user-1: Can a bodhisattva or lay Buddhist be too concerned with truth at the expense of compassion and altruism?
What is the relationship between truth and compassion? e.g.. is the truth always compassionate, and if not, which is more important? Or, can we pursue the Buddha dharma out of a desire for the truth alone. etc.

user151: One can cling to the idea of truth without any truth or compassion
One can cling to the idea of compassion without any truth or compassion.
Compassion  is a mental attitude that is against suffering. To be clear, it's not a belief or theoretical idea.
You don't have to be a "me"  and they don't have to be a "them" for compassion to arise.
The idea that there is a "you" or that there are "other people" is not admitted of by actual non-conceptual ultimate truth. If you are close with this ultimate truth then you are also close to compassion. You know, "You" and "other people" have no apparent separation that isn't assumed.

-1: <p>Can a bodhisattva or lay Buddhist be too concerned with truth at the expense of compassion and altruism?</p>
<p><strong>What is the relationship between truth and compassion?</strong> e.g.. is the truth always compassionate, and if not, which is more important? Or, can we pursue the Buddha dharma out of a desire for the truth alone. etc.</p>
 151: <p>One can cling to the idea of truth without any truth or compassion</p>
<p>One can cling to the idea of compassion without any truth or compassion.</p>
<p>Compassion  is a mental attitude that is against suffering. To be clear, it's not a belief or theoretical idea.</p>
<p>You don't have to be a &quot;me&quot;  and they don't have to be a &quot;them&quot; for compassion to arise.
The idea that there is a &quot;you&quot; or that there are &quot;other people&quot; is not admitted of by actual non-conceptual ultimate truth. If you are close with this ultimate truth then you are also close to compassion. You know, &quot;You&quot; and &quot;other people&quot; have no apparent separation that isn't assumed.</p>
