What is compassion in your own words. The meaning and development of the quality of compassion in a person. How to write a good essay

Feelings of compassion, empathy, or empathy are an internal state. This is because of other people's problems. Of course, compassion is one of the best human qualities. If you are capable of compassion for others, then you understand the feelings of other people. It helps build strong relationships. It is important for each person to realize that he is supported.

What is compassion and empathy

But it's important to understand what compassion and empathy are. These feelings make a person better. Often, these concepts are used in the form of synonymous words, it is believed that these are the same emotions.

If you delve into these words, then sympathy is a joint experience of some emotions, and compassion is a common suffering due to something. Both terms mean that a person passes along with another person his joy and sorrow, misfortune. Both feelings are triggered by a situation that requires pity and support. But these are what must be exercised if they are truly needed.

Compassion and empathy are similar emotions, but the main difference lies in their expression.

You can often hear that in the modern world, only believers or poor people are capable of compassion and sympathy, and the rich do not think of anyone if this does not contribute to their well-being. It is believed that today, for one truly sympathetic person, there are 1000 of those who envy others. The reason for this opinion is the nature of the personality itself. Indifferent people cannot have such feelings.

In everyday life, we show such emotions taking into account specific situations. For example, one will give to the one asking, and the other will pass by. The greatest compassion is shown by people in relation to their elderly parents, sick children, friends.

Often times, when we show compassion, we can offend the person who does not need pity. Plus, true compassion is harmful. If the doctor sympathizes with the patient, is too worried, then he falls ill himself. Therefore, he only needs to sympathize, but not to sympathize.

To show sympathy is to listen to the interlocutor, to understand his emotions. To do this, you will have to pass them through yourself. Sincerely sympathetic people are upset and worried in the same way as the one who needs this sympathy. This instills faith in a person and helps him to forget anxiety. Empathy makes people kind.

Why does a person need compassion

But why is compassion and empathy needed? If you are an emotional person and you have this feeling too much, then you have noticed in yourself that it is difficult for you to feel the suffering of others. Someone else's negative energy wraps around you, you stop feeling the joy of life. Compassion has a depressing effect, it takes away strength.

You should not be overly immersed in the suffering of others. It is important to be able to stop and not harm yourself with other people's misfortunes.

In addition, if you constantly sympathize with one person, then it harms both her and you. Constant compassion causes you to inadvertently block the suffering person from taking responsibility for their own actions. Due to constant sympathy, a person feels his weakness, the need for outside help. Such people are not able to live their own independent lives, they always need support from the outside.

Therefore, it is important not only to be able to empathize, but also to feel the border when you need to protect yourself from other people's emotions. Measure is needed in everything.

How to empathize with a person

In order not to harm yourself, you need to know how to properly empathize with a person:

• it is necessary to understand who causes such a feeling - relatives or everyone around? Who does it come from? When you feel that you are too close to accepting other people's experiences,. You should not plunge into other people's problems. Support the person, convince him that he is not alone. But he needs to look for a solution to the situation himself;
• and return to its original state when you understand that you are plunging into other people's problems. Interrupt the conversation until you feel that you are able to understand the situation normally. Remember that all your senses affect the body. For this reason, it is important for a normal state of body and soul to experience to the maximum;

• be able to move from unconscious empathy to conscious action in a timely manner. Whenever you try to let go of compassion for others, you will feel guilty. But don't think of yourself as a person devoid of compassion. For support, it is not necessary to let negative energy pass through yourself. Listen, but don't worry too much. Learn to defend yourself against negativity and over-empathy.

It is, of course, important to remain a kind person. We all have a responsibility to help friends and family. But you can do this without harming yourself. It is important to maintain the balance of your own body in order to feel personal happiness.

Fostering empathy and compassion in children

It is worth noting that from early childhood, serious attention must be paid to the upbringing of compassion and sympathy in children. A child who is not able to show such emotions grows up, and sometimes becomes a true misfortune for his parents and himself.

The ability to compassion and empathize with others is only in those children whose parents set similar examples with their behavior. In order for the baby to care and empathize with others when they have problems, it is necessary to protect him from punishment from an early age.

You can bring up such qualities in children only by your own example. It is important for parents to show their child how to behave.

