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Does any one know the source of the words they speak?

"My morals come from compassion; my compassion from understanding. And I seek to know and understand... everything."

These, apparently, are the words of Buddha. They have the appearance of erudition.

I want to know the real meaning of the word compassion, and how it translates to a motivation.

How does seeking translate to finding? That is, is the search equal to the finding?

Is it possible for anyone to know and understand everything?

Finally, how does all this translate to a system of values, or "morals"?

Update:

"Compassion" is emotional, while "understanding" is intellectual. Can one "feel" knowledge or "know" emotion? I sense a non sequitur here.

I see here "compassion" expressed as empathy. What is empathy? I empathized with a trapped lizard today and released it from the prison it crawled in to. I do not find morality in this action.

Can anyone be a bit more specific or detailed in their response?

4 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Compassion is not pity. Pity is easy to have and feel. But compassion is empathy and action upon empathy. If you truly feel what another person feels, then you are moved to have compassion for them just as you have for yourself( to care for).

    Once you act in compassion, you find the rewards of giving outweigh selflessness, and this is finding.

    We cannot know all things here, now. Because now we "see through a glass darkly". But later we will know all.

    If here on earth, a person finds the truth about what all the major religions teach, and that is love your brothers and sisters as yourself, then that person's code of morals is that at all times and in all places he treats others as he would want to be treated. It's very simple to say, but very difficult and profound to put into action. And once done, it reshapes the entire life.

  • 1 decade ago

    er⋅u⋅di⋅tion  –noun

    knowledge acquired by study, research, etc.; learning; scholarship.

    You made it sound like a bad thing.

    Compassion comes from understanding the true nature of suffering and its causes; from recognizing that all beings just want to be happy, and have no idea how it might be accomplished. We just keep on suffering due to our ignorance. Compassion might motivate you to help people be happy.

    Seeking doesn't translate to finding, though it might lead to it. There are no guarantees.

    I've never met anyone who knew and understood everything. But all should be devoted to that end, should they not? What else have we got to do that's more important? more beneficial?

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Compassion means, "a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering."

    Morals mean, "motivation based on ideas of right and wrong."

    So basically it means, that his morals comes from witnessing or hearing about the suffering of other people and wanting to do something about it. "Compassion from understanding" might mean he can relate to the suffering of others, such as he might have had a past experience where he suffered similarly and thus his compassion stems from his understanding of what suffering actually feels like.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    For me, it's always either my experience, my education or both.

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