Finally, we come to the great compassion which sets the Buddha apart. While others may be good teachers or may have succeeded in attaining supernatural powers or even liberation itself, it is the Buddha alone whose compassion is so great that he remains in the world of suffering beings utilizing his powers and abilities so that they too may attain liberation. The temptation to leave the world behind and enjoy the peace of nirvana and his final decision to stay in the world out of compassion has already been told in the story of the Buddha’s enlightenment and his subsequent encounter with Brahma. In one sutta, the Buddha, asks his disciples what they think the Buddha’s motivation for teaching is.
“What do you think about me, monks? That the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of almsfood? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of a resting place? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of some better state of being?” (Ibid, p. 847)
The disciples respond that they do not think the Buddha teaches for any of those reasons. The Buddha then asks them what they think his real motivation is. The disciples respond as follows:
“Venerable sir, we think thus about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is compassionate and seeks our welfare; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion.’ “ (Ibid, p. 847)
The Buddha himself declares that a Buddha is the one person who appears in the world out of compassion in the following statement:
“Monks, there is one person whose arising in the world is for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, who comes out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare and happiness of devas and humans. Who is that one person? It is the Tathagata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One. This is that one person.” (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, p. 37)
The Buddha’s compassion, however, does not mean that he can do his disciple’s work of reflecting upon, realizing, and living in accord with the teachings for them. In many discourses, the Buddha ends by stating that he has done all that he can out of compassion for his disciples, and now it is up to them to follow his teachings and attain liberation for themselves. The Buddha’s compassion, then, is to empower others through the Dhamma.
“Thus, monks, I have taught you the unconditioned and the path leading to the unconditioned. Whatever should be done, monks, by a compassionate teacher out of compassion for his disciples, desiring their welfare, that I have done for you. These are the feet of trees, monks, these are empty huts. Meditate, monks, do not be negligent, lest you regret it later. This is our instruction to you.” (The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, p. 1378)