If mom and dad show mutual courtesy, as well as are polite with other people, show concern, then the baby will get used to behaving similarly. Researchers have found that men are more capable of feeling empathy and compassion in families. But we are used to thinking that they are stronger, because they show less feelings. When a woman feels bad, a man helps, not just empathizing, but showing compassion and care. He is ready to help his beloved around the clock.

As for women, they are able to feel empathy for a short period of time. This is because when a man is unwell, a woman, seeing his emotions, first feels compassion. But then, noticing how he tries to appear strong, the woman's compassion fades.

Even if men express complaints about life, they are not ready for the compassion of others. When showing sympathy for men, there is a chance to catch their pride, because all representatives of the stronger sex are afraid to seem weak.

What to be guided by in life

In some situations, it is difficult to understand what to be guided by in life - mind or heart. There is no single correct answer. Each situation requires a different approach. Both the heart and the mind are capable of making mistakes.

It is worth conducting a logical analysis of the situation, making important decisions, taking into account the opinion of reason and knowledge. We all use experience and knowledge in practice every day, we use reason. Most decisions come to be made using the dictates of reason, because some things in life are simply inappropriate. You don't go across the road as you like without following the rules. This will cause disaster sooner or later. Applying knowledge, we are convinced of safety, and only then we decide what to do.

But when it comes to your own emotions, desires, then the mind becomes an interfering element. In matters of the heart, you often have to live with your heart, turning off logic. Often a person is not able to do something because he is afraid of the consequences. But in such a situation, it is better to believe the call of the heart, not the mind, so as not to regret in the future.

Fears and inability to believe in oneself are created by the mind, they are based on accumulated experience. If you have experienced this fear before, then when making a decision today, you will feel fear and anxiety. This will cause indecision. For this reason, it is important to set goals for yourself, listen to your heart and act on its prompts.

Suffering - this word is familiar to many firsthand, but what is really compassion, as well as how it is understood in different cultures, we have to find out in this article.

What is compassion. The meaning of the word "compassion"

The meaning of the word "compassion" is often understood somewhat unidirectionally, namely, compassion is considered a synonym for the word "sympathy", which, in general, is true, but only to the extent that by compassion we mean a typical, generally accepted concept of sympathy for another, for neighbor, and as a result - co-experiencing his problems and misfortunes.

In this case, we are talking exclusively about compassion / empathy at the emotional level. "How else?" - Asks a reader brought up in the Western European cultural tradition, to which Russian culture also belongs. Also, do not forget that the Western European tradition is primarily based on Christian values. Losing this, we would have made a big mistake, because no matter how much a person emphasizes his disbelief in higher powers and subscribes to an atheist, nevertheless, his upbringing was influenced by tradition, which, in one way or another, is based on Christian moral values: kindness, decency, tolerance, compassion, selflessness, etc.

You can continue to try to deny the fact that these factors influence the formation of a person, but it is impossible to deny the obvious thing that we live in the space of a single information field, and at the moment this is much more understandable than before (with all the abundance of media platforms, social networks, the possibility of instantaneous transmission of information, etc.). Thus, the individual is always under the influence of a different environment, a different consciousness. It is interesting to note that no matter how different the conditions of our formation and differences in social status are, most of us are under the influence of a single information space, and, as we know, our chronology starts from the Nativity of Christ, which says a lot.

Among our readers, perhaps, there are fans of the Slavic chronology. They turned to the more ancient heritage of Russia, and rightly so. But such turns in consciousness do not occur at the age of 10, when the psyche is flexible and can succumb to outside influences, thus changing the value system that has not yet taken shape. Therefore, even such people, these new converts in adulthood, think in the paradigm in which they were brought up - in the Christian one.

For most of us, compassion is empathy, or pity, caused by another person's suffering. It is also part of empathy. A person with a soul will sympathize, empathize with the misfortunes of another. This is natural and normal. But again, let us emphasize once again that by defining compassion in this way, we did not go beyond the level of the emotional sphere for a minute. However, a person is not only emotions, although in our culture the opposition of intelligence and feelings is very common. In fact, one does not exist without the other, and in psychological science this question is akin to the perennial dispute about what appeared first: chicken or eggs. So it is in psychology: which is more primary - emotion or intellect. Psychology does not give an objective answer to this question, since the students of this science are divided into a kind of "party", each of which defends one side or the other, makes arguments in defense of their position. But the mystery has not been finally dispelled, because there is probably no mystery and there is no question in this, and intellect and emotions relate to each other like two sides of the same coin, and to try to separate them to a certain extent is incorrect. However, science loves to engage in dissection, hence such searches for "truth" there, it is impossible and unnecessary to make a choice. Let's turn to other sources, less scientific on the one hand, but having much more extensive experience in matters related to the study of various human conditions and studying the consciousness of living beings in detail, namely, we turn to such a philosophical and religious teaching as Buddhism.

