Sutta Spotlight
Metta & Liberation
The Buddha’s gift to humanity was
the teaching of the Lovingkindness practice
Source Material and References
Metta: Opening Hearts and Minds
Buddhism gets a bad wrap. Mention Buddhism to most people, especially Westerners, and the one thing many of them associate with the Buddha is, ‘Life is suffering.’ Of course, we know the Buddha never said that. We’re not wedded to a veil of tears. The Buddha did, however, recognize that suffering is a part of life. We can’t escape it, no matter how we try!
But the Buddha also recognized that joy was a part of life, that love and happiness were a part of life. And in fact, in his teachings, the Buddha often speaks to the ways we can bring about happiness in our lives and the lives of others. It’s very important! Happiness and Love are so important, that the Buddha gave us the beautiful practice of Metta, of lovingkindness. Don’t be fooled, though! This practice is not for the faint of heart. Take this journey with us as we embrace the liberative practice of Metta.