Loving-Kindness in Theravada Buddhism Scriptures

Abstract

Loving-Kindness in Theravāda Buddhism Scriptures means the spread and the cultivation of love with the equal  minds in all living beings. There are 3 ways of expression of  Loving-Kindness,  namely :- 1)  the spread  and  the cultivation of  love in  action  2)  the  spread  and  the cultivation  of  love in  words  3)  the  spread and  the cultivation of  love  in  thought.  The Buddha emphatically told human  beings to  have  Loving-Kindness  in  animals  and  He  also  told  human beings to  have  the view  that all living beings are equal. The Buddha prescribed a model for the human beings to follow  and  taught  how  to use  and  spread  Loving-Kindness  by  letting  ourselves  to  live  on  the good  base in all actions;  good  conduct  in words and good conduct in thought. The Loving-Kindness that sustains the  world is a principle  which causes  the human beings  and  animals to  live  together happily. It is also considered as the crux of  Buddhism  to reach  the  heavens  and  Nirvāna.