# silent compassion



## ajanna

Hello! I'd be very greatful if somebody would help me with translating "silent compassion" into Japanese (I've seen it spelled as "mujo" but I'd like to see it written in the original Japanese signs).


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## wathavy

I think 'compassion' can be translated 同情　doujyou.
But 'silent compassion' requires context or background to translate.


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## ajanna

thanks a lot . the background is that it's supposed to be a boddhisatva name given by a zen master to its disciple. does anything as "mujo" exist in Japanese at all? and can this mean "silent compassion"?


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## Pot-Bouille

Perhaps you're thinking of 無情　(mujô), "the ephemeral character of life" which is a popular kanji compound among tattooed westerners.


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## ajanna

lol
thanks a lot. anyway I'd like to take it more seriosly and learn how to say/write "silent compassion" (in a sense of person's characteristic) in possibly shortest and simplest way (if there's any choice of course).


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## Flaminius

Pot-Bouille said:


> Perhaps you're thinking of 無情　(mujô), "the ephemeral character of life" which is a popular kanji compound among tattooed westerners.


無情 is pitiless, unless Buddhist priests understand it as "silent compassion" for a second meaning.  I don't know if it is at all possible.

It is 無常 that means transience of life.


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## Pot-Bouille

Sorry about that, that was a typo, I meant 無常, of course.


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## ajanna

ok, I see. but could you please forget about this "mujo" and please just write "silent compassion" in Japanese alphabet and also give me a clue how to pronounce it?


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## mikun

Hi,
I'm not sure the meaning of silent in this case.
Usually Caucasian people use silent as a 'silent majority' or a 'silent partner' .
If you use silent as a same usage of 'silent majority' in the case of 'silent compassion' , the meaning is not mujo 無常, but somethinhg like 'compassion without word'.
My try is 無言の同情、黙ったままで慰める、など。


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## Wishfull

Hi.
It might be "陰（かげ）から応援している".
If the subject person is dead now, "草葉の陰から見守っている。"

*
「陰ながら応援しているよ」*


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## ajanna

Mikun and Wishfull - thank you both very much. The word silent in this case was used to describe a person who is very compassionate, but doesn't show off with her compassion (because it was about a woman). And could you please give me a clue how to pronounce this phrase?


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## Wishfull

Hi.
「陰ながら応援しています」
かげながら　おうえんしています
kage-nagara ouen-shite-imasu.


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## ajanna

Thank you very much! And which part of this phrase stands for "compassion"?


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## Wishfull

Wishfull said:


> Hi.
> 「陰ながら応援しています」
> かげながら　おうえんしています
> kage-nagara ouen-shite-imasu.


kage-nagara = silent
ouen = compassion


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## ajanna

かげながら so that's "ouen" = "compassion"?

Thanks a lot


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## mikun

Hi,
I feel it is a feeling of '物心の支援はできないけど気の毒には思っている’。
There are few short words to state the sad feeling, and also few long words to state happy thing. We say 弔辞は長く祝辞は短く。
I am afraids there are few words to state unhappy event in a short phrase.


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