A Comparative Study of Universal Love in Mo Zi and Mettā Appamññā in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy

Abstract

             The purposes of this research were: 1) to study the concept of Universal Love in Mo Zi philosophy, 2) to study the principle of Mettā Appamññā in Theravada Buddhist philosophy and 3) to comparative analysis Universal Love in Mo Zi philosophy and the principle of Mettā Appamññā in Theravada Buddhist philosophy. This qualitative research studies to relevant primary and secondary sources, with findings synthesized and presents descriptively.
             The research results found that:
             1. Universal Love in Mo Zi philosophy was a social philosophy that emerged during the warring period to resolve social structure and established forming peace. This concept was fundamentally rooted in Utilitarianism, based on the belief that loving everyone equally brought the greatest benefit for society and eliminated conflict.
             2. Mettā Appamññā in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy was the part of the Four Sublime States (Brahmavihāra), based on wisdom (Paññā) according to the Four Noble Truths. It showed that suffering arose from defilements (Kilesa) within the human mind. Therefore, the solution focused on an inside through outside, beginning with the cultivation of loving-kindness (Mettā-bhāvanā) to purify mind and reduce ego-attachment.
             3. Comparative Analysis the comparison Mo Zi Universal Love and Mettā Appamññā in Theravada philosophy revealed that both shared a core goal of fostering boundless love and social harmony by overcoming selfishness. However, their foundations differed. Mozi philosophy relied on the Will of Heaven and Utilitarianism to achieve worldly benefits, whereas Mettā Appamññā arose from wisdom of understanding the Four Noble Truths and the Law of Karma, purifying internal defilements. The crucial difference lied in the methodology; Mozi emphasized an outside to inside through social regulation, while Theravada Buddhist philosophy emphasized an inside to outside mental cultivation through meditation, aiming toward the ultimate goal of Nirvāna.