Compassion is the highest form of human existence

What does Buddhism tell us on this topic?

In Buddhism, the topic of compassion is considered very comprehensively, and it will probably be interesting for the reader to know that compassion at the level of feelings is just the first level of compassion on the scale adopted in modern Buddhism.

The second level of compassion, according to Buddhism, is associated with phenomena. To explain this interpretation of compassion, it will be appropriate to present to the reader the fundamental concept of Buddhism: "dukkha" (suffering). All the problems of human life, in one way or another, are explained by the presence of suffering in life, while suffering should again mean not only physical or psychological, but also the imperfection of the existing, its conditionality as a whole. Only overcoming through awareness of this conflict is able to get rid of dukkha.

The doctrine of dukkha is at the core of Buddha's philosophy. It is called the teaching of Fr. Thus, the second level of compassion is directly related to the concept of dukkha, which can also be attributed to how we perceive the world, namely, through the prism of our ideas: we cannot see the true essence of things, and therefore the world in which we live , may not be real. He is only a projection of our ideas and attitudes, and therefore is called an illusion. We, in fact, build this world ourselves, create the illusion ourselves and live in it. Realization of all this leads to the realization of dukkha.

However, there is a third level of compassion, which goes beyond not only the individual-human, but also the realm of phenomena, and leads us to the so-called objectless, not directed compassion. It sounds paradoxical, but this is the case. The third, and most important, compassion is almost impossible to tell in words, because words will involuntarily send us to the area of ​​the intellectual and emotional, but we should go beyond this area, namely, go into the transcendental area, that is, to where the concepts of good and evil do not exist, in the area where duality ends and, therefore, the attraction of samsara ceases, and we are very close to nirvana (nibbana) - psychological freedom and moksha.

Now let's look at how compassion and its relationship to wisdom are viewed across different strands of Buddhism. Just like in Christianity, there is no unity of views in Buddhism, therefore, the once single direction of Buddhism is now represented by many branches, three of which are the most famous and are directly related to the teachings of compassion and wisdom, and therefore, most of all paid attention to the explanation this state. These are Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism ("Small Chariot"), Mahayana Buddhism ("Big Chariot") and Vajrayana Buddhism, which is more widespread in the region of Tibet and is otherwise referred to as "Diamond Way Buddhism." Three Buddhist methods - we will call them that, because in general they differ from each other precisely by the method, but their goal is the same - the liberation of a person from samsara and the achievement of moksha (freedom).

Feelings of Compassion in Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana

We'll start with Theravada. The Theravada or Hinayana, as the most ancient branch of Buddhism as a religion, considers the issue of compassion along with wisdom. However, for Hinayana Buddhists, compassion is not a separate path, it is, to a certain extent, included in the concept of wisdom. Again, it must be said that wisdom should not be understood as applied knowledge or knowledge in general from the point of view of ordinary life.

It is about wisdom as the comprehension of the truth that stands above the reality of human life in its physical manifestation. We come to the question of working with consciousness and its switching to another level, where consciousness ceases to identify itself not only with the physical aspect of existence, including intellect and emotions, but also completely dis-identified with the self or what is used to call the ego, "I".

Thus, compassion does not act as an independent line or path in the direction of Theravada, but rather is immanent to the concept of wisdom, which is presented as the highest goal on the path to nirvana.

The Mahayana, with its less rigorous approach, which to some extent could be characterized as more accessible for practice by adepts, on the contrary, quite clearly states that compassion, along with wisdom, are the main paths in the practice of Buddhism. The path of compassion does not belong to wisdom, it is understood as a separate path, and it is equal to wisdom.

