“Pains and sufferings are pleasurable if hearts are mingled with love and compassion.”

“Compassion refers to the arising in the heart of the desire to relieve the suffering of all beings.”

Ram Dass (1931–2019) American contemporary spiritual teacher and the author of the 1971 book Be Here Now

“Pain and suffering, they are a secret. Kindness and love, they are a secret. But I have learned that kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering.”

Alan Paton (1903–1988) South African writer and activist

“Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Pain of love lasts a lifetime.”

Bette Davis (1908–1989) film and television actress from the United States

“Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life's search for love and wisdom.”

Rumi (1207–1273) Iranian poet

“When your fear touches someone’s pain, it becomes pity, when your love touches someone’s pain, it become compassion.”

Stephen Levine (1937–2016) American poet and author

“Nothing satisfies God but the voluntary sacrifice of love. The pain of Christ gave God no pleasure — only the love that was tested by pain — the love of perfect obedience.”

Frederick William Robertson (1816–1853) British writer and theologian

“Pains of love be sweeter far
Than all other pleasures are.”

John Dryden (1631–1700) English poet and playwright of the XVIIth century

“My experience is that everything is bliss. But the desire for bliss creates pain. Thus bliss becomes the seed of pain. The entire universe of pain is born of desire. Give up the desire for pleasure and you will not even know what is pain. (…) for the sake of pleasure you are committing many sins. And the fruits of sin are suffering and death.”

Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897–1981) Indian guru

“Who suffers or has suffered has a different heart. A heart capable of helping and loving.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer