user44: Maybe a strange question, because for some people it's obvious that you should be compassionate. I'm just interested in knowing why.
Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead? Why is "not hating" not enough?

user289: The central belief in Buddhism is that we are not who we naively think we are. The central question is, well, who are we then?
In the Mahayana version, a hard to follow discussion leads to the us that nothing is causally independent and as a consequence, we should reframe the question of liberation (from what ever problem brought us to seek the answers that religion provides) to how do we solve this problem for everyone. No one is enlightened until we all are enlightened.
In the various paths of liberation, it the Mahayana version, re-orienting the goal to include everyone (dealing with everyone's problems, not just your own), is the first (or first of two) steps:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Lam_Rim
So to raise the motivation to reach liberation via the liberation of all, it helps to dwell on the misery of others & to follow through to act on that.

user254: The Buddha showed compassion: that's stated in the Ayacana Sutta,

Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with etc.


"Not hating" may be enough: the fifth verse in the Dhammapada says "non-hatred" not "compassion",

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.


There is an article Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas
by
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi which mentions different views of compassion within different schools of Buddhism.
Its last section is titled "Breaking down old stereotypes" and says that there are two negative stereotypes:

(1) Arahants, and Theravādin Buddhists, are concerned exclusively with their own salvation as opposed to the benefit of others; they have a narrow fixation on personal liberation because they are "fearful of birth and death" and therefore have little compassion for others and don't undertake activities intended to benefit them.
(2) Followers of the bodhisattva ideal, and Mahāyāna Buddhists, are so much involved in social projects aimed at benefiting others that they don't take up the practice that the Buddha assigned to his disciples, namely, the taming of the mind and the development of insight. They have overwhelmed themselves with social duties and forsaken meditation practice.

Saying that the first of these stereotypes is untrue:

The example established by the Buddha's great arahant disciples has been the model for the followers of the arahant ideal throughout history. While those who pursue this ideal do not make such lofty vows as do followers of the bodhisattva ideal, they are inspired by the example of the Buddha and his great disciples to work for the spiritual and moral uplift of others to the best of their ability: by teaching, by example, and by direct spiritual influence, inspired by the Buddha's command to "wander forth for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and human beings."

It says that "giving" is important:

Those who seek the goal of nirvāṇa do not wait until they become arahants before they start helping others. Within this system, giving is regarded as the foundation for all other virtues; it is the first basis of merit and the first of the ten pāramis.


For a beginner, I guess that compassion might help:

Harmlessness (if you feel compassion then you don't want to cause harm)
Equanimity (if someone annoys you then feeling compassion for them is an antidote)
Non-attachment (compassion could cause generosity, practising generosity might help to develop renunciation, patience, and other virtues)


user2207: One reason is that compassion softens self-boundaries the most.
Hatred strengthens boundaries of the self.  Someone does something contrary to what we value, and our emotional reaction not only strengthens our attachment to this value, but our attachment to ourselves, as we identify more strongly with us vs. the other (exemplified by that person).
Not hating (letting go) softens this for obvious reasons.
Compassion goes further, for to positively work towards the benefits of others (especially those we would normally hate) is to further soften our self-boundaries, by putting our time and energy into their welfare, and in a way, to start thinking of their welfare as our welfare (in a way, this is what caring is).
I think the best explanation for compassion's role in softening the boundaries of the self doesn't come from Buddhism but from... Einstein.  Here's a very nice quote of his:

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part
  limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and
  feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical
  delusion of his consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for
  us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few
  persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this
  prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
  creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.  Nobody is able to
  achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in
  itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.

