Qualities of Great Heart

The qualities of great heart are warm-heartedness, compassion, joyfulness, love and warmth for other people.

Anukampati means ‘to resonate with’. It’s often translated as compassion, but it also means that you share the happiness of others. You feel gladdened by other people’s good fortune. You see the good in others and that lifts you. You see the good deeds and the lovable qualities of other people and you feel cheered. You have compassion when you see other people’s vulnerability. You have equanimity: the ability to bear with, stay with other people and yourself through the ups and downs.

These qualities apply ‘to others as to myself’; it’s holistic. You see your own lovable qualities; appreciate and value your own good fortune; and have a sense of care, conscience, and concern over your vulnerability. You look after yourself; you are compassionate towards yourself. You don’t put unnecessary pressures on yourself out of some sense of duty or thinking you ought to. With equanimity you realize that sometimes you just go through stuff, and it’s important to not lose faith, to not give up on yourself or on others.

These are the tremendous resources of great heart.

This reflection by Ajahn Sucitto is from the book, The Most Precious Gift, (pdf) p. 218.