Upaya, Karuna and Prajna

Upaya, Karuna and Prajna  

Candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:  

• the concepts of upaya, karuna and prajna; 

• the relationship between wisdom and compassion in Buddhist ethics; 

• the implications of upaya for ethical codes.

Candidates should be able to discuss these areas critically. 

Upaya

• Skillful means
• Dependant of the ability of the Bodhisattva to know the right action
• Based on compassion and wisdom
• Any action that will help other achieve liberation
• Read Parable of the burning house (Also a good example to use in an exam question)

Karuna
Compassion is that which makes the heart of the good move at the pain of others... It is called compassion because it shelters and embraces the distressed - Buddha

• Compassion/Unselfishness
• Desire to help others
• Helps to cultivate the Bodhisattva path
• Meditation on love

Prajna

• The realisation of the emptiness of all phenomenal existence
• Wisdom 

Relationship between wisdom and compassion

• Can you be wise without compassion when the wise thing to do is be compassionate?
  
• You need to be able to argue why wisdom and compassion can be separate and why they can not.
• You need to be able to use examples of when you can successfully be compassionate of wise with out the other.
• Which is the better quality to have?

To argue this, You might say that:

• Compassion is to save others from samsara
• Wisdom is to gain insight so that we can walk the middle way. 

OR

• Alternatively, You can argue that, Wisdom and compassion are consider the 'two wings on which you fly to enlightenment'. 
• You cannot reach enlightenment without both. 
• Wisdom is understanding the true nature of yourself and existence, of emptiness, of seeing the 12 links of dependent origination.
• Compassion is breaking down the barriers and feeling compassion for all beings as if they were yourself.

Implications of ethical codes

• These refer to the 5 precepts and the 8fold path will are contained in the posts below.