What is Compassion?
Compassion is a human value that combines empathy and understanding towards the suffering of others.
The word compassion derives from the Greek συμπάθεια (sympatheia), whose etymology indicates a feeling of sympathy, and from the Latin cumpassio, which emphasizes the feeling of sadness.
Compassion is a value that allows everyone to be treated equally when understanding miseries. It also pushes to help others in their suffering. Compassion is an effect that arises from sympathy, sadness, understanding and empathy towards those who are in a worse situation than their own.
In addition to the mixture of feelings that compassion provokes, it encourages help and charity to improve the situation of others. In turn, it reminds us of giving thanks for the things we have and for the best conditions in which we lived.
Thanks to compassion, justice and tolerance are also exercised, as is the case, for example, with participation in humanitarian aid institutions and foundations. Another example is the movements created for the protection and equality of racial, cultural, social and sexual minorities.
Christian compassion
Compassion is a Christian value. The biblical meaning of compassion derives from the translation of the Hebrew word ra jám indicating the show of mercy and the shelter of godliness.
Christian compassion is the action and effect of feeling sorry for miseries and for those who suffer.
The value of compassion leads to kindness and assistance for those most in need, to the forgiveness of those who do wrong because they are also equally victims of others and to the reconciliation of all because we all suffer from evils.
Buddhist compassion
Compassion in Buddhism is the essence of spiritual life. Compassion indicates the way in which all living beings should be looked at and treated, because we are all equal and all life harbors suffering.
Buddhist compassion also means having respect for the dignity that every living being deserves.