The Lotus Lane

Daisaku Ikeda on Compassion

Guidance on Buddhist compassion — the desire to remove suffering and give happiness to all beings, and how to practice it in daily life.

15 quotes

“Compassion is not about feeling pity for others. It is about sharing their suffering and working together to overcome it.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace

“A single warm word can give someone the courage to go on living. Never underestimate the power of your compassion.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow

“True compassion is not soft or weak. It takes great strength to truly care about others, to shoulder their pain.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, Discussions on Youth

“The Bodhisattva spirit is the willingness to take on difficulty for the sake of others. This is the noblest aspect of human nature.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The New Human Revolution, Vol. 4

“In the end, what matters is not how much we have accomplished, but how many hearts we have touched.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow

“Genuine compassion means not only sharing another's suffering, but also helping them to realize their own strength.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace

“Buddhism teaches that compassion without wisdom is sentimentality, and wisdom without compassion is cold and heartless. We need both.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, Discussions on Youth

“One person's heartfelt encouragement can save another person's life. We must never forget the tremendous power we possess.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The New Human Revolution, Vol. 7

“The greatest tragedy is not poverty or illness — it is being alone, unwanted, and forgotten. Be the person who reaches out.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow

“To live for others — this is the path of the Bodhisattva, and it is the path to the deepest fulfillment a human being can experience.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace

“The person who encourages one person is greater than the person who gives a million dollars to charity without any personal connection.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, Discussions on Youth

“Buddhism is not about retreating from the world. It is about plunging into the midst of suffering and bringing hope.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The New Human Revolution, Vol. 9

“Every person you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, For Today and Tomorrow

“Do not measure compassion by grand gestures. Measure it by the small, daily acts of kindness that brighten another person's day.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace

“The most powerful thing you can do for another person is believe in them — even when they cannot believe in themselves.”

— Daisaku Ikeda, Discussions on Youth

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