Questions tagged [loving-kindness]
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Nyanaponika Thera on the Inter-relations of the Four Sublime States
I'm wondering about older sources for some of what Ven. Nyanaponika Thera says in this essay:
The Four Sublime States:
Contemplations on Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity.
For some of ...
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3
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What does Buddhism teach about abusive parents?
My husband’s parents are very abusive now and in the past. Recently they’ve started bringing me into the mix, and so my husband decided to cut them out of our lives. They still text me to curse our ...
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Isn't giving to attain good Kamma "greedy" and therefore Unwholesome (akusala)?
I'm currently reading In the Buddha's Words by Ven. Bikkhu Bodhi. In the introduction to The Way to a Fortunate Rebirth he states that the roots of what make an action unwholesome (akusala) are:
&...
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Fear of Samsara in Others
I have been recently experiencing tremendous fear, but as I look through my eyes at the world and the objects it contains, the fear does not accord with what I see. The world itself is beautiful but ...
user17652
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Proper meditation at hard times ( to be kind, open mind and enjoy hard times )
I understand that i act harmfully by my words also when i struggle at hard situation. (male 37 years old)
For example today forced my mother ( elderly) to do some work which i thought it could be ...
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How can I be happy at other's happiness?
How can I be happy at other's happiness ? How can I develop my willingness to see others' being happy ?
If I define a happiness level, scale of 0 to 100 about being happy at others' happiness, I ...
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Are loving-kindness and compassion (metta and karuna) special kind of attachments?
To alleviate someone from suffering, Buddhism teaches one to practice mettā
karuṇā. But it seems to me that to thinking good about someone and wish them the best, we need to have a better version of ...
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Is the Buddhist path one of 'selfless offering' or 'inner kindness'?
Just expanding on this answer is the Buddhist path one of 'selfless offering of oneself and efforts' or of 'inner kindness' i.e. kindness to oneself. Or is it both or neither. I've come across both ...
- 21k
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Reconciling metta & avoiding fools/immoral people
The Buddha repeatedly said to avoid ignorant, immoral people as much as possible, but isn't this - at least a little - opposed to kindness? I associate kindness with being benevolent, caring & ...
- 2,560
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Best way to develop different meditation practices (simultaneously or not)
I got introduced to Buddhist meditation through the practice of meta and the cultivation of the four bramaviharas. It was going well but I decided I needed the ability to separate my ego and my will. ...
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Loving Communication
I am currently reading The Art of Communication by Thich Nhat Hanh and going through some rough spots in a relationship.
From a Buddhist perspective, what is the most loving way to communicate, in a ...
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How to think about the four immeasurable minds?
I am curious about how to think about the four immeasurable minds in a practical way, please help me make sense of them (see detailed question below)
Background
In the book Teachings on Love by ...
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685
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How does a Buddhist survive in a harsh world?
The following video got me thinking:
Machiavelli’s Advice For Nice Guys
Machiavelli believes that being kind and compassionate is good, but one often needs to learn to be harsh and ruthless in order ...
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The fear of committing to a monastic lifestyle
I have a persistent fear of going without food that prevents me from giving monasticism a full shot.
Some background: I suffered for approximately 4 years with something called cyclic vomiting ...
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What are some of the best practices for generating loving kindness?
I came across many lectures from Ram Dass/Richard Alpert in the beginning of my meditation practice about a month ago, and I found the attitudes toward life and other people he espoused very ...
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What are metta and karuna?
I'm wondering what these terms, mettā and karuṇā (loving-kindness and compassion), mean.
Are there suttas in which they're defined, otherwise where do the definitions come from?
Is there any ...
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Metta and Loving-Kindness as a Team
Can Metta be practiced in a partnership or as a team?
I can think of
two people practicing Metta together, or
a group which meets for meditation, or
across borders, across continents people ...
- 469
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New to metta meditation
I have some questions about metta meditation.
1- When I send love to myself, my cat, the world etc. Do I have to feel something? Do I have to sit and repeat the mantra May I Be Happy until I feel ...
- 684
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Is Maithree meditation a recommended practice?
I use Maithree meditation for many moments of stress instead of Anapanasati. Is it a recommended practice? I find out this works for me and helps me move away from the stress at hand and find present ...
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Three questions about sensual desire
If music is a sensual desire , what's wrong with that?
Sensual desire is described as the first of the five hindrances. What I am a little perplexed by is the stance of Buddhism on the positive ...
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What is the relationship between patience and kindness?
I was just reading some of the commentarial literature in the Pali Canon and it occurred to me that there seems to be some kind of relationship between patience and kindness that I don't fully ...
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Can Metta make you likable?
I think somebody asked a similar question earlier and understand that this will likely be closed but hope not.
Was wondering can practicing of Metta make you likeable? Or rather more approachable? ...
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How to practice Metta without a Benefactor?
I find it very difficult to practice metta because i can't find anyone who has been a benefactor.I don't know a lot of people.Most people i know i find it very difficult to send metta to as a ...
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