Why does the Mahayana attach so much importance to compassion? Because according to this tradition, Buddha is not the only one who attained enlightenment. Before him there were many Arhats who were able to cognize the truth, wisdom, but the Buddha has something that the Arhats did not have: compassion. In the same way, people who embarked on the path of enlightenment (bodhichitta) and those who attained it, but wished to stay and not go to nirvana, in order to help the remaining, unconscious individuals get rid of dukkha (suffering) and also achieve liberation, are such people, called boddhisattvas , first of all, they practice the very third kind of compassion, transpersonal, standing above duality and allowing equally compassion both for those who have done good and those who have done evil.

For bodhisattvas, this is one. There is not much difference between positive and negative. The difference exists from the point of view of an ordinary person, because he is used to being guided by two categories, he is used to living in a world of duality, which primarily speaks of the imperfection of the assessment system of the person himself, his vision (it is more an illusion), and in no way can not be a measure of the truth of the state of things and the world order.

In this case, such an expression, first expressed by St. Augustine: "They learn from love for others, and learn from love of truth." It should come as no surprise that a similar concept can be applied to Buddhism as well. It is precisely this that applies primarily to Buddhism, because Buddhism does not divide. He teaches to see things “as they are”, their unity and interconnectedness, interdependence, since there are no things in the whole world that are independent from one another. From here we see a connection with such a concept as shunyata (emptiness), but not physical emptiness, but emptiness in the understanding of liberation from something. Buddha taught dharma out of compassion in the highest sense of the word (of course, not out of pity for humanity, which, of course, could have been, but then the role of teacher would no longer be Buddha).

In the Vajrayana tradition, great importance is attached to intrinsic factors, as it is believed that wisdom and compassion are innate qualities of a person, connecting him with "Buddha nature." The nature of the Buddha is pure, just like the nature of man, because man, by definition, is the Buddha in the future, a potential Buddha. The Vajrayana direction believes that unconditional positive characteristics, such as unlimited compassion and wisdom, are inherent in a person, so you don't even need to cultivate them, because they already exist in their pure form. The point is to cleanse them of layers, to allow them to manifest, to realize them. The concept of compassion is connected with awareness, because compassion itself is initially and an intrinsic sign of awareness and awakening. As soon as the mind is freed from the concepts of 'I', compassion manifests itself.

So, we looked at three schools of Buddhism, and each has a slightly different approach to the interpretation of compassion. One thing remains unchanged, that compassion is not understood from the point of view of the sphere of feelings. Secondly, the compassion of the 3rd level, where we have gone beyond the limits of the dual interpretation of existence, always goes along with wisdom and the achievement of nirvana (psychological freedom). Compassion of a higher, unconditioned level is to some extent a characteristic of enlightenment and transition to nirvana.

Instead of a conclusion

In this article, we have briefly covered the topic of compassion as understood in Buddhism. In order for readers to understand the topic in its entirety, we recommend that you further familiarize yourself with other materials on the topic of Buddhism, as this will allow you to explore the context in which the topic of compassion we have considered is located.

The article uses information from a book by a well-known researcher of Buddhism and the Vedas.

All people need compassion in one way or another. There are many situations in life that are difficult to cope with on your own and a person's true need is the desire to share their emotional condition with someone else. Unfortunately, not everyone knows what compassion is. Some do not experience it at all, others simply do not know how to manifest.

What compassion really is: 5 definitions after which your world will never be the same

Compassion, psychologists say, can be summed up in five definitions:

• compassion is an expression of true love and understanding for one's neighbor;
• compassion is the ability to feel and relieve a person's suffering;
• compassion is respect for the experiences of others without diminishing their importance;
• compassion is an action for the benefit of another, sometimes even to the detriment of oneself;
• compassion is a quality of a person who is capable of selfless help.

They looked inside and sighed with relief: “Well, I'm fine with that!”? Do not rush to rejoice, perhaps you are feeling pity for people, not compassion.

What is compassion and how it differs from pity: you need to know!

Sometimes people confuse compassion with pity. But if you delve into the meaning of these words, you will understand that they are completely opposite.

Imagine a seriously ill person and relatives grieving around him. What do you think they are experiencing in this case? That's right, pity! With their groaning and lamentations, they only aggravate the patient's condition. The negative that they emit does not help in any way, but on the contrary, it introduces everyone around them into depression.

