「臨終關懷」所表達的是普及於社會上每一個人對臨終者或瀕死者的關懷行動， 這個行動的核心在於臨終者本身及其周遭的人（特別是其親屬），因為「臨終關懷」並非在 「等死」或「等他死」，卻是在於一種尊重的基礎上去平等的相互對待 -- 在幫助、陪伴、 祝福那走向生命終極的人身上，同時得到對方的關懷。這是不同於「安樂死」的一種愛的展 顯，開顯出人生的意義與價值；表現於具體行動上即為「寬容」的德行。孔子儒家一貫之道 的生死智慧，正是一股發自內存本然的基本情感、甚至是一種感同身受的感情之流露，不再 是對那無法挽回、無可免之情境的忍受或忍耐，確是「寬容」，因為「寬容」的真義正是人 與人之間的同理共感；孔子儒家所言之「仁義內在」也就是直接地關注於這個「人」生命主 體的深邃內涵。

　　　　　"Caring for the Dying" expresses a universal presence in society, of the individual caring action for the dying. The core of this action is with the dying and the persons surrounding them (especially the close reations), because "Caring for the Dying" is not "waiting for death" nor "waiting for them to die", but is an interaction based on mutual respect-helping, accompanying, blessing the one who is approaching the end of life, and experiencing concern of others. This is an expression of love that is not the same as "euthanasia", a revelation of meaning and value of life. Shown by concrete actions, it is a virtue of "tolerance". The enduring Confucian wisdom concerning life and death is an emission of the inner basic sentiment, a revealing of the feeling of empty. It is not a negative tolerance of the inevitable and irretrievable, but an "embracing tolerance", since the essence of "tolerance" is precisely interpersonal empathy. The Confucian saying of "the inner presence of Ren and Yi" concerns directly the unfathomable internal quality of this living subject-man.