Is love in this life 'artificial'?

score:2

Accepted answer

Is the love we feel towards others in this life just temporary or does it pass on to the next life?

It's temporary.It may pass on to the next life but it won't stay like that forever.Making it your goal to cultivate the necessary karma to pass "things on" to the next life is wearisome and not a guarantee.

For example, I love my family. I want to live the longest possible time with them. I know that one day we will depart one another. I hope to see them again in the next life. Does this thinking led to suffering?

All conditioned things are unreliable.Their unreliable because their impermanent.So if you put your hope in them you are setting yourself up for suffering.There are different types of love that one can have.The type of love that suttas teach to cultivate are Loving kindness or The Brahmaviharas. Try cultivating this kind of love for your family and all beings.

Edited:

Here are a few helpful links to cultivate Love as taught in the suttas.

Loving-Kindness Guided Meditation Video

Loving-Kindness Meditation by Ven.Sujiva

The Four Sublime States by Venerable Nyanaponika Thera

Brahmavihara Dhamma by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

Hello - with Love & Other Meditations Ven. Visuddhacara.

Upvote:-2

When Loard Buddha saw his previous lives, He observed that what ever he practices in previous lives was affecting his mind in positive way (because of his Good karma’s).


How ever if one is practicing Bad Karma’s would result in your mind becomes dirty, which will take more time to become pure.



We are born with 3 things


  1. Age (How long you are going to live.)


  2. Jati (Born as Human or animal.)

  3. Bhog (Results of Bad Karma done.)

For E.g. We often see some small children are interested in different activities, Which is a result of the impression of previous lives on their mind.

While you are in deep sleep, mind doesn't get energy from soul, which means you are not aware of sleep. But as soon as mind gets the light of soul, it will start working and you will see dreams (you will still love your family in dreams, because Buddha said "You become, what you think").

So Yes, Love is real but you don't take it to next life the way you perceive it.

Yes attachment leads to Suffering.

Upvote:-1

Buddhism explains that separation from the loved is suffering. If you truly believe you will see your family in a next life, the idea of separation will not occur. Therefore, suffering will not occur.

Upvote:2

Every conditioned thing is temporary and subject to destruction and changes including feelings. Wanting to meet again means that one has to have a new birth or self in next life and it comes with all the heap of drawbacks and unsatisfactory.

In case you still want to have new birth, then the following sutta might interest you.

A loving couple asked Buddha this exact same question, and here was his reply:

Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom. Then they will see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives.”

Here is full sutta: the same in living

More post

Search Posts

Related post