Now you may not agree on how completely we can achieve this, but the central idea here is that compassion relaxes the boundaries of the self, expands our sense of one-ness, and to the extent we can express compassion, we are liberated.

user-1: "Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead?"
Compassion (karuṇā) and loving-kindness (mettā) help one overcome obstacles:

Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed by a bhikkhu when it arises in him. What are the five?
Loving-kindness can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed: this is how annoyance with him can be removed. Compassion can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Onlooking equanimity can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. The forgetting and ignoring of a person with whom you are annoyed can be practiced; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Ownership of deeds in a person with whom you are annoyed can be concentrated upon thus: "This good person is owner of his deeds, heir to his deeds, his deeds are the womb from which he is born, his deeds are his kin for whom he is responsible, his deeds are his refuge, he is heir to his deeds, be they good or bad." This too is how annoyance with him can be removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed in a bhikkhu when it arises in him.
-- AN 5:161

Also, there are fruits associated with compassion and loving-kindness:

Bhikkhus, when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?
A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world.
-- AN 11:16
Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu cultivates loving-kindness for as long as a fingersnap, he is called a bhikkhu. He is not destitute of jhana meditation, he carries out the Master's teaching, he responds to advice, and he does not eat the country's alms food in vain. So what should be said of those who make much of it?
-- AN 1:53-55, 386

"Why is "not hating" not enough?"
Now, the absense of loving-kindness may not be enough to properly protect one's mind from defilements:

Here, friends, a bhikkhu might say: "When the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of by me, used as my vehicle, used as my foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will nevertheless still invades my heart and remains." He should be told: "Not so. Let the worthy one not say so. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not express it thus." Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.
-- DN 33


44: <p>Maybe a strange question, because for some people it's obvious that you should be compassionate. I'm just interested in knowing why.</p>

<p>Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead? Why is "not hating" not enough?</p>
 289: <p>The central belief in Buddhism is that we are not who we naively think we are. The central question is, well, who are we then?</p>

<p>In the Mahayana version, a hard to follow discussion leads to the us that nothing is causally independent and as a consequence, we should reframe the question of liberation (from what ever problem brought us to seek the answers that religion provides) to how do we solve this problem for everyone. No one is enlightened until we all are enlightened.</p>

<p>In the various paths of liberation, it the Mahayana version, re-orienting the goal to include everyone (dealing with everyone's problems, not just your own), is the first (or first of two) steps:</p>

<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Lam_Rim" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation#Lam_Rim</a></p>

<p>So to raise the motivation to reach liberation via the liberation of all, it helps to dwell on the misery of others &amp; to follow through to act on that.</p>
 254: <p>The Buddha showed compassion: that's stated in the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn06/sn06.001.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ayacana Sutta</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with etc.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>&quot;Not hating&quot; may be enough: the fifth verse in the Dhammapada says &quot;non-hatred&quot; not &quot;compassion&quot;,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>There is an article <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/arahantsbodhisattvas.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas
by
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi</a> which mentions different views of compassion within different schools of Buddhism.</p>
<p>Its last section is titled &quot;Breaking down old stereotypes&quot; and says that there are two negative stereotypes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>(1) Arahants, and Theravādin Buddhists, are concerned exclusively with their own salvation as opposed to the benefit of others; they have a narrow fixation on personal liberation because they are &quot;fearful of birth and death&quot; and therefore have little compassion for others and don't undertake activities intended to benefit them.</p>
<p>(2) Followers of the bodhisattva ideal, and Mahāyāna Buddhists, are so much involved in social projects aimed at benefiting others that they don't take up the practice that the Buddha assigned to his disciples, namely, the taming of the mind and the development of insight. They have overwhelmed themselves with social duties and forsaken meditation practice.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Saying that the first of these stereotypes is untrue:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The example established by the Buddha's great arahant disciples has been the model for the followers of the arahant ideal throughout history. While those who pursue this ideal do not make such lofty vows as do followers of the bodhisattva ideal, <strong>they are inspired by the example of the Buddha and his great disciples</strong> to work for the spiritual and moral uplift of others to the best of their ability: by teaching, by example, and by direct spiritual influence, inspired by the Buddha's command to &quot;wander forth for the welfare of the multitude, for the happiness of the multitude, <strong>out of compassion for the world</strong>, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and human beings.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It says that &quot;giving&quot; is important:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Those who seek the goal of nirvāṇa do not wait until they become arahants before they start helping others. Within this system, giving is regarded as the foundation for all other virtues; it is the first basis of merit and the first of the ten pāramis.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>For a beginner, I guess that compassion might help:</p>
<ul>
<li>Harmlessness (if you feel compassion then <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule#Buddhism" rel="nofollow noreferrer">you don't want to cause harm</a>)</li>
<li>Equanimity (if someone annoys you then feeling compassion for them is an antidote)</li>
<li>Non-attachment (compassion could cause generosity, practising generosity might help to develop renunciation, patience, and other virtues)</li>
</ul>
 2207: <p>One reason is that compassion softens self-boundaries the most.</p>

