Metta A pathway to Global Peace (original) (raw)

2017, INDIAN SOCIETY FOR BUDDHIST STUDIESAt: Sanchi University of Buddhist- Indic Studies, Sanchi, Barla, Dist-Raisen (M. P.), India

According to the Theravada, Mettā or maitrī (Sanskrit) is the first of the four Brahmavihāras and one of the ten pāramīs. Research in the nascent field of positive psychology provides empirical evidence that positive emotion like loving-kindness broadens a person’s attention and thinking; builds the quality of their interpersonal relationship; increases optimism and tranquility and strengthens cognitive and learning abilities. World since time immemorial has been inflicted upon by hate, jealousy, wars, and conflicts. Many great persons have tried to reduce them, some succeeded to a certain level. In this paper, we explore that can mettā be a way to achieve Global Peace, effectively and in a more permanent way. We extrapolate the experiential work by Fowler and Christakis. Their 20-year experimental research proved that happiness, like health is a contagious phenomenon. We propose that like happiness, mettā too is contagious. If more and more people are inducted into mettā through the practice of meditation, those people and their immediate family members too will develop mettā, and once a critical number of individuals develop mettā the world can become a better place and Global Peace can be achieved. We explore the suttas of Tipitika and experiential results of positive Psychology to prove our proposition. Buddha himself had said to his disciples: “Go forth for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good and the happiness of gods and men. Let no two of you go in the same direction.”