Seven Quotes on Compassion
Compassion is universal. But its meaning—and how we live it—can look different across cultures and traditions. From religious leaders to peace activists these voices remind us that compassion is a force that connects us. It’s how we show up for one another, across borders, beliefs, and backgrounds.
Here are seven powerful quotes that inspire us to choose compassion, again and again.
Photo: Tim Graham—Hulton Archive/Getty Images
A woman who spent her life among the poor and the sick in India, Mother Teresa believed in the quiet strength of love in action.
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
The Dalai Lama
Photo: Mark Seliger
A global ambassador of peace and Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama reminds us that compassion isn’t optional—it’s essential to human survival.
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
Pope Francis
Photo: Franco Origlia
As the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis brings compassion into conversations about justice, inclusion, and global responsibility.
“Compassion is the language of God. Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone, even when they do not love us.”
Thích Nhất Hạnh
Photo from his biography book “Thich Nhat Hanh.”
This Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk taught millions the practice of mindfulness and peaceful presence. For him, compassion was not just a feeling—it was a verb.
“Compassion is a verb.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Studio photo (London, 1931.)
Leader of India’s nonviolent struggle for independence, Gandhi believed that true strength lay in kindness and simplicity.
“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.”
Abraham Joshua Heschel
This Jewish rabbi and mystic marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and spoke of a spirituality grounded in justice and tenderness.
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.”
Nelson Mandela
Photo: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images.
South African anti-apartheid leader and president. His life stands as a testament to the strength of compassion, even in the face of immense injustice.
“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other — not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”
Feeling something is a start. Doing something is the next step.
From all corners of the world, these voices tell us the same thing: compassion matters.
Not just in moments of crisis, but in the way we treat each other every day.
Compassion can cut through indifference and numbing. Which quote moves you to do something today?