Compassion is another matter! Its essence is to alleviate the plight of the patient. A sincerely compassionate person understands that his mission is to distract the patient, to please, to help focus on something pleasant. Interestingly, this attitude is often able to work miracles and heal from ailments.

Simply put, pity comes from the mind and compassion comes from the soul. Pity destroys and compassion heals. Pity is inaction, compassion is help. And only a truly generous person is capable of a sincere display of compassion.

5 components of the character of a person capable of compassion

Mercy.

A merciful person always tries to be positive and benevolent towards everyone around him. The word "mercy" uses a combination of the two words "sweet" and "heart", and this characterizes this quality better than anything else.

Acts of kindness can vary, but are not always obvious. Kindness is an activity aimed at the benefit of another. Let's take a simple example. The child eats a lot of sweets. At the same time, one of the parents allows it, and the other does not. At the same time, kindness is shown not by the first, as it might seem, but by the second, who sincerely cares about the health of his child.

Therefore, kindness is not an impossibility to refuse, but sincere concern.

Respect.

Compassion is impossible without respect. If a person does not respect others, he is only able to feel pity, while showing his superiority and condescension.

Respecting the pain and suffering of our neighbors, this is the only way we are able to feel them on ourselves and thereby alleviate them.

Patience.

Our kindness is not always appreciated and accepted. Sometimes it's easier for people to accept negative things and believe in the worst. But with patience, we only prove the disinterestedness of our help, and the belief that our actions will still be for the good.

Oh, how much has been sung and written about this wonderful feeling! This concept is very multifaceted, and everyone puts their own meaning in it.

As for compassion, there is no question of it without love. to a neighbor leads all the good deeds that we do. True love sees no barriers, so it is able to overcome what is beyond the power of reason.

3 Common Manifestations for Compassion

1. Secular Philanthropy: Compassion or Slapstick?

Recently, it has become very fashionable among celebrities to participate in charity. In truth, of all the popular trends, at least such a fashion brings real benefits. Famous personalities, considering themselves socially responsible, should set a worthy example to their fans and encourage them to help those in need as well.

It is sad to realize, but not for everyone this kind of compassion is sincere and comes from the heart. Many participate in such events to a greater extent to win love and popularity among others, be sure to flaunt every good deed that they have done. I wonder how many of them would have continued their charity work if no one knew about it?

2. Compassion for children and animals: do not offend the weak!

Among all the manifestations of compassion, it is easiest to "give" to children and animals.

The best we can do for children is to give them love, a lot of love. Thus, a solid foundation is laid for the full development of a small personality. Endowing them with knowledge that is important for life is another task that is important for parents to set for themselves.

When it comes to animals, vegetarianism is an obvious example of compassion. Giving up food of animal origin will save hundreds of sentient beings, and the same goes for avoiding natural furs. The modern fashion industry offers a bunch of alternatives to this kind of clothing.

3. Compassion for "your neighbor": everything is much more complicated than you thought

The conclusion from this story can be described by the well-known phrase - "The well-fed will not understand the hungry." This means that people are more willing to help those whose difficulties are close to them, in whose skin they, so to speak, have been.

Compassion and empathy, or the ability to feel emotions.

What is compassion and how not to confuse it with pity?

3 ways to learn what compassion is by example, or How to make your heart “not a stone”

A person who is capable of compassion has many benefits. First of all, having helped your neighbor, it is impossible not to feel your own significance and inner satisfaction. By doing a good deed, we are approaching the common good, making the world a better place. Knowing how to compassion, our heart becomes larger and filled with light, then it is easier for us to build relationships with others and live in general. Most importantly, sincere compassion is the best expression of love.

This feeling, unfortunately, is not familiar to everyone, but you can cultivate it in yourself.

Understanding what compassion is will help:

religion and spiritual literature.

All religions of the world - from Christianity to Buddhism - speak of the need to help your neighbor. This quality is essential for a highly spiritual person. By reading spiritual literature, you can better understand the meaning of compassion through specific examples;

charity.

As mentioned, charity has become very popular with wealthy celebrities. But an ordinary person can also join it and make his own, albeit small, contribution. If thousands of people give up just one cup of coffee and donate the money they saved, it could save someone's life. Think about it!

Volunteering in boarding schools and hospitals is a great way to learn to show compassion. A particle of attention and love is so little and, at the same time, so much!

self-improvement and interest in people.

