Interfaith forum: compassion and love viewed on common grounds

By Camila Fernandez/Asst. News Director

Socio-political activist Arun Gandhi, said he learned a very important lesson from his grandfather at a young age.

“When I met grandfather and asked him for a new pencil, instead of giving me one, he subjected me to a lot of questions,” said Gandhi.

Like many of the spiritual leaders who were present at an interfaith symposium on May 21, Gandhi understood the significance of compassion. His grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi, explained that throwing away something as simple as a used pencil for a new one, is crime against nature and humanity.

A non-political forum hosted by the University’s program in the study of spirituality and the Kriya Yoga Institute, was held in GC Ballrooms to explore the themes of love and compassion. This was done through a panel of different western and eastern spiritual leaders.

Other than Gandhi, leaders such as – Rabbi Mitchell Chefitz, Reverend Dianne Hudder, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, Ven Samani Unnata Pragya, and Master Chufei Tsai – shared their insight.

As keynote speaker, Gandhi said that according to statistics, the United States alone disposes about two billion pounds of food every day, forgetting the millions of people who are dying of starvation.

“Everything is determined by money. Even our compassion is determined by money,” said Gandhi.

He said powerful countries, like the United States, are bound to perish if it continues to allow insecurity and instability in other nations – we depend on each other.

“If there is sadness in the world, it’s our duty to make them all happy so that all of us can live in happiness and contentment. And that is what compassion, love, and religion should mean,” he said.According to Taoist and Buddhist master Chufei Tsai, there are people who do not take others into consideration, and so there is a cost in karma. She said that based on eastern philosophy, karma is our common thread to how we come about and connect with others.

“So we do have that common thread – how we come about and get connected. We all rely on each other to survive – to be complete,” said Tsai.

Reverend Dianne Hudder used the Good Samaritan parable as an example of a compassionate act. She said that despite of the odds between the Samaritan and the hurt Jew, the Samaritan had no thought for his own safety. He only felt compassion for the one in need.

“Compassion means to suffer together. When one sees another in distress, there is no thinking through of consequences,” said Hudder. Also, she said Jesus is the focus of her faith and that his solidarity with the marginal ones is moved to compassion.

Finally, Gandhi said compassion and love are part of our natural instinct as human beings and that they need to determine the course of our lives.

“It has to dominate our thinking, our attitude, our relationships, and everything about us. Then we will truly be civilized and live a happy life,” said Gandhi.