puteti dezvolta asta. Puteti micsora non-compasiunea,

the cruelty, the callousness, the neglect of others,

cruzimea, impietrirea, nepasarea fata de ceilalti.

and take universal responsibility for them.

Asumati-va raspunderea universala pentru ele

And then, not only will God smile and the eternal mama will smile,

si atunci nu numai Dumnezeu si mama eterna vor zambi

but Karen Armstrong will smile.

dar si Karen Armstrong va zambi.

Thank you very much. (Applause)

Va multumesc.