An empowerment of universal love based on the Buddhist principles

Abstract

This research article aims to: 1) to study the universal love  in a modern society and Buddhism, and 2) to study the empowerment of universal love based on the Buddhist principles. This is a qualitative research done by studying related documentaries, Tipitฺaka, Commentaries and Sub-commentaries. In this research the descriptive method was used to provide the research findings.

In the research, it was found that the universal love in a modern society   is obviously caused by various factors, especially proximity; such a love varies in terms of passionate love, lust, companionship, and friendship. Such love, if it needs to be the forever one, must be promoted through four kinds of conditions:   1) openness, 2) flexibility, 3) thinking before speaking, and 4) no inner secrecy.             In strengthening it, both minds need to follow the principle of loving kindness.   As regards the universal love in Buddhism, it appears that there are many types  of virtues where love can be cultivated; love is regarded as the impermanent phenomena arising depending upon the cause and effect, here it points to ‘Metta’ as the proof of love comprising of: 1) passion, 2) love, 3) will, and 4) loving kindness. They become important to love in Buddhism.

As far as an empowerment of universal love based on the Buddhist principles is concerned, it shows that since human beings come to live together    as a community, then the universal love plays a crucial role in human society especially general youths and people; it needs certain principles to be used as guidelines where body and speech can be morally controlled so that it can leads to the good value called “love”. Here the sublime states of mind are required to be applied into the love: 1) self-love; it embraces the passion, 2) other-love; it refers    to love where they used to stay together in the past and thereby supporting one another in the present, and 3) love as the loving kindness; this kind of love  is unlimited, unconditioned and undivided or called ‘Mettaappamañña’.