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Transforming War into Flowers: Maha Karuna and the Third Nutriment
During the Vietnam War, every voice calling for reconciliation and peace was drowned out by the fury of both communist and anti-communist forces. Buddhist monks and nuns—from self-immolations like Thích Quảng Đức’s to underground poetry such as Chắp tay nguyện cầu cho bồ câu trắng hiện—risked their lives to awaken the world to the suffering of civilians. Even poems on compassion and the plea “men are not our enemies” were denounced by North and South alike.
The poem “Contemplation” (Quán tưởng) was recited in Vietnamese and English to unveil how Maha Karuṇā—great compassion—flows like healing water from the summit of awareness. In this vision, venomous snakes are purified, Mara’s arrows turn to flowers, weapons crumble to dust, and countless blossoms open across the fields as deliverance unfolds.
Meditation on compassion uses vivid images to transform anger and fear into serenity. Cultivating a safe environment through mindful consumption and mindful production waters the seeds of joy, solidity and freedom rather than poisoning us with violence and despair. In exploring the third nutriment—volition—we learn to recognize our deepest desires, which traditionally gravitate toward:
- power
- wealth
- fame
- sex
Only by seeing how these cravings bind us can we succeed in the true transformation of suffering.
