ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors use self-study methodology to explore the Buddhist notion of compassion as articulated by Japanese educator Daisaku Ikeda and enacted in their teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors examine how this relational way of knowing, being, and doing brings new perspectives to understandings of and efforts to create care in the classroom. They then discuss specific actions taken to enact care in their teaching and how students reacted to these efforts. The authors then address their own vulnerability and doubt, focusing specifically on the actions taken to foster a sense of belonging and community during the pandemic while remaining mindful of boundaries. They conclude their chapter by considering implications of Buddhist compassion for teacher educators post-pandemic.
