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 Defining Compassion

Wiki: "Compassion (from Latin: "co-suffering") is a virtue —one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism —equivalent to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood...

...Ranked a great virtue in numerous philosphies, compassion is considered in all the major religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues." 

We all live a dance between our capacities for acceptance and denial of change/stewardship. In acceptance we realise we are mortal beings within the universal transformation and within that realisation is suffering. We realise we are separated, divided, cut, split, rended, cleaved from all (see origins of science symbol). In acceptance of our roles stewards of our actions amidst the flux we realise that our actions inevitably cause suffering to other sentient beings and seek to minimise this suffering .

Inherent in the state of compassion are the requisites for the state of science to exist:

 Inclusiveness
Collegiality openness and sharing
Inquiry
Honesty and trust
Generosity of time and reflection

When all these requisites exist, then the state of science flourishes and we are better able to transcend the limitations of our ego, minimise suffering and enjoy harmony with the universal change.

 Summary

Value compassion, for it enables us to experience the state of science and thus sustain civilisation. Conserve the compassion symbol by using it and our children can know their greater potential and live more sustainable lives.

[Middle English compassioun, from Late Latin compassi , compassi n-, from compassus, past participle of compat , to sympathize : Latin com-, com- + Latin pat , to suffer; see p (i)- in Indo-European roots.]

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Page last  updated: July 2010

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