(Bell)

(Asking question in foreign language)

If one of the basis of the Buddhist religion,

is love for Mother Nature.

Why isn't this also equally true of romantic love

between two people

and their demonstration of love for each other.

Can someone repeat?

Seems to be an interesting question.

(Laughter)

She asks if Buddhism supports love for Mother Nature,

why doesn't it also support romantic love between two people

and demonstrations of affection between two people.

The Buddha is a picture of love, true love.

Love for Mother Earth, should be true love.

And if it is true love it can bring a lot of happiness

to you and to Mother Earth.

And romantic love, if it is true love,

it can also bring a lot of happiness.

But if it is not true love, it will make you suffer,

and make the other suffer as well.

In the teaching of the Buddha,

true love needs four elements.

First of all: Maitri - loving-kindness

that is the capacity to offer happiness.

If you cannot offer happiness, that is not true love.

In romantic love,

if you are not able to help the other person to be happy,

that is not true love.

So you should train yourself in order to be able

to offer happiness

to you and to him, or to her.

Without that, both will suffer.

The second element of true love is compassion.

Compassion is the kind of energy that can help remove suffering;

that can help transform suffering in you and in the other person.

If you cannot transform

and take care of the suffering in you and the other person

that is not true love.

That is why "Karuna", the second element of true love,

should be cultivated by you and the other person.

Romantic and not romantic, that is not important.

What is important is whether it is true love,

or not true love, right?

The third element of true love

is Joy.

If by loving,

you make the other person cry all the time,

and you cry all the time,

That is not true love. (Laughter)

Romantic or not romantic.

True love is inclusiveness.

You do not exclude,

his suffering is your suffering,

his happiness is your happiness,

There is no individual suffering and happiness anymore.

In true love,

there is the element of inclusiveness, non-discrimination.

There's no separation, no barrier,

Between you and the other person.

In that spirit you cannot say,

"That's your problem!" No.

Your problem is my problem

My suffering is your suffering.

So this is the fourth element of true love.

And if romantic love has all these four elements,

it can bring a lot of happiness also.

The Buddha did not say, never any negative things about true love

In romantic love if you are successful.

You will cultivate a lot of loving-kindness and compassion.

And very soon your love will be all-embracing.

The other person is no longer the only object of your love.

Because your love will continue to grow.

Your love will embrace all of us!

And happiness will become limitless.

That is the love of the Buddha.

That is the meaning of the fourth element

of true love: Inclusiveness

If it is true love, it will continue to grow,

and include more and more. Not only humans...

but also animals, vegetables,

and minerals.

And that is a great love.

"Maha Karuna" "Maha Maitri"

And that is the love of the Buddha.

(Bell)

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