Selfishness leaves no room for understanding, respect and love for others. Obsession with our problems makes us indifferent to each other.

Try to develop and improve your personality, understand yourself and what is important to you in life. By sorting out yourself, you can be genuinely interested in others and strive to help them.

You can learn the right relationship with your neighbors all your life, but you can start to show your best qualities in the little things you can already today. Listening carefully to a friend's problems, making way for an elderly person on the bus, helping to carry a heavy package - all these are small expressions of respect, kindness, mercy and compassion in general.

Connoisseurs of human souls say for a reason: having once learned what compassion is, you will never again be indifferent to those around you, because you will again and again want to experience the ease, light and positive that help your neighbor gives.

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"Blessed are the merciful, for they will have mercy" - Mt 5.7.

We all now live in the era called Kali-yuga or the age of strife, lies, hypocrisy. The hearts of the people became cold and even cruel in some. But at the same time we strive for the Truth, we try to figure out who we are, what is the meaning of life. However, engaging in spiritual practices implies a soft heart, otherwise the Truth will not be able to enter our heart. That's whyin all spiritual practices, an important place is given to the development of compassion and mercy.

We often hear and say these words, but we don’t fully listen to the words themselves, we don’t think about the meaning of what was said. ... Compassion - means to suffer, to experience the same feelings, emotions that a suffering person experiences. Thus, we empathize with his pain. Mercy means a sweet heart, that is, softness, openness, kindness. Mercy is compassionate, benevolent, caring, love relationship to another person. Without these qualities, it is impossible to achieve enlightenment, awakening or liberation. No spiritual progress is possible if we remain blind and deaf to the suffering of living beings, including ourselves.

Compassion is the only way these days to help other people overcome their suffering.... Moreover, from suffering not only in a grossly manifested form, but also latent sufferings, about which people may not even suspect, but which can then go on to a gross manifested form. As a rule, hidden suffering is caused by ignorance, therefore knowledge should serve as a medicine. And this applies not only to the highest Truths, but also Everyday life... For example, a person does not swim well, but got carried away and sailed far from the coast. To warn him about this, to stop in this case means showing compassion towards him.

In terms of self-knowledge, a manifestation of compassion is the transmission of the Highest Truths to him, help in realizing your destiny and choice life path and ways of further self-improvement, self-awareness.

How compassionate are we? Are we able to walk calmly past a hungry, homeless living thing? Do those who ask for our help in trouble leave us indifferent? What do we think about the people of the third world countries, who, in fact, are slaves, living in terrible conditions, being in a half-starved state with numerous diseases? Are we ready to shelter refugees, people affected by fire, floods and therefore left without housing?

The path of knowing oneself, the path of enlightenment, is difficult and tortuous, and only the compassionate and merciful can walk along it to the final goal. This is also stated in the scriptures.

"... And then you will become one of those

Who believes in God and is humbly compassionate,

And with mercy he does good.

Such is the face of the righteous, who stand

On the right side on the Day of Judgment, "-Koran. Surah "The City", ayah 17-18.

"Hypocrite, how can you love God, whom you do not see, if you hate your brother, the man who is near you? Who has abundance in the world, but, seeing his brother in need, closes his heart from him, - as the love of God abides in him “We know love in this, that the Son of God laid down his life for us: and we must lay down our lives for the brothers”, - 1 John 4:20 am.

In Confucianism, philanthropy (zhen) was considered the basis of virtue, and caring for people (shu) was considered one of the basic principles of life. The Indian king Ashoka defended active compassion in his laws, carved in stone. It is out of compassion for living beings in oriental culture the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) was proclaimed, which formed the basis of vegetarianism.

The Dalai Lama noted: "Compassion is something fundamental that fills our life with meaning ... This is my true religion, my simple faith. Our own heart, our own mind is a temple. And doctrine is compassion."The Buddha states in the Gandavyuha Sutra:"The great, compassionate heart is the focus of the Buddha."

Where does the development of compassion and mercy begin? In epochs with a high level of consciousness, people first developed love for God and through this love they developed love for themselves, people, the world around them, realizing that we are all part of Him, part of His energies. In our age, all spiritual practices recommend first learning to love yourself as a part of God. This will provide a solid foundation for the development of compassion and mercy for your neighbor, for the world around you, and then for God. AND this development must begin with knowing yourself, your deep nature... Confucius also spoke about this. For this there are today a large number of practices and techniques. Everyone can choose the path that is closer and more understandable to him. Walking along it steadily, a person will be able to come to the intended goal. And compassion and mercy will become his constant companions, his way of life.

