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In this life we experience love with family, friends, spouses and others. From my understanding of reading through this site and researching, love leads to suffering.

Is the love we feel towards others in this life just temporary or does it pass on to the next life?

For example, I love my family. I want to live the longest possible time with them. I know that one day we will depart one another. I hope to see them again in the next life. Does this thinking led to suffering?

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Is the love we feel towards others in this life just temporary or does it pass on to the next life?

It's temporary.It may pass on to the next life but it won't stay like that forever.Making it your goal to cultivate the necessary karma to pass "things on" to the next life is wearisome and not a guarantee.

For example, I love my family. I want to live the longest possible time with them. I know that one day we will depart one another. I hope to see them again in the next life. Does this thinking led to suffering?

All conditioned things are unreliable.Their unreliable because their impermanent.So if you put your hope in them you are setting yourself up for suffering.There are different types of love that one can have.The type of love that suttas teach to cultivate are Loving kindness or The Brahmaviharas. Try cultivating this kind of love for your family and all beings.

Edited:

Here are a few helpful links to cultivate Love as taught in the suttas.

Loving-Kindness Guided Meditation Video

Loving-Kindness Meditation by Ven.Sujiva

The Four Sublime States by Venerable Nyanaponika Thera

Brahmavihara Dhamma by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

Hello - with Love & Other Meditations Ven. Visuddhacara.

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  • What kind of love are you referring to in your last paragraph. Can you provide links or subject matter for me to research?
    – NuWin
    Commented Jan 12, 2017 at 6:18
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Every conditioned thing is temporary and subject to destruction and changes including feelings. Wanting to meet again means that one has to have a new birth or self in next life and it comes with all the heap of drawbacks and unsatisfactory.

In case you still want to have new birth, then the following sutta might interest you.

A loving couple asked Buddha this exact same question, and here was his reply:

Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom. Then they will see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”

Here is full sutta: the same in living

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  • I believe Nakulapitā and his wife were stream-enterers and not yet ready for higher level of dhamma so Buddha taught them Dhamma that was most appropriate for them according to their strength. Since stream enterers would never fall into worlds of unfortunate and destination is fixed.
    – user5056
    Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 17:00
  • AN 6.16 states the wife was a stream-enterer accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.016.than.html
    – Dhamma Dhatu
    Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 21:56
  • thanks!!!!! Dhammadhatu. My thinking was that why Buddha would indulge them by giving an answer which might have led to a desire for new Bhava instead of pointing out that meeting again in next life would be dangerous. I have faith that Buddha gave best possible answer for them. Since she (possibly husband too) were stream-enterers, they will be safe (might be bruised here and there for next 7 lives,but they are "safe" nonetheless.
    – user5056
    Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 22:15
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Buddhism explains that separation from the loved is suffering. If you truly believe you will see your family in a next life, the idea of separation will not occur. Therefore, suffering will not occur.

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  • Why is this answer DV? Please explain.
    – NuWin
    Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 21:25
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When Loard Buddha saw his previous lives, He observed that what ever he practices in previous lives was affecting his mind in positive way (because of his Good karma’s).


How ever if one is practicing Bad Karma’s would result in your mind becomes dirty, which will take more time to become pure.



We are born with 3 things


  1. Age (How long you are going to live.)


  2. Jati (Born as Human or animal.)

  3. Bhog (Results of Bad Karma done.)

For E.g. We often see some small children are interested in different activities, Which is a result of the impression of previous lives on their mind.

While you are in deep sleep, mind doesn't get energy from soul, which means you are not aware of sleep. But as soon as mind gets the light of soul, it will start working and you will see dreams (you will still love your family in dreams, because Buddha said "You become, what you think").

So Yes, Love is real but you don't take it to next life the way you perceive it.

Yes attachment leads to Suffering.

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  • Why is this answer DV? Pleas explain.
    – NuWin
    Commented Jan 11, 2017 at 21:25

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