Love according to Buddhism

Love, according to Buddhism, is the desire for equanimity between all beings. It is a totally selfless affection and genuine joy for another without projection of one’s own selfish needs.

Love according to Buddhism is absolutely different from love according to Western culture. In the first context, it is defined as a pure feeling that is given to another living being in a disinterested manneralso feeling absolute well-being in knowing that you have not caused pain or suffering to anyone, but rather have collaborated in generating joy in others.

In the West, love is an ambivalent concept that requires the presence of the other person, reciprocity and belonging. It can be considered ambivalent because, although on the one hand it requires the satisfaction of another’s desire, the other part, no less important, focuses on the self. We would speak, therefore, of a “more interested” love.

Here we find two concepts found where, in the words of Sigmund Freud, the object of love seeks to be protected, also It is intended to be kept as one’s own and may be the target of offenses. and grievances as it is separated from itself.

This happens because the life drives and of death They have a dialectical relationship that they use. Love cannot be conceived separate from hate. Precisely, according to psychoanalytic theory, the life drive, that seeks unite and preserveis linked to the death drive, that seeks to destroy and separate. Both have the property that they feed each other naturally.

The main characteristics of love according to Buddhism

Love according to Buddhism has nothing to do with the conception established in the West. Precisely, one of the fundamental characteristics that it has love according to Buddhism is the ability to feel compassion for another. In this way, all living beings would have to be absolutely respected.

Furthermore, in the Buddhist conception it is established that The intention of love must be the same as faith, which seeks to illuminate, which would also allow the liberation of the suffering that surrounds Western love. It is a genuine desire for good towards others.sharing energy and own resources.

“There are many methods to increase positive energy, but the most powerful is to create love and faith, which arise from the original wisdom energy. If we connect through faith to the vast and deep continuum of the mind, the inner, soft and luminous qualities of wisdom energy can flourish. The essence of love is the compassion of sublime beings that always give energy.”

-Thinley Norbu-

Kindness and benevolence as a significant part of love

Love according to Buddhism is characterized by kindness and benevolencebut without having to get attached to the person, which is ultimately what a posteriori causes suffering. To practice love according to Buddhism, it is not necessary to cling to anything, because this is an impossible task: nothing remains static, everything changes and transforms.

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The doctrine states that happiness and fulfillment only reside within and they can only be shared from this place, but never in their entirety: dependency is not part of their philosophy.

Love according to Buddhism is supposed to be inexhaustible, since the energy it offers belongs to the cosmos and not to the individual themselves. If love does not possess the mentioned characteristics a prioriBuddhism establishes that this is a selfish projection of one’s own needs.

“The teachings on love given by the Buddha are clear and applicable. Love, compassion, joy and equanimity are the very nature of an enlightened person. They are the four aspects of true love within ourselves and within everyone and everything.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh-

Truly happy for each otherwithout any kind of misgivings, It is another of the characteristics that would define true love. Finally, it must be balanced and measured, so that it does not convulse the soul and become dependency.

Understanding true love towards another human being From the Eastern point of view perhaps it can be a difficult task for Westerners due to all the cultural baggage received and naturalized. However, try to practice it It is an excellent way to enjoy everything we are capable of contributing.