These concepts have a rather vague definition, they cannot be measured quantitatively and qualitatively. One such concept is compassion. is inherent in each of us. Let's see how to distinguish it from other feelings, and what is good about compassion for a person's personality.

"As rain is for fire, so is compassion for anger"

Feelings of compassion are something that each of us knows. As soon as a child begins to talk and learn about the world, he is already experiencing the entire spectrum of sensations familiar to an adult. Of course, these emotions are many times stronger than survivors experience.

The baby's anger is strong, love is boundless, and compassionate, he cries and longs to help. It is not known why people are able to experience sensations inaccessible to animals. The usual instincts of other representatives of the world of animals cannot be compared with love, hatred, jealousy, pity. Perhaps all these manifestations of "humanity" are the great gift or voice of our soul. Compassion, then, is one of the strongest melodies of a spiritual song in our hearts.

Compassion - what is it?

Let's try to describe what it looks like When we see the pain of a friend or a stranger, this sight echoes in us with a voice of compassion. This is expressed in the desire to provide help, sympathize, console with a kind word or deed. Compassion is not exactly a pleasant feeling, because, without experiencing any physical or moral influence from the external environment, we nevertheless suffer. On the other hand, it is recognized as very virtuous for spiritual development person.

How else is compassion expressed? It's not just about understanding someone else's pain. It manifests itself in sensitivity to others, attention to their problems and experiences and, of course, in help. Perhaps the highest goal of compassion is precisely the feasible help of the suffering. No matter how well off you are, they are eloquent. It is believed that seeing a person in need of something is a sign for each of us, saying that he needs to help him with all the possible that we have.

Where did compassion come from?

This feeling is not new at all. Feelings of compassion are those that have arisen together with love for others from the very beginning of the formation of a person as a person. It is perfectly natural for a normal person to help someone who needs help. A lot is said about compassion and the importance of developing this quality in oneself in all religions. Regardless of which god believers consider theirs, everyone knows that compassion is absolutely right and good for the soul. And any religion prescribes to help those in need. This is not only about our relatives and friends, but also about complete strangers.

Compassion today

The modern world does not encourage feelings of compassion. However, it makes no sense to blame the world, those who live in it are to blame. From childhood, children are implanted with the idea that "either you or you", that they need to fight for a place in the sun. Let the parents raise the child in love, but there is a school, teachers, peers, aggressive television and the Internet. According to many, conscience and compassion are rather atavisms that prevent us from living a fulfilling life. The little man very quickly understands how much he needs, and more often than not he does not have it. Compassion prescribes to share, to give what is supposedly not enough for you yourself. We say "supposedly" because if you are healthy and surrounded by the love of your loved ones, then you have everything you need.

A new phone, branded clothing will never make you happy, no matter what the advertisement promises. But you can make the mother of a sick child, an old grandmother or orphans in an orphanage happier with a small personal contribution. But this is very difficult to understand and even more difficult to do.

Don't go to extremes

However, in addition to common callousness, there is back side excessive compassion is sorrow and discouragement. There are people who, instead of rejoicing in what they have and sharing their happiness with others, are constantly in sorrow. The feeling of compassion in them is hypertrophied. Such individuals see only grief around, and this plunges them into a state of chronic depression. Such a feeling does not bring anything useful for the development of the soul, but only harms. will not allow himself to be discouraged, being just healthy. Therefore, compassion is only useful in its "pure" form.

The meaning of compassion

Why is compassion given to each of us by nature? What does this feeling mean good for us? The answer is obvious - no practical benefit in the form of property accumulation, and at the same time, a colossal "income" in the form of gratitude.

Agree that the best that each of us experiences cannot be measured in monetary terms. How much is friendship or love? Compassion is also worthless (moreover, it is fraught with even "losses" from an economic point of view). However, succumbing to this emotion and making a donation or talking to someone who feels bad, we feel some kind of bright excitement somewhere "in the soul." This is the wonderful feeling that gives meaning to the life of each of us.