Compassion

Compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It’s not passive – it’s not empathy alone – but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and loving kindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is loving kindness). - The Dalai Lama (Essence of the Heart Sutra)

A man should not hate any living creature. Let him be friendly and compassionate to all. He must free himself from delusion of ‘I” and “mine”. He must accept pleasure and pain with equal tranquillity. He must be forgiving, even contented, self-controlled. He neither molests his fellow men, nor allows himself to become disturbed by the world. He is no longer swayed by joy and passion, anxiety and fear. He does not desire or rejoice in what is pleasant. He does not dread what is unpleasant or grieve over it. He remains unmoved by good or evil fortune. His attitude is the same toward friend or foe. He is indifferent to honour and insult, heat and cold, pleasure and pain. He is free from attachment. He values praise and blame equally. He can control his speech. He is content with whatever he gets. His home is everywhere and nowhere. - Bhagavad-Gita