True Compassion or Idiot Compassion?

In Buddhism (as in most wisdom traditions), compassion is central—but it’s often misunderstood. It’s not about being nice, it’s about being awake. True compassion is wise, fierce, and rooted in awareness. “Idiot compassion” is a term coined by Chögyam Trungpa to describe misguided kindness that stems from the three poisons: Grasping – trying to feel good or be liked. Aggression – trying to control or make something (or someone) disappear. Delusion – trying to avoid seeing what is really goi...