Parallel to compassion, the Buddhist teachings emphasise loving-kindness — the wish for others to have happiness and the causes of happiness. A traditional way of generating loving-kindness begins by looking at our own constant longing for happiness and its causes. Then we contemplate how all others have this same longing, every bit as intense as our own. When we understand that we are no different from other beings in this way, we see how unreasonable it is to care so much more about ourselves than others. We do so only out of sheer habit — ignorant habit. At that point, once we’ve shed some light on our habit, we turn our mind toward others, wishing them happiness as much as we wish it for ourselves. Then, in our daily lives, we try to behave in accord with this wish, by being kind with our actions, in our speech, and in our thoughts.

-- Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche