Buddhists: can you explain the concept of love as the natural state of things?

Question

Perhaps I'm thinking about this incorrectly. Is "love," or "compassion," the natural state of things, or is it just the most likely to lead others to enlightenment?

If it is actually a natural state of things, then it seems that I can only achieve this knowledge through experience. To experience this means I need to devote myself to it. If this is the case, how can I possibly choose among the various religions? Is Buddhism's only redeeming quality that it asks for the least amount of assumptions?

I was raised Christian and abandoned that mindset. I could live my life without believing anything, but I'm holding out at the moment for something more, and hoping that Buddhism won't ask me to necessarily believe anything without evidence.

Answer 1

Actually, the very nature of Buddhism demands investigation and to not simply believe anything you are told. If something doesn't make sense, investigate and ask questions.

Compassion is the natural state of things because contentment is the natural state of things. When you are compassionate you are attempting to reconcile another individual so that they become content and no longer suffer and it is the relationship between things that is important. Also a recent study has found altruism to be hardwired in our brains, although many people my have delusional ideas of what that entails doing. To be compassionate to another not only alleviates their suffering but your own too; you get that warm happy feeling deep inside and you make a connection with the other person. If you think about it, a compassionate world would be an orderly and adaptive world where people work together and accommodate differences. The opposite type of world would soon rip itself apart, so which way do you think the ball of life rolls?

For example, lets say you are walking and some bum asks for change, and you give him a dollar. Now, if you attitude is a matter of ego or pride; that you held some power over that person to make them praise you or whatever, the motivation is selfish and any happiness you get will quickly dwindle as you search for your next power rush, thinking about you money, status, whatever. If the act is motivated from compassion, it lasts! From the depth of your being you gave something and so the meaning of the act has more resonance, more importance in your mind.

The only way to find out about Buddhism, about how it really works and is, is to try it and experiment and note your results. This is because Buddhism is taught to be internalized before its tested as that is where experience lies, not in a book but in you. If you really want to get a good dose of what its about go to www.bswa.org and watch some of the video dharma talks by Ajahn Brahm. The latest one is really good, called "Buddhism and Sects" and Ajahn Brahm talks about the differences between different types of Buddhism (and that the differences are superficial). Also, I HIGHLY recommend you start meditating, it will teach you to be observant of your actions and thoughts, not to mention boost your memory and glial count in your neocortex. Good luck, and keep testing it until it makes sense or your logic shows you must abandon it.

Oh, and a bit about Ajahn Brahm - He's a Cambridge England PhD in Theoretical Physics that became a Buddhist monk and has been for about 30 years. He's a smart cookies and worth hearing out.

Answer 2

Love is a choice. Buddhism concerns it self with the alleviation of suffering. It concerns itself with releasing harmful and destructive thinking states such as anger, self-pity, depression, hatred, resentment and so on.

Buddhism advocates that these states can be alleviated and suffering reduced by choosing to love.

You may also consider why you need to believe anything rather than experience life and others for what it is. The act of seeking a belief system is part of the cycle that the Buddhist will discuss (tanha) a craving and longing for something other than what exists.

The desire for evidence can also be seen as an attachment under Buddhist philosophy.

Answer 3

Well, moreth, I can only comment on the type of Buddhism I practice. That is Nichiren Buddhism, as practiced by the Soka Gakkai International. We do not expect you to start with faith, but you will develop faith as you practice chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. I, too, was raised a Christian, and found that was not right for me.
I have never heard anyone say that love is the natural state of things. Compassion is one of the things we develop as we learn about Buddhism and learn to practice it. There is much more to be said about Buddhist practice and Buddhism, but a meeting near you is the best place to learn more. Go to sgi.org to find a meeting near you, and learn much more. Make me a contact of yours and you can email me with more questions.

Answer 4

I understand you question very properly. the 2nd paragraph of your question's info is the beginnig of ways i could answer your question. this is approximately adventure. I even have got here across that Zen Buddhism, and somewhat zazen is the excellent thank you to clean your techniques of ideals. for the period of zazen, you in basic terms sit down nevertheless and concentrate on the posture and respiratory. while a thought arises, you in basic terms permit it pass, pass back to the breath. The effect is that your techniques will become uncomplicated and wholesome. In Zen the point is to unlearn. Do zazen.

Answer 5

Love is an affinity with possession, and is directly in correlation with worldly "attatchments".