Compassion in the Buddhist sense is also rooted in an empathetic "suffering with," but then extends beyond it. Compassion begins with the wish, grown out of empathetic awareness, for others to be free from suffering, and is then developed into a profoundly transformative commitment to work toward helping all beings overcome both their suffering and its causes. This ultimate crescendo of compassion in both body and mind is called "great compassion."
— Aura Glaser, A Call to Compassion