The Resemblance of the principles of loving-kindness between Theravada Buddhism and Roman Catholicism

Abstract

This article aims to study the consistency of the principle of loving-kindness between Theravada Buddhism and Roman Catholicism by studying documents and research. The results of the study found that the principle of loving-kindness in Buddhism is a principle that the Lord Buddha taught us to spread love and develop love for all animals with equal mind for all animals in all places in order to abandon defilements such as greed, anger, and delusion, which are the origins of physical and mental discomfort, leading to endless hatred, revenge, and destruction. In order to abandon these defilements, the Lord Buddha emphasized that people should not do any evil, do only good, and purify their minds, which is the origin of the meaning of having the principle of loving-kindness in their hearts. The manifestation of the principle of loving-kindness that appears as virtue. As for the principle of loving-kindness in the Christian Bible, it is accepted among Christians who love God and their fellow human beings that the “principle of loving-kindness” is a principle that Jesus Christ taught us to love God and our fellow human beings in order to abandon anger and resentment, which are the origins of physical and mental discomfort, leading to endless hatred, revenge, and destruction. In order to forgive each other, Jesus Christ emphasized that people should love God. With all one's heart and love one's fellow human beings as one would a neighbor or friend as oneself, which is the origin of the meaning of the principle of compassion. The expression of the principle of compassion that appears as a virtue in the Christian scriptures, the benefits of the principle of compassion in Theravada Buddhism and the benefits of the principle of compassion in Catholicism are consistent in many aspects, such as honesty, happy family, not harming others, etc.