Karu¼¤: (f.) [cp. Vedic karu¼¤ nt. (holy) action; Sk. karu¼¤, fr. k?. As adj. karu¼¤ see under 3.] pity, compassion. Karu¼a is one of the 4 qualities of character significant of a human being who has attained enfranchisement of heart (ceto-vimutti) in the 4 sentiments, viz. mett¤ k.^- upekh¤ mudit¤ Freq. found in this formula with ^-sahagatena cetas¤. The first two qualities are complementary, and SnA 128 (on Sn 73) explains k^- as "ahita-dukkh-¢panaya-k¤mat¤," the desire of removing bane and sorrow (from one's fellowmen), whilst mett¤ is expl. as "hita-sukh-¬panayak¤mat¤," the desire of bringing (to one's fellow-men) that which is welfare and good. Other definitions are "paradukkhe sati s¤dh¬na¸ hadayakampana? karoti ti" Bdhd 21; "sattesu k^- karu¼¤yana karu¼¤yitatta¸ karu¼¤ cetovimutti" as expl. of avihi¸sa dhatu Vbh 87; paradukkhasahana-rasa Vism 318. K^--sahagatena cetasa denotes the exalted state of compassion for all beings (all that is encompassed in the sphere of one's good influence: see catuddisa "extending over the 4, i. e. all, directions): D I.251; III.78, 50, 224; S IV.296, 322, 351; V.115; A I.183, 196; II.129, 184; III.225; V.300, 345; J II.129; Nd2 on Sn 73; Vbh 273, 280; Dhs 1258. The def. of karu¼¤ at Vism 318 runs "paradukkhe sati sadhuna¸ hadaya-kampana¸ karoti." Frequently referred to as an ideal of contemplation (in conn. w. bhavana & jhana), so in "karu¼¤¸ cetovimutti¸ bhaveti" S V.119; A I.38; V.360; in k^- cetovimutti bhavita bahuli-kata, etc. D III.248; A III.291; IV.300; in k^--sahagata¸ saddhindriya¸ A I.42; unspecified S V.131; A III.185; Nett 121, 124; Ps I.8; k^-+mett¤ Nett 25; k^-+mudit¤ Bdhd 16 sq., 26 sq., 29; ananta k^- pa¾¾a as Ep. of Buddha Bdhd 1; karu¼¤¸ durato katva, without mercy, of the Yamaduta, messengers of Death Sdhp 287; maha^- great compassion Ps I.126, 133; -^-samapatti a "gest," feat of great compassion: in which Buddha is represented when rising and surveying the world to look for beings to be worthy of his mercy and help D II.237; Ps. 1, 126 f. DhA I.26, 367; PvA 61, 195; - 3. As adj. only in cpds. (e. g. ^-vaca merciful speech; neg. akaru¼¤ merciless Mhbv 85, & ati^- very merciful J IV.142) and as adv. karu¼¤¸ pitifully, piteously, mournfully, in k^- paridevati J VI.498, 513, 551; Cp. IX.54; also in abl. karu¼¤ J VI.466. -See also karu¾¾a.
-¢dhimutta intent upon compassion D II.241, 242; -¢nuvattin following the dictates of mercy Davs III.46;
-gu¸aja originating in the quality of compassion Sdhp 570; -jala water of c., shower of mercy Miln 22; Mhbv 16;
-jh¤na meditation on pity, ecstasy of c. D II.237-39; -ÂÂh¤niya worthy of c. PvA 72;
-para one who is highest in compassion, compassionate Sdhp 112, 345;
-bala the power of c. Mhvs 15, 61, 130; Sdhp 577; -brahmavih¤ra divine state of pity Vism 319.
-bh¤van¤ consideration or cultivation of pity Vism 314 sq. -rasa the sweetness of c. Mhbv 16;
-vih¤ra (a heart) in the state of c. Vism 324 (& adj. ^-viharin); DA I.33;
-s¤gara an ocean of mercy Mhbv 7;
-s¨tala "cool with c." +hadaya, whose heart is tempered with mercy Sdhp 33; DA I.1.