Love. . .
Love, in the Buddhist view, is not a fleeting emotion or romantic ideal. It is a practice — a deep, abiding state of care and connection that transcends attachment and ego. True love in Buddhism is rooted in metta — loving-kindness — the sincere wish for all beings to be happy, safe, and at peace.
Unlike love shaped by craving or clinging, Buddhist love does not seek to possess or control. It allows others to be who they are, not who we want them to be. It asks us to love with open hands and open hearts, without demanding anything in return. This love is both tender and fierce — tender in its empathy, and fierce in its commitment to compassion.
To love as the Buddha taught is to develop the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, joy in the happiness of others, and equanimity. These are not abstract ideals, but real qualities we can nurture in our relationships, our families, and even with strangers. They teach us to love without fear, without expectation, and without attachment to outcomes.
Love in this sense is not weakness — it is strength. It’s the ability to stay open when others close off, to forgive when it would be easier to resent, and to show up fully, even when the world feels uncertain.
So let your love be patient. Let it be mindful. Let it extend beyond preference and comfort, into the wide world of beings — seen and unseen, near and far.
To live with love is to live awake.
Be kind. Be present. Love without holding back.
Peace and Love, Jim
#love #thedailybuddha
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