<p>Hatred strengthens boundaries of the self.  Someone does something contrary to what we value, and our emotional reaction not only strengthens our attachment to this value, but our attachment to ourselves, as we identify more strongly with us vs. the other (exemplified by that person).</p>

<p>Not hating (letting go) softens this for obvious reasons.</p>

<p>Compassion goes further, for to positively work towards the benefits of others (especially those we would normally hate) is to further soften our self-boundaries, by putting our time and energy into their welfare, and in a way, to start thinking of their welfare as our welfare (in a way, this is what caring is).</p>

<p>I think the best explanation for compassion's role in softening the boundaries of the self doesn't come from Buddhism but from... Einstein.  Here's a very nice quote of his:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part
  limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and
  feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical
  delusion of his consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for
  us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few
  persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this
  prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
  creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.  Nobody is able to
  achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in
  itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Now you may not agree on how completely we can achieve this, but the central idea here is that compassion relaxes the boundaries of the self, expands our sense of one-ness, and to the extent we can express compassion, we are liberated.</p>
 -1: <p><strong>"<em>Hatred is unskillful, but why should one develop compassion instead?</em>"</strong></p>

<p>Compassion (<em>karuṇā</em>) and loving-kindness (<em>mettā</em>) help one overcome obstacles:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bhikkhus, there are these five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed by a bhikkhu when it arises in him. What are the five?</p>
  
  <p>Loving-kindness can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed: this is how annoyance with him can be removed. Compassion can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Onlooking equanimity can be maintained in being towards a person with whom you are annoyed; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. The forgetting and ignoring of a person with whom you are annoyed can be practiced; this too is how annoyance with him can be removed. Ownership of deeds in a person with whom you are annoyed can be concentrated upon thus: "This good person is owner of his deeds, heir to his deeds, his deeds are the womb from which he is born, his deeds are his kin for whom he is responsible, his deeds are his refuge, he is heir to his deeds, be they good or bad." This too is how annoyance with him can be removed. These are the five ways of removing annoyance, by which annoyance can be entirely removed in a bhikkhu when it arises in him.</p>
  
  <p>-- AN 5:161</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Also, there are fruits associated with compassion and loving-kindness:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bhikkhus, when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?</p>
  
  <p>A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world.</p>
  
  <p>-- AN 11:16</p>
  
  <p>Bhikkhus, if a bhikkhu cultivates loving-kindness for as long as a fingersnap, he is called a bhikkhu. He is not destitute of jhana meditation, he carries out the Master's teaching, he responds to advice, and he does not eat the country's alms food in vain. So what should be said of those who make much of it?</p>
  
  <p>-- AN 1:53-55, 386</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>"<em>Why is "not hating" not enough?</em>"</strong></p>

<p>Now, the <em>absense</em> of loving-kindness may not be enough to properly protect one's mind from defilements:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Here, friends, a bhikkhu might say: "When the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of by me, used as my vehicle, used as my foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will nevertheless still invades my heart and remains." He should be told: "Not so. Let the worthy one not say so. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not express it thus." Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.</p>
  
  <p>-- DN 33</p>
</blockquote>
