The Dharmafarer

The Greatest Love [download this reflection] (more reflections)

Lovingkindness (mettaa) is the first of four positive emotions, also known as the divine abodes or perfect abidings (brahma,vihaara). While the ancient brah­mins claim that they are the only way to God and heaven, the Buddha brings them right down to earth, declaring that they can be cultivated in our own hearts. Rather than external deity and making promises of heaven, by cultivating the godly qualities of compas­sion (karunaa), appreciative joy (mu­di­taa) and equani­mity (upekkhaa), we experience godli­ness and heaven right here and now.

Heaven is not an after-death place where only the chosen or select few can go. It is right here where we are, when our hearts are consistently filled with lovingkind­ness, so that those around us, too, feel empowered to be their true happy selves. To show lovingkindness is to accept others as they are, like allowing a good seed to grow, giving it all the whole­some conditions so that it will blossom into a fruitful and shady tree.

Lovingkindness is the foundation for these divine qualities in the sense that we must start with culti­vating lovingkindness successfully before proceeding on to the other levels of positive emotions. The 5^th century commentator, Buddha­ghosa, further explains: Why is lovingkind­ness alone spoken of so distinctly? Because it is the founda­tion of all the four divine abodes;[1] and also on account of its fulfil­ling all of the wholesome states beginning with giving (Vism 9.124/325).[2]

The divine abodes are said to be “perfect, divine” (brahma) because of they are the best of emotions and because of their faultless nature. They are the best ways to relate to others. As the High Gods (brah­maa) are fearless, even so these emotions infuse such godliness in us. There are called “immeasurable” (appamaanaa, appamañ­ña) because they can reach out to immeasura­ble beings. (DhsA 192-197; Vism 263-270)[3]

The Buddha has both incomparable compassion and supreme wisdom. Every­thing that a teacher can possibly do, he has done for us. He teaches not only humans, but also the gods, the beings of other realms, and even animals benefit from his pre­sence.[4] Above all, the Buddha shows us how in this world itself, in this body itself, we can see salvation and liberation.

For, we are as we think. Thinking often uses words without feeling. The Buddha teaches us how to feel, to love, beginning with ourselves. Just as we love ourselves, so too we should love others. This is the beginning of a good society as well as a true individual.

In the field of human conflict, those who die for us we call “fallen heroes.” Those who defend us and the values that we cherish, and continue to do so are called true “living heroes.” Buddhaghosa gives a famous parable of the four persons and the bandit.

Once a monk was sitting with someone dear, a neutral person, and a hostile per­son. A bandit comes along and demands only one of them for a human sacrifice. If the monk says, “Take me,” he lack self-love; if he says “Take this or that person,” he lacks other-love. But, he says, “Let no one die,” and he convinces the bandit not to kill. He has the greatest love of all.

In fact, it is harder to live for those we truly love and things we truly cherish. The Buddha does not die for us: he lives for us. No greater love has a man than this, that he lives for us, teaching us that we have the capacity and power to free our­selves from suffering.[5]

Copyright © Piya Tan 2010 rev

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[1] The four are listed in Sangiti S (D 33.1.11(6)/3:223 f).

[2] On the primacy of lovingkindness, see further Metta Bhavana S (It 1.3.7) = SD 30.7 (1.2.1.2).

[3] For a description of the immeasurable or divine abodes with similes, see Tevijja S (D 13.76-79/1:251) = SD 1.8. On the divine abodes with the elements, see Vuttha Vass’avasa S (A 9.11.4/4:375 f) = SD 28.21. On how the divine abodes limit karma, see Brahma,vihara S (A 10.206/5:299) = SD 2.10.

[4] See the reflection on Animals Go To Heaven: http://piyaweeklyreflection.googlepages.com/090121AnimalsGoToHeaven.pdf

[5] This reflection is based on a section in the essay on Spiritual friendship: A textual study = SD 34.18.

(1) Sutta Discovery volume 1 (soft bound; limited ed)

The Buddha and the Early Buddhist Teachings by Piya Tan, 2010.

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For info on Piya Tan, see Wikipedia (courtesy of Aldwin Teo, 2007)

Dharma Talks at Buddhist Fellowship, Singapore:

1. Little Dust in Their Eyes (1 Nov 2009).
2. Happiest Moments in My Life (3 Jan 2010).
3. What is Vipassana Meditation? (4 Apr 2010).

Others recommended videos:

1. Stroke of Insight: Brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor studied her own stroke as it happened — and has become a powerful voice for brain recovery.
2. Buddhism in A Global Age of Technology by Prof Lewis Lancaster at UC Berkley
3. Life of the Buddha from BBC.