“The near enemy of loving-kindness is attachment. At first, attachment may feel like love, but as it grows it becomes more clearly the opposite, characterised by clinging, controlling and fear.
The near enemy of compassion is pity, and this also separates us. Pity feels sorry for that poor person over there as if he were somehow different from us.
The near enemy of sympathetic joy (the joy in the happiness of others) is comparison, which looks to see if we have more than, the same as, or less than another.
The near enemy of equanimity is indifference. True equanimity is balance in the midst of experience, whereas indifference is a withdrawal and not caring, based on fear.”
– Jack Kornfield