user16806: Empathy defined as

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Is there any discussion or steps to improve or a skillful way to utilize empathy mentioned anywhere in the suttas? scriptures

user17652: I'm not sure if it is discussed in the suttas. From what I currently observe, there is a kind of empathy that exists as a primitive social function, in which one perceives and thus feels the experience of another; one imagines the world of another and attempts to feel what they may be feeling as a way to share the collective human conscious.
Those people who are good at doing this have what I call an exceptional degree of emotional intelligence, for being good at this means you don't allow the perception of others - and what you feel from those perceptions - to drown your objectivity.
Those who remain in the primitive functions, empathy can cause all sorts of issues including mental health problems, simply because one invests too much of their thoughts and feelings in what they perceive of others.
Principally, empathy is a primitive social function that once served the survival of the human, but its function is now caught up in thick and dense neurosis. Even teachers are guilty of this, asserting that: "you must give your thoughts to this group of suffering people. What they are going through is hideous. You need to suffer with them!". Rubbish!
Every emotional investment we make in another person, we invite the potential for pain to arise. That is the price we pay for giving ourselves in this way to another person. In doing this, all of our autonomous energy is absorbed by the relationship and our individuality disappears down the messy, unkempt toilet of behavioural dysfunctions and passive emotional coercions. Strangely, we find that we need these dysfunctions to feel whole, noticed and worthy; its the global culture's way of feeling connected because society teaches that one must 'feel' our fellow's pain, and if you don't, you're seen as cold and heartless! What a terribly silly philosophy!
Now, you asked about a skilful way to utilize empathy: firstly, one must claim back their autonomy. Secondly, one must then see what is actually happening in the world before setting back in. Thirdly, having seen the state of affairs, and having access to the bigger picture, one finds they no longer have to do anything, for everything is doing itself. Yes, there can be listening and feeling, but it is much more efficient because there is nobody there thinking that they are part of the show. The show of appearances appears in a non-relational and non-experiential none-event called the absolute!

user13709: Ven. Sujato uses "empathy" once in his translations here:

SN10.2:4.1: If you instruct others
SN10.2:4.2: with a mind clear and confident,
SN10.2:4.3: your compassion and empathy
SN10.2:4.4: don’t create attachments.”

In general however, we have this about understanding the minds of othes:

DN2:91.2: They understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with their own mind.

DN2 continues in detail:

DN2:91.3: They understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’,
DN2:91.4: and mind without greed as ‘mind without greed’.
DN2:91.5: They understand mind with hate …
DN2:91.6: mind without hate …
DN2:91.7: mind with delusion …
DN2:91.8: mind without delusion …

It takes time to understand our own minds. It takes time to understand and let go of defilements so that true compassion and empathy can guide our thoughts, speech and actions.

16806: <p>Empathy defined as</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Is there any discussion or steps to improve or a skillful way to utilize empathy mentioned anywhere in the suttas? scriptures</p>
 17652: <p>I'm not sure if it is discussed in the suttas. From what I currently observe, there is a kind of empathy that exists as a primitive social function, in which one <em>perceives</em> and thus <em>feels</em> the experience of another; one imagines the world of another and attempts to feel what they may be feeling as a way to share the collective human conscious.</p>
<p>Those people who are good at doing this have what I call an exceptional degree of emotional intelligence, for being good at this means you don't allow the perception of others - and what you feel from those perceptions - to drown your objectivity.</p>
<p>Those who remain in the primitive functions, empathy can cause all sorts of issues including mental health problems, simply because one invests too much of their thoughts and feelings in what they perceive of others.</p>
<p>Principally, empathy is a primitive social function that once served the survival of the human, but its function is now caught up in thick and dense neurosis. Even teachers are guilty of this, asserting that: <em>&quot;you must give your thoughts to this group of suffering people. What they are going through is hideous. You need to suffer with them!&quot;.</em> Rubbish!</p>
<p>Every emotional investment we make in another person, we invite the potential for pain to arise. That is the price we pay for giving ourselves in this way to another person. In doing this, all of our autonomous energy is absorbed by the relationship and our individuality disappears down the messy, unkempt toilet of behavioural dysfunctions and passive emotional coercions. Strangely, we find that we need these dysfunctions to feel whole, noticed and worthy; its the global culture's way of <em>feeling connected</em> because society teaches that one must 'feel' our fellow's pain, and if you don't, you're seen as cold and heartless! What a terribly silly philosophy!</p>
<p>Now, you asked about a skilful way to utilize empathy: firstly, one must claim back their autonomy. Secondly, one must then see what is actually happening in the world before setting back in. Thirdly, having seen the state of affairs, and having access to the bigger picture, one finds they no longer have to do anything, for everything is doing itself. Yes, there can be listening and feeling, but it is much more efficient because there is nobody there thinking that they are part of the show. The show of appearances appears in a non-relational and non-experiential none-event called the absolute!</p>
 13709: <p>Ven. Sujato uses &quot;empathy&quot; once in his translations here:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn10.2/en/sujato#sn10.2:4.1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN10.2:4.1</a>: If you instruct others<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn10.2/en/sujato#sn10.2:4.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN10.2:4.2</a>: with a mind clear and confident,<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn10.2/en/sujato#sn10.2:4.3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN10.2:4.3</a>: your compassion and empathy<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn10.2/en/sujato#sn10.2:4.4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN10.2:4.4</a>: don’t create attachments.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In general however, we have this about understanding the minds of othes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.2</a>: <strong>They understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with their own mind.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>DN2 continues in detail:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.3</a>: They understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’,<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.4</a>: and mind without greed as ‘mind without greed’.<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.5</a>: They understand mind with hate …<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.6</a>: mind without hate …<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.7" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.7</a>: mind with delusion …<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/dn2/en/sujato#dn2:91.8" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DN2:91.8</a>: mind without delusion …</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It takes time to understand our own minds. It takes time to understand and let go of defilements so that true compassion and empathy can guide our thoughts, speech and actions.</p>
