A Feminist Choice between the Two Types of Buddhist Compassion

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to distinguish early Buddhist compassion from Mahāyāna Buddhist compassion, and to suggest that the former can be a feminist choice. Early Buddhist compassion takes a principle of equal-regarding and does not encourage self-sacrifice. It rejects self-sacrificial altruism as well as other-sacrificial egoism. Contrarily, Mahāyāna Buddhist compassion encourages one to sacrifice oneself without seeking one's own happiness and to take the suffering of all sentient beings. Early Buddhist equal-regarding compassion can be a feminist choice because it rejects self-sacrifice. When equal-regarding compassion is applied to an ethic of care, the feminist concern—care can force women to sacrifice themselves and deepen their submission and subordination—is expected to be resolved to some degree.

Keywords:

• Early Buddhist compassion
• Mahāyāna Buddhist compassion
• feminist ethics
• care
• equal-regarding
• self-sacrifice