FEBRUARY 1, 2024

In this edition, we shine a light on a fundamental aspect of Buddhist practice—love.

Join us as we contemplate the significance of love in our journey towards enlightenment, and how all of us can develop it. Discover how love serves as a guiding force, fostering compassion, connection, and a profound sense of well-being. Enjoy!

What Is Love?

First and foremost, understanding what love truly is, particularly from a Buddhist perspective, becomes an essential step in our journey toward enlightenment.

In our featured article, "What Is Love?," located in the Essentials section of our site, we embark on an exploration of this key concept. Learn what love is in Buddhism and navigate the distinctions between genuine love and attachment.

Read the article

Develop Love

Now armed with a deeper understanding of the profound concept of love in Buddhism - the wish for all beings to have happiness and the causes of happiness - let's embark on a purposeful journey to cultivate this transformative state of mind. It goes beyond merely experiencing love for those close to us; it extends to embracing love for strangers and even those we find challenging. The benefits of such an expansion are truly inconceivable.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama beautifully articulates this sentiment, stating, "Cultivating love for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life." With this wisdom as our guide, we invite you to join us in the exploration of developing love through our guided meditation titled "How to Develop Love."

This meditation offers practical techniques that pave the way for the blossoming of love within. As we follow these guided steps, we aim to cultivate a state of mind that brings not only personal peace but also contributes to the well-being of others. It is a journey toward the ultimate source of success in life — a heart filled with boundless love.

Listen now

Making Space for Enemies

Learning to Love our Enemies

This insightful video with Professor Robert Thurman begins by addressing the fundamental question, "What is an enemy?," before transitioning to the central theme—learning to love them. Professor Thurman explains that by understanding the motives behind the actions of those who harm us, we can wish for their happiness, and then he goes on to provide practical insights into the profound but difficult concept of loving our enemies. Watch the entire video by clicking the link below!

Go Even Further

Next, explore the compassionate heart of bodhichitta, a key concept in advanced studies of Buddhism. In Compassionate Heart of Bodhichitta, Dr. Alexander Berzin delves into the nature of bodhichitta, defined as the altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, and elucidates the various aspects and practices associated with this essential aspect of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy and practice.

Read the article

User Accounts

Have you made a user account yet? It’s simple and free, and gives you access to fantastic benefits, like hand-picked reading lists from Dr. Alexander Berzin for a wide range of topics. Create an account by clicking here.

Can you help us?

Did you know that all of Study Buddhism’s content is offered free of charge and free of adverts to the entire world in 37 languages? This is only possible because of you, our readers.

We are funded entirely by public donations, so if you benefit from our website, please consider helping us to share the Dharma by making a one-off donation or setting up a recurring monthly donation. Every dollar and euro makes a difference!

Donate

View this email in your browser

You can update your preferences or unsubscribe