compassion, n.Definitions

Compassion is contempt with a human face.

Compassion is not weakness, just as concern for the unfortunate is not socialism.

Compassion is not just acting as the good samaritan to lift as many people out of the ditch as you can... it is to recognize that maybe the whole road to jericho needs to be repaved.

Compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.

Compassion is not part of the natural order of the world nor is it based on necessity. It opposes this order and is therefore best thought of as being in some way supernatural.

Compassion is more than throwing a coin to a beggar. It demands of our humanity that if we live in a society that produces beggars, we are morally commanded to restructure that society.

Compassion is an unstable emotion. It needs to be translated into action, or it withers. If one feels that there is nothing 'we' can do, then one starts to get bored, cynical, apathetic.

Compassion is one's nature and is not to be fought for... it is not against anger or passion. When passion or anger disappear, compassion simply is.