--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Happiness is a function of compassion. If…" description: "\"“Happiness is a function of compassion. If you do not have compassion in your heart, you do not have any happiness. The”\" — Thich Nhat Hanh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_compassion_happiness-is-a-function-of-compassion-if_799167.jpg" --- # Happiness is a function of compassion. If you do not have… ![“Happiness is a function of compassion. If you do not have compassion in your heart, you do not have any happiness. The” quote by Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_compassion_happiness-is-a-function-of-compassion-if_799167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_compassion_happiness-is-a-function-of-compassion-if_799167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh-689_compassion_happiness-is-a-function-of-compassion-if_799167.jpg) > ““Happiness is a function of compassion. If you do not have compassion in your heart, you do not have any happiness. The”” [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion is essential for true happiness; without it, happiness cannot exist. **In simple terms:** Compassion is needed for happiness. Key Takeaway Cultivate compassion to find joy. Themes happiness compassion mindfulness Mood calm hopeful Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - volunteering - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts interdependence emotional health Questions to Reflect On - How can compassion be practiced in daily life? - What obstacles prevent compassion? A Different Perspective Compassion alone may not solve all suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [Happiness is a function of accepting what is. Love is a function of communication. Health is a function of participation. Self expression is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-erhard/happiness-is-a-function-of-accepting-what-is-love-is-a-function-of/) [Werner Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-erhard/) > [“Happiness is never a function of tribe or ethnicity anyone can find true love and happiness from anywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/happiness-is-never-a-function-of-tribe-or-ethnicity-anyone-can-find/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Happiness is a function of accepting what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-erhard/happiness-is-a-function-of-accepting-what-is/) [Werner Erhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-erhard/) > [Happiness, for me, is a function of the number of people I love, and I think joy and happiness is directly related to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/happiness-for-me-is-a-function-of-the-number-of-people-i-love-and-i-2/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Happiness, for me, is a function of the number of people I love, and I think joy and happiness is directly related to how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/happiness-for-me-is-a-function-of-the-number-of-people-i-love-and-i/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [A heart can never be full until it has been broken. Through tragedies in life we learn compassion. When our heart fills with compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/a-heart-can-never-be-full-until-it-has-been-broken-through-tragedies/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/man-may-dismiss-compassion-from-his-heart-but-god-never-will/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [The only way to learn compassion is through your heart; you have to back up and pass through your own pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/the-only-way-to-learn-compassion-is-through-your-heart-you-have-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [Happiness can not found in wealthy friends, it will find to a friend having faithful and true compassion heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/happiness-can-not-found-in-wealthy-friends-it-will-find-to-a-friend/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [When God puts love and compassion in your heart toward someone, He’s offering you an opportunity to make a difference in that person’s life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-god-puts-love-and-compassion-in-your-heart-toward-someone-he-s/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/grief-can-be-the-garden-of-compassion-if-you-keep-your-heart-open/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Compassion is the heart of humanity, but unfortunately, today it is also a victim of global warmingand are slowly being melted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/compassion-is-the-heart-of-humanity-but-unfortunately-today-it-is/) Mak\_786 > [If you had a compassionate heart àyou will never tell where it will lead you. It may lead you to an adventure, to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwa/if-you-had-a-compassionate-heart-you-will-never-tell-where-it-will/) [Marwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marwa/) > [When there's something that impacts a family member or friend, that is difficult for them, you want to do what you can to help.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/when-there-s-something-that-impacts-a-family-member-or-friend-that-is/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [“If we don't use our daily life as a practice, nothing is ever going to change. It's not enough to just go to Dharma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-tenzin-palmo/if-we-don-t-use-our-daily-life-as-a-practice-nothing-is-ever-going-to/) [Ani Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-tenzin-palmo/) ## More by Thich Nhat Hanh > [“For example, the sound of the telephone can make us irritated and anxious. That is the sound of the telephone which comes as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/for-example-the-sound-of-the-telephone-can-make-us-irritated-and/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Bhikkhus, the teaching is merely a vehicle to describe the truth. Don’t mistake it for the truth itself. A finger pointing at the moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/bhikkhus-the-teaching-is-merely-a-vehicle-to-describe-the-truth-don-t/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If we practice walking meditation, we walk just for walking, not to arrive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-we-practice-walking-meditation-we-walk-just-for-walking-not-to/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Control the senses, practice equanimity. Live by disciplinary rules. Associate with good friends who are not lazy and live purely. Be courteous and well-mannered,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/control-the-senses-practice-equanimity-live-by-disciplinary-rules/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If you are lost in a forest at night, you can follow the North Star to find your way out. You follow the North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-you-are-lost-in-a-forest-at-night-you-can-follow-the-north-star-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If you are a poet, you will clearly see a cloud floating on this sheet of paper. Thich Nhat Hanh”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-you-are-a-poet-you-will-clearly-see-a-cloud-floating-on-this-sheet/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Happiness can be attained by letting go, including letting go of your ideas about happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/happiness-can-be-attained-by-letting-go-including-letting-go-of-your/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“We have many kinds of energies in us, including the energies of anger, violence, and craving. But compassion is also a very strong energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/we-have-many-kinds-of-energies-in-us-including-the-energies-of-anger/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Knowing how to handle suffering, you know at the same time how to produce happiness. And if you’re truly happy, we all profit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/knowing-how-to-handle-suffering-you-know-at-the-same-time-how-to/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“You have to realize that happiness is not something you find at the end of the road. You have to understand that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/you-have-to-realize-that-happiness-is-not-something-you-find-at-the/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Suppose you are in the desert, and you only have one glass of muddy water. You have to transform the muddy water into clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/suppose-you-are-in-the-desert-and-you-only-have-one-glass-of-muddy/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“When you speak, allow the insight of our collective humanity to speak through you. When you walk, don't walk for yourself alone; walk for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/when-you-speak-allow-the-insight-of-our-collective-humanity-to-speak/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“Your body belongs to the earth. In modern life, people tend to think their bodies belong to them, that they can do anything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/your-body-belongs-to-the-earth-in-modern-life-people-tend-to-think/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“A single wise word bringing peace to the listener is worth more than a thousand speeches of empty words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/a-single-wise-word-bringing-peace-to-the-listener-is-worth-more-than/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“There is no fire like lust, no vise like hatred, no trap like delusion, and no galloping river like craving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/there-is-no-fire-like-lust-no-vise-like-hatred-no-trap-like-delusion/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) [Explore all 373 Thich Nhat Hanh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) Segun Magbagbeola > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. 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