some sort of syrupy saint

Apprentice I have read books by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche where he mentions ‘idiot compassion’. Can you say something about that? I mean when can compassion become idiot compassion and why?

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Khandro Déchen and I are not really the persons of whom you should enquire. We are not interpreters of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. However we will say what we can, as long as you understand that what we say is unlikely to be what he might have said in reply to your question. Idiot compassion is a conceptual notion – the idea of wanting to see yourself as a person who is ‘doing good’.

Khandro Déchen In that way it is self-conscious—self-oriented—and therefore less to do with the other person or persons, than with an image you are entertaining of being some sort of syrupy saint.

Ngak’chang Rinpoche: Of course, according to the Sutrayana, you should be a saint; and you should probably come marching in—but that does not mean that you have to simper. The gentleness of saintliness should be gentlemanly or gentlewomanly – that is to say it requires the strength of wisdom.

Khandro Déchen In order that compassion does not degenerate into idiot compassion, you need to access your natural intelligence. If you allow a person to abuse you repeatedly, you are actually damaging them – unless you are a Buddha and therefore capable of placing causes for liberation in such a manner.