The relationship between a man and a women usually begins with Attraction. This attraction is charged by usually LUST in the beginning. The Relationship between the couple opens by the Channel of Sex wherein the LUST energy is released.
The Center of Sex/Lust is Love. and slowly this Lust between couples soon starts melting down to Love.
(From this Point, I am assuming the Couple is completely devoted to each other without much EXTERNAL ATTRACTIONS - speaking only relationship wise).Soon This Love grows further and its blossoms into FRIENDSHIP.
Continuing ahead.. The factor of love thus grows by overpowering lust and the couple start understanding for each other and caring.
The Desire of sex is now quite controlled taking into consideration, each others feelings, emotions etc. due to the GOOD Qualities of LOVE. I.e. Caring & Kindness. And being less Dominant.
This state is the place where couple are more open from inside and spend a VERY VERY VERY LONG time in this stage. Here, Each person tries to know more and deeper about the other persons life. i.e. Trying to understand further. Great Qualities like "Forgiveness", "Adjustments", "Understanding" and even "SACRIFICE" come in picture. It is the stage where couples are trying to GET over their immediate "DOMINATING" reflexes. Usually mentally programming each other for DO's and DONT's. Good Qualities of Friendship(usually seen in movies) show up in this colorful stage of relationship.
This FRIENDSHIP matures ahead and its goes ahead to next level i.e. "COMPASSION".
COMPASSION:-This stage is where ONE not only feels the pain of the other but also experiences it to be his/her own. It can be called more of a DEEP CONNECTION from Heart wherein Pleasure and Pain are felt without words and many a times irrespective of "Distance". It is in this state, a couple takes each other "for granted" (with a very very high level of understanding and deep faith) and try to help each other thereby "Acting/Thinking" alike. Its in this stage where one REALIZES his/her partner more than the SELF.# a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
# the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it
Crossing the Stage of "Compassion" one reaches a "Point of No-Return" in which the actions/decisions of the individual is PURELY WISDOM guided action without any attachments to the fruits of the action being performed for the other. Its in this state, the couple do not care about their actions for each other. Its sort of a BLIND love for NO REASON. Perhaps as big as an "Orthodox Mother's Love" which does not care what her "Child" is. All that matters to her is that she is the loving mother of her "Child".
Just like that The Couple who reaches this stage can be said to have experienced a taste of ETERNAL LOVE.
My personal opinion is, a Couple after reaching this HIGHEST point in this relationship and after knowing the OTHER person TO-and-THROUGH must realize how "BOTH OF YOU" are soo ONE-SAME from Inside Yet so Different. By further exploring this INNOCENT ONENESS between each other, they will automatically see this INNOCENCE in all. Thereby being blessed with "Love for All" i.e. Stage 2 of relationship between two people is now between the COUPLE and the WORLD around.
- the source of my above explanation goes to Swami Sukhbodananda's Teachings.
