One of the teachings that I've always followed from various great thinkers, notably the Dalai Lama, is compassion. He teaches that compassion is a fundamental part of our existence, and that we cannot possibly have personal growth or well-being without it.
This is something that I have taken to heart. I realized quite some time ago that by being compassionate, I myself am a happier person for it. Instead of holding grudges or being judgemental, I try to look at things from other people's perspectives, and that has helped me get over a lot of anger and heartache that would have otherwise eaten me from the inside out.
For me, compassion is one of the main virtues that we should all live by, but of course, not everyone agrees. What do you all think? Is compassion one of the most important virtues, or is it something that makes us weak (something that I have been accused of on more than one occasion)?
That's an interesting question you pose. I agree with you about compassion being one of the main virtues that we should live by. It's true that some people will view those who are compassionate as weak. They just don't understand and there's no way to make them understand if they don't want to learn.
Great question, Robert. Thankfully, I think many spiritual traditions around the world agree that compassion is a virtue and not a weakness. I also think that compassion is tightly linked to empathy. Perhaps it's feelings of empathy within us that lead to an outpouring of compassion. To address accusations of weakness, I would mention that Christianity actually elevates the "meek" and humble. Christians place the crucified Christ on a pedestal. This is one of the greatest examples of worldly weakness one can imagine. Yet, Christianity says this "weakness" is actually a source of great spiritual power.
