Compassion and Self-Satisfaction

185. Compassion

Compassion is a form of sadness mixed with love or goodwill toward those whom we see suffering from some misfortune they do not deserve.

Thus, it is the opposite of envy in its object and of mockery in its perspective.

186. Who Are the Most Compassionate

Those who feel themselves to be very weak and highly susceptible to the adversities of fortune seem more inclined to compassion than others.

This is because they imagine the suffering of others as something that could happen to them.

Thus, they are moved to compassion more by the love they bear for themselves than by that which they have for others.

187. How the Most Generous Are Affected by This Passion

However, even the most generous individuals, those with the strongest spirits who fear no misfortune for themselves and consider themselves beyond the reach of fortune, are not exempt from compassion when they see the weakness of others and hear their complaints.

For it is part of generosity to have goodwill toward everyone. Yet, the sadness caused by this compassion is not bitter; it resembles the sadness evoked by tragic actions portrayed on a stage. It resides more in the external senses than in the inner soul, which feels satisfaction in thinking it is fulfilling its duty by empathizing with the afflicted.

There is a distinction, however, in that while the common person feels compassion for those who complain because they perceive the sufferings endured as severe, the primary object of compassion for the greatest individuals is the weakness of those they see complaining.

They do not consider any misfortune that can occur to be as significant a problem as the cowardice of those unable to endure it with fortitude. Although they hate vices, they do not hate those subject to them but feel only compassion for them.

188. Who Are Unmoved by Compassion

Only malicious and envious minds, who naturally hate all humanity, or those who are so brutish and blinded by good fortune or despair from misfortune that they think no harm could befall them, are insensible to compassion.

189. Why This Passion Causes Tears

It is easy to weep under the influence of this passion because love, by sending much blood toward the heart, causes many vapors to rise toward the eyes. The coldness of sadness slows the agitation of these vapors, causing them to turn into tears, as previously explained.

190. Self-Satisfaction

Those who steadfastly follow virtue enjoy tranquility and peace of conscience in their soul.

The sweetest of all joys is the one felt after freshly completing a good action.

because its cause depends solely on ourselves.

Nonetheless, when this cause is not just—that is, when the actions from which one derives satisfaction are not of great importance or are even vicious—this satisfaction is ridiculous and serves only to produce pride and unwarranted arrogance.

This is particularly evident in those who, believing themselves devout, are merely bigoted and superstitious.

These individuals, thinking they are perfect because they frequently attend church, recite many prayers, keep their hair short, fast, or give alms, imagine themselves to be such great friends of God that they cannot possibly displease Him.

They believe that all their passions are signs of good zeal, even though such passions sometimes incite the gravest crimes—such as betraying cities, murdering princes, or exterminating entire peoples simply for not sharing their opinions.

191. Repentance

Repentance is directly opposed to self-satisfaction. It is a form of sadness arising from the belief that one has committed a wrong action, and it is exceedingly bitter because its cause resides entirely within ourselves.

Nevertheless, repentance is highly beneficial when it is true that the action for which we repent is wrong and when we have certain knowledge of this. Such repentance encourages us to do better in the future.

However, weak-minded individuals often repent of actions they have done without knowing for certain that they were wrong.

They convince themselves of their wrongness merely because they fear it and would repent similarly if they had done the opposite.

This is an imperfection deserving of compassion. The remedies for this defect are the same as those used to overcome indecision.