In My Childhood, I Had A Religious

The Purpose Of Life Is To Be Happy.

Looking At Various Means Of Developing Compassion, I Think Empathy Is An Important Factor: The Ability To Appreciate Others' Suffering.

I Believe All Suffering Is Caused By Ignorance. People Inflict Pain On Others In The Selfish Pursuit Of Their Happiness Or Satisfaction. Yet True Happiness Comes From A Sense Of Inner Peace And Contentment, Which In Turn Must Be Achieved Through The Cultivation Of Altruism, Of Love And Compassion And Elimination Of Ignorance, Selfishness And Greed.

Peace, In The Sense Of The Absence Of War, Is Of Little Value To Someone Who Is Dying Of Hunger Or Cold. It Will Not Remove The Pain Of Torture Inflicted On A Prisoner Of Conscience. It Does Not Comfort Those Who Have Lost Their Loved Ones In Floods Caused By Senseless Deforestation In A Neighboring Country. Peace Can Only Last Where Human Rights Are Respected, Where The People Are Fed, And Where Individuals And Nations Are Free.

If You Shift Your Focus From Oneself To Others, And Think More About Others' Well-being And Welfare, It Has An Immediate Liberating Effect.