reassessment of our ideas. How can we establish peace in this world? Compassion will help us to create peace. In Chinese, the word for compassion is tz'u bei. Tz'u means that we give others happiness, and bei means that we give others happiness, and eradicate their suffering. Through her compassion, Kuan-yin Bodhisattva is able to enter the hearts of all who believe in her. She is able to enter their homes, and if we want her to, she will also enter every nation in this world. Even if we are not capable of bestowing wealth and glory on others, we still must make ourselves responsible for helping to eradicate the suffering of others. When King Asoka conquered many small states in India, he caused immense suffering and generated resentment among the people. Only after he changed to a compassionate approach, were the people finally won over and became peaceful. It is only through compassion that we will finally overcome the cruel and violent tendencies of the human heart. During the Northern and Southern dynasties in China (420- 589 CE), Shih-le and Shih-hu were deeply influenced by Venerable Fot'u-ch'eng and accordingly put down their weapons. In the 16th Century, the Spaniard, B. de Las Casas, in order to protect the native peoples in Mexico, persuaded Charles V to stop his plans for invasion. Only a victory through the Dharma is a perfect victory. The greatest force in the world is not to be found in guns and bullets; it is to be found in compassion and patience. Only through compassion and patience can we achieve true victory. With regard to compassion, we need to be compassionate, not only to those with whom we feel a close bond, but also to those with whom we feel no bond at all. We must not only refrain from doing evil but also positively look for
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